The day started out innocently enough. Postal store and then grocery store for some last-minute holiday items. But little did I know I apparently was heading smack dab to the middle of Grinch Central. The evidence:
- First stop: UPS store. Woman at counter starts off friendly enough. Generic conversation ensues about typical holiday crush, etc. I was sending cookies to my family and no, there was no urgency. Clerk has me fill out form and then she walks to the back. Five minutes later she emerges with purse in tow and announces to colleagues that she is now taking lunch. I ask her if she can finish ringing me up first and as she readjusts purse strap with one hand on the door says with authority, “I am taking lunch.” Verdict: I hope Santa brings her some coal.
- Further evidence: Shoppers inside of Safeway are apparently possessed. The general rules of shopping etiquette that our society barely acknowledges on a good day, are thrown out the window during the holidays. Case(s) in point: I am at the seafood counter, with my number in hand, waiting patiently for my shot at some salmon. Lady in white Christmas sweater (irony?) cuts me off like we are formula one racers and scoots aggressively ahead of me like I am invisible. Verdict: May the jingle bells on her sweater unravel and her salmon be fishy. I then head to produce where a younger woman, fresh from the gym, proceeds to ram my cart repeatedly head on, three times, rather than say excuse me. For the record I was landlocked between the raspberries and the attendant restocking apples and unable to move. Verdict: People are crazy. Holidays or not. Now, onto check-out, I can see nirvana in the horizon, my exit from this vortex. I head to aisle four and a man and wife team side swipe me, cut me off and actually push my cart back so they are now next in line. Un-freaking-believable. These folks were roughly 70 years old. Verdict: I guess manners do not grow finer with age.
- Homeward Bound: In car, bags stowed and son and I are on our way. Making left-hand turn into our complex. Woman behind me is clearly agitated at having to wait the roughly 5 seconds it takes for a clear opportunity to turn. She then races around me in her SUV and steals parking space that I had signaled for. So, I make a second lap around the ol’ complex where an older Mustang steals another spot from me. Verdict: My neighbors are not nice people.
So, I am at home now, grateful my run-in’s with humanity are over for the day. It really is a shame that people act this way. Even my six-year-old knows better. Ho. Ho. Ho.
Have you encountered any memorable Grinches this season?
Denmeister 