I have to tell you I had a rather interesting experience at the grocery store last week. I had finished shopping and was pushing my cart up to a cashier. I had seriously already turned my cart into the line when an older woman ran in front of me, bumping my cart, and stood in front of me looking at me triumphantly. I just stood there with a confused look on my face like, “What the heck are you doing?” Then I noticed she didn't have anything in her hands. I started to put some items on the conveyor when she flags down who I presume to be her grandson, not any older than 10 years old, and waves him into the line.
Then it just gets awkward. The poor kid is standing there next to me with the cart and I am already in line and his grandmother will not move. She motions to me as if she is shooing an insect away and in fact turns to me and says, “Can you move? I was here first.” If a)my children weren't with me and b)her grandson wasn't with her I would have had a few choice words for her. However, I gave her a look that needn't any further explanation and let her grandson pass. My 3 year old daughter knew enough to say, “That wasn't very nice of that old lady.” To which I said, loud enough for that old bitty to hear (but after her grandson had wandered off to get a balloon), “No, it wasn't. She is not setting a very good example for her grandson. That is not how I would ever want you or your brother to treat others and that is certainly not something your grandma would EVER do.” She said nothing, just turned and again gave me that triumphant smirk.
The cashier apologized to me and said that he was honestly so stunned that he didn't know what to do. He'd never seen anything like it and much like me did not want to do anything to embarrass the child with her, who was very clearly uncomfortable with his grandmother's line cutting abilities. I have been cut off many a times when getting into a line. However, I have never been THIS cut off. I was seriously so stunned I was at a loss for words. The saddest part was the fact that she was so proud of herself. It appeared to be the highlight of her day and if that is truly the case then she can have it. But is that not crazy?
3 comments:
That's the kind of situation that would've gnawed at me all day as I considered the possibilities of what I could've done. I'd like to think that I would just continue putting my groceries on the conveyor and ignored her completely, letting her make a huff, but oh all the good thoughts come after the situation passes!
That is messed up.
Karma is karma.
I hate to say it but the elderly are some of the RUDEST people alive. Riding my scooter the first person to cut me off was an old lady.
In Walmart a few weeks ago I watched an elderly woman bitch out a young mother with kids to get out of her way because her HUSBAND had gotten into line and was waiting for her to come along in her motorized scooter cart. The woman had gotten into line behind the husband - she didn't know he was waiting for anyone, because of course, he didn't say anything.
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