Mrs. HM is not one for small talk. If I don't know you, I don't care about you. We're not buddies. You don't interest me. I especially do not crave your advice, nor your opinions of my actions.
Saturday, I was cashing in winning scratchers at the School-Turn Casey's. A chubby man in his late 20s, along with his chubby son of about 6, stepped up next in line. TOO CLOSE! Now that there are no six-foot spacing circles on the floor, people have lost their dang minds! I swear I almost hit that kid's round head with my elbow when I turned.
Let the record show that they were not bad people. Just overly familiar, and violating my personal space. They each had a fountain soda. They were dressed in Devil's Playground togs. Not fancy. I'm not resting my ample rumpus on the wide back of my sturdy high-horse, looking down my out-of-joint nose at them. I don't describe them to make fun. My kids grew up in Devil's Playground clothes. I merely describe them to describe them.
As I was telling the cashier the tickets I wanted to purchase, Big Chubs said,
"She'll have one of everything."
How dare he! Was he insinuating that I have a gambling problem??? Nah. Probably not. He seemed like an awkward type. Perhaps he thought he was being friendly.
"I WISH! I'm already spending $3 over my winnings. So I won't be getting one of each."
"This one time, I was in line behind a guy buying scratchers. It was out by [Extra Onions On My No-Onion Sonic Burger Town], when I was just a machinist. Now I'm a nurse. But anyway, the guy asked for three tickets. The lady told him 'There are only three left. Do you still want them all?' and the guy said, 'No. Just give me two.' So I said I'd buy that last ticket. They were the old $5 [some ticket I didn't remember] tickets. When I said that, the guy said, 'Wait. I DO want all three tickets. Give me that last one, too.' And you know what? IT WAS A $50,000 WINNER!"
"Oh, no! So close. I guess that guy was meant to win that day."
Sweet Gummi Mary! When will Big Chubs ever be that close to such a big winning ticket again? According to The Pony's answer to that rhetorical question: "Never."
Big Chubs and Little Chubs followed me out the door. Where he promptly set off the alarm on his car, and had trouble getting it shut off, while a lady at the gas pumps whooped and hollered and told him it had a good beat.
Some people are just born sad sacks, I guess.
You're a weirdo magnet and an Eeyore magnet. Good grief.
ReplyDeleteAww, he probably could have really needed that $50,000.
ReplyDeleteSioux,
ReplyDeleteI think he meant well, but his comment was not something a compulsive gambler wants to hear announced while buying lottery tickets.
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River,
I'm sure he could. Other than being a close-stander, his little boy was polite and well-behaved. I wouldn't begrudge him a few fancy toys or electronics.
Sounds like a lonely guy who is awkward with starting conversations. He tries, he really does, but only gets close to having someone be interested in his opinion. So close ... yet so far away. Ends up just being annoying. I think he may have stayed here a time or two!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteThat describes him perfectly. Heh, heh! He MUST have stayed there, since you recognize his type!
I seem to attract the type!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteYou certainly do!