Well, while I'm standing at the car, in the rain, loading the groceries into the car and explaining to my adorable and lovely child that whining and begging are not desirable traits in a human being (of course, I'm saying it like that too...) an elderly gentleman comes up to me, "Excuse me Miss", he says. I, now annoyed because my adorable and lovely child is still whining about wanting Yogos and how the whole box is his and how he doesn't have to share with anyone, turn around and very abruptly say, "Yes?" Thinking that he's probably going to tell me that I shouldn't whine back to the said child if I want him to stop whining (at least this is what I would say and what I was thinking in my head at the time). But he doesn't. Instead the conversation goes like this:
Gentleman: "Did you happen to drop this money in the one of the aisles in the store?" - let it be known to the court that the gentleman is holding a 5 dollar bill in his hand.
Me: (In my head, "I'm an ass") out loud, "No sir I didn't but thank you for asking".
Gentleman: "Well, hmm..., how about you just keep it and we'll pretend you did."
Me: (cause I'm an ass) meekly, "Oh, um, thank you. Thank you sir"
Gentleman: "Your welcome Miss. Have a nice day now."
Gentleman gets in car, smiles politely and drives away. Dumbass woman still standing in the rain thinking, "I'm a dumbass". Now if you haven't caught this already then let me just tell you that there was no money dropped in the aisle. I'm sure this came from his own pocket and for some reason he thought it was a good idea to give it to me. Just one of those things, you know?
After pondering this for a couple of days I have decided that I am officially a dumbass and that if everyone behaved like this gentlemen did (I'm not saying everyone has to pass off $5.00 to everyone - just that his manners and attitude were nice) what a wonderful world it would be. It seems that the days of holding the door open for someone, not talking back or just general politeness are gone and quite frankly, I miss them. Just something for you to ponder.
Amen. I try to flash each and every (non-violent) mother of a screaming child a raised fist ala "power to the grownups" -- not the disapproving scowl I thought about giving prior to that humbling equalizer... motherhood.
ReplyDeleteGood for him for passing you $5 (for a 40 oz malt liquor? ear plugs? 30 minutes of babysitting so you could go to the store alone? penance for the nasty things he was thinking about you in the grocery store? just to be kind? priceless).
You've passed me (the literal and figurative) $5 plenty of times, T! I guess it really does "come around"!
My last trip to the grocery was quite lovely in the end, too. The checker was nice, someone offered to stand with Henry and my cart while I fetched the car since it was pouring (it was a store employee and my car was really close, so I accepted) and then another store employee helped load my bags into the car. It made me happy all day!
ReplyDeleteyou can use that money to buy your returning weekend neighbor a beer....
ReplyDeleteUsually everyone is nice and I get people wanting to see the two cute little boys but recently I did get a scowl from the "flower lady" when I knocked over a few vases of flowers and water - clean up on isle by the registers!! She COULD have been nicer and noticed the fact that I was trying to keep a 4 year old by me and see over the car seat of the baby in the cart. Whoops sorry - don't put the flowers on the floor by the exit!!! Julie :)
ReplyDeleteWent to the grocery store, alone (I know, I'm too damn lucky) and on my way out, in the parking lot, out of the corner of my eye, I see an older gentleman returning from the cart return to walk to his car. I think nothing of it, until as I'm passing the cart return, I see a bucket of cat litter sitting on the lower rack. I rushed over to his car, he must have thought I was crazy, and his wife opened the window. I asked if they had just returned their cart because there was kitty litter in it. He thanked me profusely, blaming the grey hair. I told him I've done it plenty of times (really) so I know how frustrating it is to get home and not have it. That stuff is expensive! But I couldn't get over how happy I felt after he left. My good deed for the day. So, even though you were warmed by his generous act, I'm sure it made him just as happy!
ReplyDeleteI knew a very pretty lady in Colorado, her name was Tracy and she also had two young boys. Got to take her to a concert one time, used to talk to her a lot and she gave me advice on a young woaman I knew back in Oklahoma. Often she made treats and shared with me. But alas she moved off with her husband and kids to a state somewhere back East. I since have moved to Oklahoma, still need advice. Sometimes I think I will just go and dig a cave to live in. Miss her!!!
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