the pissed off dad...

so, my typical sunday morning routine consists of going to church on the west side of town, and then stoping at the fancy-schmancy grocery store by there, so i can avoid gunshots and crack deals at the one closer to my house. today was no different.

though i walked in only needing to buy a gallon of milk (on sale 2 for $5.00), i found myself in the check-out line with what turned out to be about $37.00 worth of other purchases.

since the store recently added "self checkout lanes" for purchases of more than 10 items, i find if the right people know how to use this process, it is much more efficient. unfortunately, today was not the day i got in line behind a young dad and his kid who appeared to have any freaking clue what was going on.

as i waited patiently while the dad scanned all of his 14-15 items, i glanced around to notice that indeed this was the shortest line. by the time i looked back at my lane, the dad was running his credit card through and i was feeling good about my lane choice (dont' act like you don't do this too).

as i stepped up to the register, the dad pulled his cart with 2-year-old son down to the end by his purchases and slowly began bagging them. i thought for a second that i should wait until all of his stuff was bagged and out of the way, but then when i realized that he was letting the 2-year-old help him, & that it was going to take forever....like when i see a yellow stop light, i proceeded with caution. now don't get me wrong, i have nieces and nephews and i'm all for letting the kid help and learn to be a big boy or big girl, but there are certain times and places when that SHOULDN'T happen. for example, on the airplane as everyone is anxiously awaiting their turn to get out of the suffocating death grip of still, stale air... or in this case, when the line is growing at the grocery store and customers have ice cream melting in their carts (breyer's also on sale 2 for $5).

i didn't see a divider to separate his stuff from mine, so i carefully noted what was my first item and began scanning. the next thing i know one by one, each of my purchases were being picked up and thrown down on the conveyer belt. at first glace out of the corner of my eye, i assumed it was the 2-year-old that was accidently picking my stuff up and throwing it, but when i turned i noticed the gallon of milk being shoved to the side and then my squeezeable mayonaise being slammed on top of my potato chips. i looked up at the dad as he yanked his cart around and as he walked away he looked at me and said "fucking bitch!!"

i assumed that his frustration stemmed from my groceries bumping into his....and although i had said, "hey...i couldn't find a divider, but my stuff starts with that cereal box," clearly the contact of my kellogg's fruit and yogurt cereal up against his last package of pizza rolls, warranted the name-calling...clearly and vociferiously in front of the 2-year-old.

it's funny, because though i was first stunned and a bit confused as to what just happened, i couldn't help but think of the irony of the situation. irony in that i had just come from church where i heard a teaching about grumbling and complaining and that some people think life is a sprint, and react as if every little moment of irritation is monumental in our lives, rather than realizing life is a marathon, and that in the big picture, stuff like being cut off in traffic or someone rushing us at the grocery store is minimal when we realize how much we've been blessed.

so, mr. mom with 2-year-old who swore at me when for a moment i apparently ruined your life with my seemingly selfish behavior....if i ever see you again, the lunchables are on me.

more to come...