Dollar

I was louder than usual. I was bolder than usual. But the statement was so jarring that I had no time to censor myself. 

"You did what?"

 My coworker Bernard repeated himself, reciting it once again with no shame. 

"I bought salmon from the dollar store."

He smiled nonchalantly and nodded his head. During a shopping trip, Bernard had decided to take advantage of a great deal and purchase some dinner, stuffed salmon, from a dollar store. His previous food purchases from those stores always ended well,particularly when he bought one of his favorite snacks, Fig Newtons.


"You could get a whole fig in one bite," he said, his eyes glazing over at the memory. 


 I appreciate the financial relief that dollar stores bring but I'm scared of buying anything from there that I have to chew, absorb or ingest. 


Their items cost a dollar for a reason.

 "So, how was it?"

Bernard began to laugh. When he got home and began to prepare the salmon, he made a disappointing discovery. 


There was only an inch of salmon meat. More than half of the "salmon" was breadcrumb stuffing.


What have we learned? You get what you pay for.