Instead I travel all across the city to get my groceries:
- Trader Joes in Queen Anne for my meats and dry goods.
- Trader Joes in Capitol Hill for cheeses
- Met Market in Queen Anne for produce
- Whole Foods in Interbay (or SLU) for gluten free goodies
- Fred Meyers in Ballard for everything else.
Seriously, my grocery habits are ridiculous.
But I will go to Safeway three blocks from my house when there is no time for another spot or I need just one thing to pick up. Which is why I went there the other night.
I was planning on cooking a recipe I recently read in Bread & Wine. I had all of the ingredients written out and I figured it would be a short trip so I would just go to Safeway. I got there and it was packed as usually but I quickly filled my hand cart and then got in the line to check out. A lady was ahead of me emptying her cart, the ones that have the mini cars attached to it where her son was playing.
The only thing between me the conveyor belt was my hand cart and the person's groceries in front of me. All of a sudden I felt someone next to me. It was a girl in workout gear who was reading the magazines on display. It felt it a bit odd of how close she was but I figured Kim Kardashian must really interest her. Some people just don't understand personal space.
After she finished skimming US Weekly she moved to read the magazines on top of the gum. And by move I mean she squeezed between my hand cart and the conveyor belt to read. My mouth dropped, no way was this girl going to read her way in front of me.
And then she set her two avocados down on the belt.
I am pretty certain steam came out of my ears. I had been waiting for 5 minutes already, my hand cart was so full it was making indents into the crook of my arm, and I walked in with zero patience.
She must have felt the heat because it was at that point she turned and looked at me.
And we stared.
For what felt like a minute but was probably more like 10 seconds.
I gave her the most icy glare I could muster and she did not even fake a "oh my gosh were you here first" smile.
As I fumed, my mind was running of all of the things I should say. I was getting angrier and angrier as I waited. When there was finally enough room on the belt for my hand cart I slammed it down and glared at her.
I like to think she quivered with fear. But in reality she was probably still clueless.
She and her two avocados checked out and it finally came time for it to be my turn. My card was swiped, my bag was filled and out the door I went replaying that scene in my head each time saying something different to this girl.
As I was walking a little old lady in a walker was scooting towards me and instinctually I smiled at her. (Even in my fuming, I must be polite.) She smiled in return and then said "I hope you are having a nice day" then rolled past me.
I walked 10 more steps.
Stopped.
Turned around to watch her walk.
And then I laughed.
Not even a minute prior I had been livid. Absolutely livid.... over two avocados.
My dad always says that attitude is a choice and I seriously hate it when he tells me that. Mostly because I know he is right but in that instance you think that being angry, sad, disappointed etc is what you want to feel.
I wanted to cuss out that girl and throw her avocados on the floor. I am super mature like that. Instead I pent it up and let it boil my blood for far too long. It took a little old lady in a walker to snap be back to reality.
So perhaps my dad is right and I need to choose to not let little things get under my skin... but now the next question is "how".
I don't know yet, I will tell you the next time someone cuts in line when I am already short on patience.
