Monday, September 16, 2013

Did personal space get reduced and no one told me??

So I'm getting my drink at the dispenser that only one person can stand at at a time. I notice on my left a woman approaches and puts her tray down (must have been too heavy for her to stand behind me, she had to put the tray down.)
Where is she standing? Right in front of the lids and the straws for the drinks that's where.
So I finish dispensing and rather than taking that dramatic step to the left so the next person can start getting their drink from the megamachine, kinda like in church during communion, I have to just leeeaaan over. I place my drink on the counter with my right hand. I'm holding my lunch with my left. Because I have the strength to do that without getting tired. She moves her tray over about 8 inches to give me room. See how she acknowledges me there? So I grab a lid and put it on the cup, with my right hand, then the straw. Then what happens?
She says "Wow you're pretty good! You did that with one hand!" All I'm thinking is "That's because you're in the way! And you're doing it wrong!" but I just said "Thanks" and as a back handed way of making myself feel better I added "and I'm actually left-handed".

I've been throwing something into the air lately.
After I went to the register to pay. We have these lines that you politely wait behind as a person is doing their transaction at the register. Only about 4 feet or so. ...I approach and then some dude is right up on me again to my left! ...WTF! And even worse, he's watching the register to examine the cost of my purchase. Grrrr. So I reached across him to pick up the week's food schedule. I'm just inviting everyone into my space I guess.

Yesterday, I was at Walmart in line and I was going to take the opportunity to call a friend because our texts were going the way of misunderstanding that I might be mad at her. So as soon as I found a line, I am trying to gauge how long the conversation can go before I'm being impolite to the cashier. and then I try to start making the phone call, I see a woman get in line behind me. Then she starts talking. So I'm polite. "I should have come here during the Cowboys game. I thought I was coming here early to avoid the crowd." Bla bla blah. I said "I was thinking the same thing!" Actually, I was worried about getting to the Pride parade. But I digress...
So this old woman doesn't stop. She goes ever further and stands NEXT to me. Yes, in front of her cart! Like she's wanting to see my texts or something. She's on my right side and a few times touches me to maker her point. Isn't there cart etiquette where you need to keep a cart physically between you and a conversation with a stranger in Walmart. For everyone's safety? OMG she talked the whole time. I had to actually move her out of my way so I could get the things onto the belt. Yes, I said "Move her"!  I said excuse me but didn't TOUCH her cuz that's just wrong.
I know. She was probably lonely. Because she said she was retired from IBM and worked hard to have no debt. Gawd, Walmart lines make me feel so trapped!