An Open Letter to the ‘Cow Button’ at Coborn’s

Hey Cow Button, long time no press.

Growing up, my hometown Coborn's didn't have the infamous Cow Button. Kids in Long Prairie only heard the sounds of real cows that surrounded the town on every side. When I moved to the St. Cloud area and learned of this special button, it brought back my childhood sense of wonder. A button that could make a cow talk?! It's like a Disney attraction made just for the Midwest.

I'll admit I've pressed this button a time or two as I pick up eggs from the cooler. How could you not? It puts smiles on faces and makes the tedious chore of grocery shopping a little more exciting.

It's been a while since we have at the chance to press it though.

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down, and stores have had to adjust big time to make shopping safer. Mask requirements, sanitizing carts and checkout stations, plexiglass additions, and minimizing touchpoints are all standard as of spring 2020. That last one is where the cow button comes in.

Kids (and adults) love to touch the cow button, but it's not like Coborn's can pay someone to stand there and sanitize it after every press. And hearing a talking cow is the least of everyone's worries at the moment.

I consider myself educated enough to know that this pandemic will be going on for a while, and things may never be totally back to normal. But when the time comes, I'm going to be pressing that cow button like I'm ringing the Liberty Bell. It is at the very top of my to-do list, right next to hugging people again.