Like Totally
I try to not get into the habit of being on my cell phone in grocery stores. I can't concentrate, I usually get distracted and put things in my cart that don't need to be there... And I definitely move slower and risk upsetting my conquering peers, trying to satiate their anxious refridgerators in a plotted timeframe. I also could potentially launch into a deeply meaningful and sometimes private conversation without remembering that I am in public.
(Hey, it's happened before. Call me focused on the task at hand despite my circumstance).
But today was an exception.
I started my culinary trek at Whole Foods, a place like a Crunchy Spa. Yea, some call it "Whole Paycheck" but I like to call it "Whole-istic experience." As I began my venture, list, cart and wallet in hand, my cell phone rang. Ima. "Hey, I am sorry I haven't called, I forgot to tell you I was working like 55 hours last week..." So I chatted and caught up, winding through the aisles, glancing at the products, half pursuing the craving to cross off the items on my list but doing a haphazard job for sure. I was focused on the deep conversation I was having, sorting through the recent cobwebs of the week, cleansing my mental pallete and making split decisions about which crunchy toothpaste was the most economic. I vaguelly noticed the valentine's day display, colors of love displaying wine and chocolate, candles and soaps, suggestions for spoiling loved ones...but I was engrossed in deep conversation, intellectual exchange and laughter...for amidst all the tasks I like to tackle, it is the human relationships I craft, care for and caress that are most important to me.
Then, check out aisle. Still on the phone. The cashier glanced at me, "paper or plastic?" (crap, am I that girl in line? the one holding the American operation of efficiency up because she's on her phone?) But wait, didn't everyone know this was meaningful chatting I was having? I wasn't talking about the weather, I was bonding with my mother!
I signed my receipts and made a dash for my car...
I made a quick stop in Stanley's for neccessary produce and got out of the shopping craze when I realized I forgot to fill up my water bottles at Whole Foods. Well, I can't be happpy at work if I don't have my filtered water, so....I stopped at the Whole Foods on my way to Trader Joe's. Just as my car locked in position, I felt my phone ring again. Lori, Best Friend. Crap. The cobwebs on our recent conversations were even greater than with my mom. "Lor, I don't want you to think I've been neglecting you, I just worked this big event last week..." I darted into the store, made a beeline for the water filler and allowed no distractions. This cashier seemed less sympathetic to my efforts. As he inquired about my bagging needs he gave me a wry look. But this was the 10 items or less line...? Didn't he know it would move quickly despite customer chosen distractions? "Plastic, please...oh, the blue bags-thanks!" But what I wanted to say was, 'dude, it's my best friend from Hawaii..We're in different time zones...gotta talk when we can...'
Dart down LincolnAve (only a half hour till rehearsal) and I stop at Trader Joe's, another favorite spot. I love the creative marketing, labels, the staff, the industrious new treats consistently created. This particular Sunday, the place was hopping. People all around me were loading up on wine, neccessities and delicacies, most likely for V-day, just around the corner. I felt instantly claustrophobic. Why did all these people decide to come to one of my favorite playgrounds at the same time as me? The plan changed from slight dilly dally to, get in, get your stuff, get in line, get out.
As the execution of my foolproof plan progressed, I found myself approaching the cereal aisle. I was dodging a cart here and slipping behind a customer there, grabbed the Kashi, when all of a sudden, I heard her...a Trader Joe's customer on her cell phone, at war with those elbow to elbow, selecting beans, pasta and spreads. Blocking the aisle and adding to the chaos. At first it wasn't so obvious...maybe the buzz of the hustle and bustle of those around me drown out her words, but as I neared the concentric circle of chatter, I couldn't help but listen as I selected my Kosher Vegan Indian lunches for the week...
"Oh my gawd, are you bringing Michael tonight...what? You are going to wear your new coat? You have to wear your new coat, I am dying to see it....I am totally excited...oh wait, I am totally not trying to be insensitive-I want to talk about your coat...it's just the reception is to-tally shitty in here...what? Yea, it's totally shitty, I can't hear you but you have to wear your new coat tonight, I am dying to see it. But I have to call you later because the reception is really bad and I can't hear you..Ok, see you tonight in your new coat! Bye!"
As I round my way into the frozen foods aisle, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
I might have transgressed a bit today on my grocery shopping etiquette...
But at least I wasn't that girl.
I try to not get into the habit of being on my cell phone in grocery stores. I can't concentrate, I usually get distracted and put things in my cart that don't need to be there... And I definitely move slower and risk upsetting my conquering peers, trying to satiate their anxious refridgerators in a plotted timeframe. I also could potentially launch into a deeply meaningful and sometimes private conversation without remembering that I am in public.
(Hey, it's happened before. Call me focused on the task at hand despite my circumstance).
But today was an exception.
I started my culinary trek at Whole Foods, a place like a Crunchy Spa. Yea, some call it "Whole Paycheck" but I like to call it "Whole-istic experience." As I began my venture, list, cart and wallet in hand, my cell phone rang. Ima. "Hey, I am sorry I haven't called, I forgot to tell you I was working like 55 hours last week..." So I chatted and caught up, winding through the aisles, glancing at the products, half pursuing the craving to cross off the items on my list but doing a haphazard job for sure. I was focused on the deep conversation I was having, sorting through the recent cobwebs of the week, cleansing my mental pallete and making split decisions about which crunchy toothpaste was the most economic. I vaguelly noticed the valentine's day display, colors of love displaying wine and chocolate, candles and soaps, suggestions for spoiling loved ones...but I was engrossed in deep conversation, intellectual exchange and laughter...for amidst all the tasks I like to tackle, it is the human relationships I craft, care for and caress that are most important to me.
Then, check out aisle. Still on the phone. The cashier glanced at me, "paper or plastic?" (crap, am I that girl in line? the one holding the American operation of efficiency up because she's on her phone?) But wait, didn't everyone know this was meaningful chatting I was having? I wasn't talking about the weather, I was bonding with my mother!
I signed my receipts and made a dash for my car...
I made a quick stop in Stanley's for neccessary produce and got out of the shopping craze when I realized I forgot to fill up my water bottles at Whole Foods. Well, I can't be happpy at work if I don't have my filtered water, so....I stopped at the Whole Foods on my way to Trader Joe's. Just as my car locked in position, I felt my phone ring again. Lori, Best Friend. Crap. The cobwebs on our recent conversations were even greater than with my mom. "Lor, I don't want you to think I've been neglecting you, I just worked this big event last week..." I darted into the store, made a beeline for the water filler and allowed no distractions. This cashier seemed less sympathetic to my efforts. As he inquired about my bagging needs he gave me a wry look. But this was the 10 items or less line...? Didn't he know it would move quickly despite customer chosen distractions? "Plastic, please...oh, the blue bags-thanks!" But what I wanted to say was, 'dude, it's my best friend from Hawaii..We're in different time zones...gotta talk when we can...'
Dart down LincolnAve (only a half hour till rehearsal) and I stop at Trader Joe's, another favorite spot. I love the creative marketing, labels, the staff, the industrious new treats consistently created. This particular Sunday, the place was hopping. People all around me were loading up on wine, neccessities and delicacies, most likely for V-day, just around the corner. I felt instantly claustrophobic. Why did all these people decide to come to one of my favorite playgrounds at the same time as me? The plan changed from slight dilly dally to, get in, get your stuff, get in line, get out.
As the execution of my foolproof plan progressed, I found myself approaching the cereal aisle. I was dodging a cart here and slipping behind a customer there, grabbed the Kashi, when all of a sudden, I heard her...a Trader Joe's customer on her cell phone, at war with those elbow to elbow, selecting beans, pasta and spreads. Blocking the aisle and adding to the chaos. At first it wasn't so obvious...maybe the buzz of the hustle and bustle of those around me drown out her words, but as I neared the concentric circle of chatter, I couldn't help but listen as I selected my Kosher Vegan Indian lunches for the week...
"Oh my gawd, are you bringing Michael tonight...what? You are going to wear your new coat? You have to wear your new coat, I am dying to see it....I am totally excited...oh wait, I am totally not trying to be insensitive-I want to talk about your coat...it's just the reception is to-tally shitty in here...what? Yea, it's totally shitty, I can't hear you but you have to wear your new coat tonight, I am dying to see it. But I have to call you later because the reception is really bad and I can't hear you..Ok, see you tonight in your new coat! Bye!"
As I round my way into the frozen foods aisle, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
I might have transgressed a bit today on my grocery shopping etiquette...
But at least I wasn't that girl.
posted by ImperfectArtist at 9:40 PM
1 Comments:
HA. Nice.
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