One of those little gals had a staring problem. I swear, one of these days I'm going to cease to ignore such children, and STARE RIGHT BACK. To make matters worse, one of those five left a paper wrapper from their straw on the counter in front of the Pepsi fountain.
I had no reason to be concerned with their trash. After all, I don't dare dally in front of the PEPSI fountain. But the ex-teacher in me likes to tidy up. It's a habit that doesn't really carry over at home, because I balk at picking up after Farmer H. But in public, I have those 28 years of good-deeding, picking up stray trash and disposing of it.
My 44 oz Diet Coke was cupped and ready for payment, but the family of five was milling around the register. That one STARER still eyeballing me. I set down my magical elixir in front of the Pepsi fountain, picked up that straw wrapper, and took the three steps back to the wastebasket to dispose of it. Of course it stuck to my hand with static, and fell BESIDE the wastebasket.
I was bending down to pick it up when another customer rounded the back aisle to get in line for payment. Well. That meant he took my rightful place in line. I can't really fault that dreadlocked fellow. As far as he knew, I wasn't in line, since his first view of me was my ample rumpus at the wastebasket. My soda was sitting unattended in front of the Pepsi fountain. Actually, I was afraid it would be in his way, but he got straight in line. So I got behind him.
The five soda-swillers finally left, and Dreads nodded to a guy I didn't even see, over on the other aisle, who had apparently come in before him, and while my ample rumpus was waving in the air. So it's not like he was trying to jump line. Turns out he only wanted to pay $2 for gas. Thank the Gummi Mary, he used actual cash, and didn't have to wait five minutes for the card-reader to work.
It's not that I'm ever in a hurry when I'm in town. I just don't like to wait. If I hadn't taken on that good deed of straw-paper-disposal, I'd have beaten Dreads and that other guy to the register. Oh, well. I do my part to beautify The Gas Station Chicken Store. Maybe one of these days, I'll get my just rewards.
It didn't happen when I got home, though. I only won $5, after cashing in $20 of winning scratchers. AND, at supper time, I cut my finger!
Sure. It's not like I needed a digit re-attached. Or a tourniquet. But it hurt, by cracky! I wasn't even using a knife! I'd have known to be careful, then. All I was doing was reaching for a packet of INSTANT OATMEAL! Apple cinnamon. And this paper cut befell me. On my bad finger, as my boys used to call it.
Some days, life just isn't fair!
2 comments:
I love Apple Cinnamon instant oatmeal! I have two boxes of it in the kitchen, along with two boxes of Brown Sugar & Cinnamon instant oatmeal. I once stared back at a starer, poor little kid started crying after half a minute. I think he was expecting me to smile, but I was in a mood at the time.
I notice you have ridges along your fingernails. Do your nails grow evenly in spite of the ridges? I have ridges on several fingernails and the nail grows faster on either side of the ridge leaving me with a tiny "catch" that catches on things and tears, so I have to keep the nails cut very short. Almost to the quick.
River,
My last box was Brown Sugar & Cinnamon! I also have a box of the generic store brand Peaches & Cream from Country Mart. Theirs is the best. And have never cut me!
My fingernails have had the ridges since I was a kid. The white crescents at the end are smooth. No rough snags unless I trim or bite them off unevenly.
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