out of the mouths of babes…

I finally picked up my Christmas Tree. Lowes was having a super-duper sale so I practically got my Frasier fir for free (try saying that 10 times fast). I even splurged on the $3.50 live wreath for my door. Very pretty and very fragrant. I dragged my find up to the register and out of her plywood and plastic fortress came a smiling bundled up customer service rep all geeked up to use the chain saw. She gave me a fresh-cut, bundled my tree in some netting and cashed me out.

As a true shopping diva for this go around, I used my debit card. Sue was commenting on how earlier in the day, a mom and her small daughter came in and purchased a small potted miniature tree for the little girl’s room. The mom’s plastic card was worn, scratched, the magnetic strip was shot and Sue had to hand punch everything in, making it for a very long experience at the cash register. Things were almost ready for total when out of the blue, loud and proud the little tot, in pink, with rosy red cheeks, white fake fur hat and mittens, all crisp and sugar-plum fairy-ish yelled out…

“HURRY UP OLD LADY!!!”

Sue said it was if time had stopped. Mom was mortified, the little girl was forced to apologize and Sue thanked them for their purchase and sent them on their way.

When Sue was telling me that story, we had the best little giggle. She asked if I needed help loading the tree into my truck. I politely told her no, and said “Thanks anyway, old lady.” We giggled again.

Kids…where do they learn this stuff??

mind your manners…

I had timed out my break perfectly. I ran my errands, hit the bank and post office and was going to run in to a Subway to do my  lunch at my desk and finish up a project.  I whipped my truck into a parking spot, grabbed my cash money and hopped out only to see ahead of me an elderly man and woman skootching their way out of their car and begin shuffling their way to the door. If I kicked it into high gear, I could hurdle the parking block and hit the door long before they even stepped onto the sidewalk.

The wind was blowing and she stopped to adjust her hat and scarf. He grabbed her by the arm and together they clung to each other as not to fall. I could be inside, ordering, and still on schedule, but I couldn’t do it. I hustled over to them and asked if they needed any help, opened the door for them and allowed them to go in before me. They looked shocked but were thankful.

Once in I actually had a split second where I thought I could get ahead of them and place my order, get my fixin’s and get the heck out…they looked at me and I smiled and felt my arm extend and the words “Please, go ahead” come out of my mouth.

It was almost an out-of-body experience, my brain was thinking almost the total opposite of what my actions were.  I was glad though. I took a breath and thought “Oh well…~ let’s roll with it.”

All those lessons of youth. Respect and assist your elders. One day I’m going to be an elder and I hope that someone will come to my aid and assist me, or at least remember their manners, whether its running in to a deli or somewhere else.

No one should be in that much of a hurry that they forget their manners.