From Refrigerated Truck to Melted Mess

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I was born after the refrigerator replaced the icebox, but not so long after that people stopped calling it “the icebox.” I grew up knowing what frozen food was supposed to look and feel like. So when my Walmart delivery showed up with a 40 oz. bag of—fully thawed—Great Value Pitted Dark Sweet Cherries, I knew something was wrong. It was 84°F outside, with a RealFeel of 98°. That car was basically a slow cooker on wheels. I wasn’t the driver’s only stop, either. And I live about eight miles from the store. No insulated bags, no sign of cooling measures—I’m not even sure the AC was on. Her windows were down when she pulled up. Those cherries never stood a chance. I called Walmart and was issued both a refund and a credit. The rep didn’t hesitate—she said that the driver would never be assigned to me again. That tells me this probably was not the first complaint. I do not complain often, but thawed food in that kind of heat isn’t just gross—it’s unsafe.