Ok, I know that having things made in China and other countries like it can save a business money, but sometimes someone just needs to draw the line.  Let me explain.

The other day, Phil and I were walking through Kroger – a southern grocery store chain. Lately, we’ve been buying the Simply brand of juices because they’re so good, but they also can cost a bit, too. So, Phil decided to save a few pennies  this time around and bought one of the other brands – I can’t remember what brand it was off the top of my head and I don’t think that it was a Kroger brand. I could be wrong, so don’t quote me on that.

Anyway, he picked it up, stared at it for a second and said, “I don’t think so.”

I rolled my eyes because I thought Phil was saying no to it because it looked like it was old or had been tampered with or something like that. He does this with almost everything he buys – especially frozen or cold food items. I would say that this is because we spent a year in China and we had to do this regularly, but he’s done it for years.  He’s eccentric.

“It looks fine, Phil. Buy it,” I said.

“Nope,” he replied, “it’s from China.”

“What do you mean it’s from China. It’s juice.” I looked closer at the bottle, and sure enough, this is what I read: Concentrate: Product of China. “Well, I’ll be, it is from China. Since when did they start putting that stamp on stuff?”

Even after I argued that it was just the juices of a stupid apple and that he should buy it anyway, Phil still refused. He said something to the affect that we weren’t in China anymore, and that we had a choice on whether we wanted to eat or drink something that was from China.

“But we didn’t die from eating apples in China!” I exclaimed.

“I don’t care,” he replied, and that was the end of that. Back on the shelf it went.

All I have to say, is that it is a sad day when America can’t freaking juice their own apples. I mean, really, how expensive can that be?!

And that is my rant for the day.