My name is Julian. I’m 70. Every Tuesday morning, I walk half a mile to the Budget Mart. Same list every week: lentils, rice, oats, and milk with the yellow “manager’s special” sticker.

My name is Julian. I’m 70. Every Tuesday morning, I walk half a mile to the Budget Mart. Same list every week: lentils, rice, oats, and milk with the yellow “manager’s special” sticker.

Last week, three high school boys stood near the cereal aisle, laughing. One nudged the other and said, “Look at this guy. That cart is depressing.”

I kept …