So, everyone's not a jerk

Saturday morning was not going well. I had a very busy to do list for the day and it just wasn't getting done as I'd hoped. The laundry was started with the first load in the dryer and the second washing away. I had enough time to cross off 2 more items and be back home in time for the last buzzer on the dryer. The two tasks: get the oil changed in the car (30 minutes) and pick up a couple items at the grocery story. Even a 30 minute stop is too long without a book so I grabbed mine (the Pillars of the Earth by Follet, not a book actually, but a tome, as in 937 pages long) and headed for the dealership.

When I arrived at the dealership, not much was going on. The place not busy and I was glad I'd gotten there when they weren't rushed. I completed the paperwork and sat down to read my book and was quickly lost is trying to balance a 95 lb book on my lap, keep my eyes focused, and follow the story line all at the same time. I must have succeeded. I read for a while, figured they must be about done and looked over at the bays and noted that my car wasn't there. I looked out the window just in time to see the mechanic sitting in the drivers seat. Yea! they're done. Then he did something odd. He backed my car up and drove it into one of the vacant bays. He wasn't finished, he had not even gotten started. Well, this stop was going to be more than 30 minutes, obviously.

But once they got started they quickly finished and that was the end of my quality reading time. I headed for the grocery store which was a long drive, uh... across the street. They have a great parking system which puts huge sign posts sunk in concrete right in the aisle which would be between the parked cars. This means that anyone leaving a cart there has blocked a customer from getting into or out of the store without walking all the way around the parking lot. I arrived to find the aisle blocked so decided to take the cart inside and put my groceries in it and then bring it back out and park it for someone else to use when they got there. Having finished my shopping I headed for my car to find that I was totally blocked in all directions and had to walk quite a bit out of my way to get to my car. I was really calling all the people in the world bad names and especially those who were buying groceries this morning and definitely those parked close to my car.

When I got my groceries out of the cart and into the car I was feeling much better about things. I pushed the now empty cart in front of my car so it would be out of the way for anyone wanting to use the aisle between the parked cars. The shopper, one of whom I had held uncharitable thoughts for because he had parked too close to me and made it impossible for me to get to my car, was pulling out his truck. He looked my way, blew his horn and yelled at me. I thought Mr Good Citizen was chastizing me for parking my cart where I had left it. I had one leg inside my car, laughed and waved at him and said "Yes, I moved it out of the way and left for the next person. Aren't I such a sweetheart?" I crawled on into my car and slammed the door. He looked at me, shook his head and drove off. "I'm not really a bad citizen" I thought. I checked the rear view mirrow, the sides then wondered that since the guy left, if I hadn't parked my cart right in front of my car I could have pulled through his empty space and not back out of my space at all. That's when I saw it. My purse. Still sitting in my cart. I just sat there and stared at it. Then I began to laugh and then I thanked God for the shopper who was not a jerk but had simply tried to tell me I was forgetting my purse.

His simple act made me feel better about the day and I left the parking lot with a grin on my face and said "Well, everyone's not a jerk" or something like that. well, maybe I used the "a" word. Just maybe. But anyway, I was smiling, so it was OK.

Back home and its reality time. I've been gone nearly 2 hours and the clothes are indeed dry. I do the necessary laundry chores then decide to forget the "to do" list. I chuck the chores and head for town. On a day like this a girl deserves to do a little shopping.