I had the most bizzare exchange with a seemingly normal mid-50's woman today at the Bi-Lo .
The place is packed at 3:30 on a Monday, and since both L & D were with me, we had to traverse the store in the obnoxious car cart. D just squeals when he sees it, so fine by me.
We enter an aisle and meet up with a ginormous water display on the left and afore mentioned woman on the right. She's picking out some pasta. I notice it is whole wheat. Good choice. I think we'll get along famously. I know from my couponing that it is one of the sale items. Props to you ma'am. But then I notice that she's REALLY examining the pasta... and talking about it with her gal pal... and ignoring me.
No worries, I think. According to my calculations, I've got about 10 minutes worth of manners riding in the cart and only 5-6 items to locate. We wait. Cherubs smiling. Mom smiling. We wait. She looks up a few times, but she's showing no sign of committing to the carbs in hand.
Finally we lock eyes, and she seems to ask me why I'm staring at her. I took the bait but wish I didn't. Here's how it went:
Me: "I'm sorry, I can't get by."
Her: "That's not my problem."
Eeeescuse me? I have a quick conversation with myself and list the reasons why I should just walk away.
1. Your children will remember how you act a lot longer than what she said.
2. Your husband likes his job and would probably like to keep it.
3. She might be a Lee U donor.
4. She might someday be a Lee U donor.
5. You like your job and would probably like to keep it.
Deep breath. Turn the tank around. Walk away. She's muttering some excuse for her inability to share the aisle space, but we just truck on. We made it an aisle over before Luke gave me his 2 cents worth. He was so shocked, and that in a weird way made me happy.
I'm sure she had just had a bad day, and maybe she had a lot more to consider before choosing a pasta for he week. It's okay. I think I'll use Luke's logic for every grouchy person I encounter from now on, though.
"I don't think she got enough sleep or ate enough vegetables today." Probably right, buddy.
6 comments:
Sweet Luke! Although I can only imagine what was really going through your head besides the polite list you posted. I would have voted for mowing her down with the obnoxious car cart.
It seems I run into someone like that each and everytime I go to the store here lately. Saddens me to see our society becoming so rude. Luke could seriously be on to something with the lack of sleep and vegetables. Smart kid he his. You should have prompted D to do his Bon Que Que number :)
On a side note, don't you just LOVE the race car buggy? One of these days I know I will take out an end-cap display. Only a matter of time.
There are few things for which I have less patience than dealing with rude people. I second Rachel's vote. Run her over.
Haha...way to go Luke! Cuz um this didn't even happen to me and I don't wanna post what went through my mind and almost out my mouth! :) But my excuse is that I've had to deal with some ridiculously stupid ungrateful people lately and well, I'm currently jaded with people in general. Thanks for the dose of perspective Luke...from now on, that will be my response, but something else will probably be going through my mind - LOL!
My vote = mow down.
Wow, more shocking to me that all of those clear thoughts went through your head in a short amount of time. Dr. Conn should be proud of the effect his university has had on you. You really do love that place!
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