|
Create Handle Edit Handle Edit Post Page Editor Help Board! Featured Board All Listed Boards |
CEX
One nice thing about having nice weather down under is that you can go shopping European style for groceries, on a more daily basis than weekly. I went to a small grocery store, which has some very nice fruit and vegetables to gather some items for a meal. It is a relatively small store, and I have gotten to know the cashiers, so I consider it a relatively safe place to go. I checked the store when I got inside, some people lined up at the cash register, a father and son checking out some fruit, a lady checking out some vegetables. I quietly did my shopping, and took advantage of the situation to look at the people. The check out lady, who knew me smiled, the father and son were discussing how many bananas to get. A woman was checking out the produce. I crossed the store and looked at the woman who was going through the flowers. The display had a whole bunch of colourful ones up top, and some white ones below inside a bucket of water. They were not the most flamboyant ones, but they must have smelled pretty, as the lady had a bouquet of them and was smelling them. I went and bought a few things on that side of the store and got into the line up. There were only about four people lined up, but another till was opened so I went and placed my things on the check out counter. I then caught out of the corner of my eye the woman who up until that time was smelling the flowers and checking them all out. As she turned I noticed that she was coming up to the counter without any flowers. I guess something overtook me at that point and I lost it.
I spoke to her. I know that it is an awful thing to do here, speak to someone without the proper introductions, such an improper lack of protocol. Of course, my accent would probably give me away and that would add to the terrible act that I committed. If the store had been crowded, I would have gotten the “how dare a bloody yank initiate a conversation without a proper introduction” and once again, I would have been asked to leave and/or refused service. Frankly though, inside was more horrifying. To me obviously I was having a Canadian moment...I could feel the smile on my face.
-Aren’t you going to get some flowers?
She replied negatively and I should have stopped then and there and ran out of the store, but it was too late.
-After all that time looking at them and smelling them...well we can’t have that.
I turned to the cashier.
-Put a bouquet on my tab.
The cashier asked me which one and I pointed out the white ones, the ones she was smelling while the lady went on with the expected reply
-Oh no, you don’t have to do that.
I quickly replied
- It is too late now, they are paid for.
Well to my surprise, she simply turned around went to the flowers and picked out the bouquet that she had spent so much time observing. What I saw when she turned around shocked me. Her face was flushed, she was obviously very embarassed and the glistening of her eyes told me that she was almost at the point where she was crying.
-Thank you, it has been so long since anyone has bought me flowers.
I was taken aback, by her reaction, surely a woman like her would have flowers given to her on a regular basis. I then smiled even more, and told her to put it down to a random act of kindness. I paid for my groceries and left.
It felt good having that Canadian moment, having a smile on my face, a spring with my step and my head looking out as I headed home.
CEX 10:53:51 05/26/2008 (3) CEX 08:44:28 06/02/2008
CEX 08:49:37 06/02/2008