As I went for a run through the Heights a while ago I noticed a somewhat out of place sight; an HEB shopping cart sitting along a sidewalk at 17th Street and Rutland Street. Much to the chagrin of Heights residents and native Texans, there is no HEB close by. And, judging from first and
second-hand accounts, the HEB at 18th Street and T.C. Jester leaves much to be desired compared to the chain's Montrose location. I am guessing that this cart wandered from the 18th Street location, which
means it traveled just under two miles to get there.
After seeing this cart in the Heights, I now have a heightened lookout for other shopping carts as I traverse Houston. "How'd it end up there?", "What store is it from?", "How close is that store from here?", "How far might it have traveled?" and "Who left this here?" are all questions that come to mind when seeing these abandoned buggies. These stolen and abandoned shopping carts have
been the topic of complaints here in Houston before, ending up in front of people's homes or left on neighborhood sidewalks or public spaces, and dumped in ditches, or into
Houston's bayous.
