People are Strange

I started my spring break to do list and had a few interesting brushes with humanity.




This video is only sort of related, but the name came to mind and so I have added it as a little blast from my past. I also wanted to see if I could figure out how to add a YouTube video to the blog. I'm a little bit proud of myself.
Back to the topic.
I needed to help Rachel move out of her apartment, go to a couple of stores and then visit an old friend.
Rachel's contract was up and the roommate situation just had not been working. She was in a non-smoking apartment and her roommate thought that meant you just open the window when you smoke.  This young woman is really a very friendly and easy to get along with but she  just wasn't into following the apartment contract or paying her share of the electric or internet bill. She had her young daughter living in he apartment
( unknown to the managers)  and her boyfriend was quickly becoming an non rent paying roommate as well.
It was time for moving on.  Everyone hugged and she said Rachel was so sweet and awesome. I agree that Rachel is sweet and awesome and while I know this young woman has lots of problems, I think she especially liked the sweet and awesome way Rachel had all the bills her name and paid them herself. Of course there were promises of  "I'll pay you back when I can."  We aren't holding our breath.  Done, cross it off the list.
Next I went to Rite-Aid for some Easter goodies. There were three of us in the check out line. Woman #1 had a duck quacking sound for her cell phone ring. I don't know if this was in honor or Easter or spring or what, but it is the most annoying cell ring I have ever heard. While we were in line her phone quacked over and over again. She would look at the number, but not answer or silence that darn duck!  She quacked all the way out the door.  Woman #2 , mid thirties, caucasian, brown hair, average high, and build.  You can see I would be no help to the police, but the police were not called in spite of the theft.  She checked out a few items and then as she went through the doors the alarm went off.  I've seen this plenty of times. It has even happened to me. The cashier usually just smiles and waves people through. This time a male employee came running from someplace else in the store yelling, "stop! stop!"  He grabbed the woman's bag and pulled an extra large bottle of Robitussin out.  They grumbled a few words back and forth and then he came back in with the Robitussin and she went on her way.  I guess not harm no foul.
Next stop- Wal-Mart to buy shoes for Dave.  I would like to buy his shoes at someplace other than Wal-Mart but he insists that fifteen dollar shoes are better than one hundred and fifty dollar shoes. He just doesn't like shoes to begin with and would go through life in slippers if society wasn't so judgmental. He however, is not the strange person. At least not the one from Wal-Mart.  I was pushing my cart behind and then to the side of a man who appeared to have his hand down the front of his pants. While never an appealing sight, one gets used to seeing "the quick adjustment." This however was taking way too much time. I picked up the pace to get around him and away as quickly as possible. When I was right up next to him, I realized that I was the idiot this time. This man only had one arm and had tucked the sleeve of his shirt into the front of his pants. Not only did I feel like an idiot I felt a bit like an idiot pervert.
My last stop was to visit my old friend Dorothy. When I say old friend I am being literal. She is 89 and will be 90 in May.  She lives alone and is very independent. A couple of years ago she had to give up driving and hates that she has to ask her sons, daughter-in-laws and friends to help with transportation.  She is one of those great older people who have lots of things, current things as well as things from the past to talk about. She does not talk about her health unless pressed into it and then usually says something like, "you  have to expect a few parts to start wearing out at my age."  Being my usual obnoxious and demanding self, I asked about her health. Much to my surprise, she was a little concerned. She had been "sick" last Sunday. She felt nauseous, followed by pressure in her chest that moved into her neck and shoulder and then down her arm.  She had her son take her home from Church early but she felt better in a few hours so had decided not to worry about it. I was feeling plenty worried just hearing the story. Then she said she got more concerned the following Tuesday night. She had the same symptoms but it was in the wee hours of the morning and she didn't want to bother anyone. It got a little worse and she thought about calling her son but then she noticed that there were dirty clothes in the hamper. She told me she decided right then that if she was dying she was not going to die with her laundry undone so instead of calling her son, she got up and did her laundry. I was shocked, but not shocked. I've known her for 30 years. It's her way. The "sickness" passed and so she was able to finish the laundry and told her son about it the next day. Her family insisted she go to the doctor, who insisted she see a cardiologist. She's none too happy about seeing a "fancy" doctor." He will cost a lot of money and just tell her she is old and has to expect a few parts to start weaingr out."  I throughly enjoyed the visit.  I went home and did the laundry along with other housecleaning chores. End of Spring Break-day One.