A couple of weeks ago I was at a second-hand store. I had found some shirts for Yosef and Biniam, and had them hanging (not sure why) on the handle of the cart. I guess because I wasn't settled on all of them and I wanted to look through them again. Who knows why I do the things I do?
Anyway, so my cart was sitting there with the shirts hanging on the handle, and I was crouched down by the bookshelves looking through the childrens books. I heard a man somewhere near me saying, "These just look like boys' shirts", and I look up to find him rifling through my cart, apparently thinking that it was a bunch of stuff for sale that the store had put there! Oh my gosh, I was SO embarrassed! But did I stand up and tell him that it was my cart? Nooooo, I continued HIDING until he moved on! (Thankfully he didn't take any of my stuff!)
Three things passed through my mind during the ordeal. First, I couldn't WAIT to tell my mom, because weird stuff always seems to happen to her in stores too. Second, I thought about my friend Jeannett, and how she so would have stood up and said, "Hey, that's my cart!" She's all confident and says what's on her mind, and I love that about her.
Finally, I thought about how the whole thing was simply the essence of...me. I would have parted with my fabulous, inexpensive boys' shirts if it meant not having to confront the guy who thought they were free game. If I could avoid an uncomfortable situation. Because I guess that's just the way I am. And now you know, in case you're ever out and see me hiding in the store!
6 comments:
That is really funny. I suffer from the same illness when it comes to dealing with money. I HATE calling companies to negotiate bills or services. And with our basement construction I have had two uncomfortable opportunities to ask workers to do something for us that is not in their current assignment. The plumber fixed a toilet that was leaking and I could barely ask him how much to pay him (which was nothing, since he just adjusted a screw and it solved the problem), and just now I needed the drywall guy to patch a hole that we made in the ceiling (Oops). He said he would do it and I ran away with my tail between my legs only to have to cower back down there to make sure it was not something our contractor was to be billed for and offered him twenty dollars for doing it. *sigh* I am 30 years old and cannot deal with money negotiations. Oh well, at least I can change a diaper in no time flat!
heehee!!! i'm the same when it comes to money too! kevin wanted me to ask the flooring guys stuff, and i nearly DIED! thankfully he does not share my social disorder. :) we'd be in trouble if he did!
I used to be like that but there came a point in my life that I realized that most people aren't that scary and that (when it involves the kids) I will fight to the death! I'v started to be that way about money too because sometimes you have to fight for every darn penny and a person that wants to overcharge you on something is a person that is reaching into your wallet a helping themselves (although usually I find that an overcharge in an honest mistake). Don't do it for you Brianna - do it for the kids! You don't have to be pugilistic you could have just sneezed or coughed or cleared your throat with your back still turned and the guy probably would have realized his mistake and walked away. Or maybe get one of those bracelets that say WWJD (What would jeannett do?) :)
hee, hee, hee...
also the essence of you: willing to laugh at yourself, which is one thing i've always loved about you!
like when you were walking home with your grocery cart because your car wouldn't start...and you were laughing the whole way. (i'd be crying!)
I think it has to do with Mike being so much better at it then I am. He is in sales after all. I remember spending an hour on the phone with the phone company and getting nowhere. I called him, and he called me back in fifteen minutes with a resolution. What??? I did just talk the inspector into passing us even though we had 2 minor issues. I promised they would be fixed by the end of the week and I meant it and he believed me. Yeah me!!!
Okay, so as I read this, I said aloud: "Come ON girl! Why wouldn't you SAY something???!!!" And then I laughed that you thought of me. I always worry that my big mouth paints me as a mean or rude person. I try not to be. I just don't really worry about the consequences I guess...its that whole brain/mouth filter thing. It doesn't seem to work as well as most other people.
Not so sure about the WWJD thing, although it was funny! :)
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