8.28.2009

Quote of the Day

"If we are a species that is born with the intent to live a peaceful, prosperous and content life why is it that we've never been able to collectively achieve that?"

-Mike Ramsdell, filmmaker of the documentary "The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue for Hope"

8.04.2009

Meeting the judge at the grocery store...

If a person has more than 12 items, and gets in the 10 Items or Less line…I judge. The line was created for those quick – crap I just need a gallon of milk to get us through the week moments. Not the I need a gallon of milk, some bred, three cans of soup, two cans of tuna, ground beef, an onion, a half watermelon, apple juice and…oh yeah hamburger buns. No. No-a!

So yesterday’s grocery store venture, I was the one being judged. Publix. Three lanes open, two of those being 10>Less. I had around 20 items in my cart and made my way to the regular line with just one person in front of me unloading her items. No big deal. My cart was not overflowing, but I had no problem waiting.

Then it happened…the clerk at the 10>Less lane waved me over. Her lane was empty. There was no one waiting behind me. No lines. Slow. I looked around a little sheepishly, making sure no one was running towards the lane with a box of tampons and some chocolate ice cream. It was clear. Tumbleweeds were blowing.  Ca-lear!

I make my way over and start unloading my items. I had five items left to unload when a dude with a loaf of bread and liter of coke walks up to the lane. Oh No! I see him look at my cart…Crrrap… and then the conveyer belt which at this point is running so my 20 items are spread out and I’m sure looks like 50 items to him. I’m being judged – dude if you were only here a minute early you would have seen I was waved over, she did it, and I would not have done it…except there was no line, and...Crrrap!

It turns out the clerk and bagger knew dude. The clerk looks over at him and says to the bagger…he looks angry. Clerk waves to dude…and says…you look mad…then laughs with the bagger. Yeah, I was judged. Honestly, I would have said something to dude had the other 10>Less lane not been open and line-free.

Judge not lest ye be judged...