Thank god I have a witness because if I didn't...
Danny and I were killing time waiting for Tay to be done at ballet. There is a Walmart across the street so I thought we would pick up a few things, including birthday presents for the soon to be 5 year old girl.
We wandered the store, picked up a bunch of stuff we sort of need and sort of just thought were cool and go to the check out.
In our cart were several toys for Tay and several for Bug. His toys are mostly pre-school and baby toys because he is in this oral phase at the moment and better chew toys in the baby department. We looked at the Dog toys but they were too squeaky.
So most of the ages said: 0-12 months.
The lady checking us out, oh, let's call her Flo, asked: How are you today?
I had been having a bad day so I said:" Eh, I am just Ok, how are you?"
She said: "Oh that's lovely."
????
If I had known what this next statement would cause..I would have said it earlier.
I turned to Danny and said:
"I think he will like these."
Flo asked how old he was.
I said: "7 but he has Epilepsy and Autism and some other ism's I am sure but he's a fun kid. Likes to spin things."
Flo said:
"How lovely."
????
Actually every few seconds, while I was talking, she would alternate: 'That's lovely', "That sounds nice", "Oh how lovely"...it made NO sense whatsoever.
"Yeah" I said quizzically, "he is getting better."
Flo said: "That's nice."
I said: "Yep, just happy he doesn't play IN his diaper anymore. That was a fun time." That last statement was a test. Flo did NOT disappoint:
"That sounds like fun."
????
Danny said: "Hey Mommy I like to finger paint".
I laughed. Flo, apparently thought it was inappropriate, because she shot Danny a pursed lips look. Maybe she WAS paying attention..through her fog of happiness.
By this time she had finished checking us out and we wished her a good day.
We walked silently away toward the front door. At the SAME TIME I turned to Danny, he turned to me.
I said: "Paxil anyone?"
Danny said: "What the hell was she on? Paxil you think?".
We laughed all the way out of the store. We laughed in front of the store. We laughed in the car. I mused about calling the store manager and recommending some random drug testing. Then we wondered what it would be like to work with her. And we laughed even harder.
Bad day...over.
Until I got home and got a second degree burn on my wrist from Bug's frozen dinner. :(
Still, giggling about Flo.
That was a hilarious experience. I've never encountered anyone like that before, but I can visualize it easily with your telling.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not being entirely honest. Sometimes *I* feel like that checkout lady when my kids call me repeatedly throughout the day and I've zoned out on them.... now I feel bad and will try not to do it anymore!
Ha! Never feel badly about zoning out children. After the repetitiveness of a simply ding, ding, ding, ding for ten minutes, it's best to zone. The alternative requires police action.
ReplyDeleteA side note: We have never seen her since. :)