Alone in a crowd
I had occasion to go to a supermarket this morning. The place was like an ants nest that someone has poked a stick into.
Took me about half an hour to get parked, then I walked into the shop. People everywhere. All urgently about their own business, as was I, I suppose.
Have you ever watched the faces of the people in a crowded supermarket? The expressions I mean.
Some are calm, quietly going about their business in a polite manner. Making way for others, apologising when trolleys clash. The gentle people, the contented people.
Then there are the others. The fixed expression or the snarl. Those on a mission that is so important that God help anyone who gets in their way.
Why is the simple job of shopping so important to some people? Why do they have to save every second?
I managed to navigate the isles and the trolleys and the baskets and the rampant raving kids running loose everywhere and it only cost me about 2 minutes to avoid collisions, avoid conflict, avoid a row.
So many people and none that I seem to have anything in common with (in most cases I am grateful for that), but what makes us act like that. Humans I mean.
Look closely next time you’re in a supermarket. You’ll see the timid, the aggressive, the victim, the stalker and the potential murderer.
So I quite enjoy my occasional trips to a crowded supermarket. I avoid everyone and observe.
A mass of milling humanity with which I do not have to interact. That I can be apart from. Alone despite the crowd.
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Senior Chatters
I hate shopping cart wars. I have to be extra medicated before shopping in Walmart.
hahahaha!!!
I know exactly what you are saying!!!…………that is why when i go shopping i wear my helmet and knee pads.lol
Lol I can understand the helmet, but whats with the knee pads !!!! dare I ask . lol
Nice observations Way. I avoid the trolly wars, like the plague. Glad youre enjoying your easter 🙂
Interesting food for thought Way. No pun intended…well maybe! Hahaha…xxx
Like the pun anyway Helen 🙂
i make a list but always forget it..so i have to hurry up and shop before i forget what i wrote on that list i left at home…lol
Now i know who was stalking me the other day in Tesco,s,way,nudge nudge wink ,wink,
Were you the one in the skimpy top? WOW!!!
hello way, keen observations I might say, my experience in supermarkets seems to be quite the opposite, I seem to see a lot of smiling faces, stop and talk with some of these strangers, especially the older folk, who love to stop and have a bit of a natter, i always think its there only contact with another live human being so i do try and spend a couple of minutes of my day to interact with them,yes, there are others who have to rush by one like the wind, and noisy tinies stressing out their parent, , when
page 2 sorry clicked before I had finished, when I leave , I usually help some of the older people who have a little dificulty in returning their trolleys ,so assist them if its a lady on her own of course to put her purchases in her car and return their trollies for them, job done, good deed for the day and rewards me to have made one persons day a little warmer.xxxxxxx
LOL lani, Im glad someone hits the wrong keys too 🙂
I like the arrogant, assertive ones who argue with the clerk over the price of Easter ham, which since she’s been ringing it up for days, knows it like the back of her hand. But, oh no. He knows better. And he always conducts his show in the fast aisle with ten people behind him. Great entertainment.
Good read way lol. I love shopping, hubby comes too and we shop early every saturday. First thing we move the trolleys from the row of car parks to the trolley bay, thats our good deed for saturday. Then we go have breakfast, and lovely greetings from the staff and the mall walkers enjoying their coffee. Meet all the regular saturday shoppers, lots of smiling faces and chats.
Outside there is always a lady with her beautiful dog waiting while mum does the shopping, doggy runs up to us to sniff the goodies in the trolley and have a pat.
We find shopping a happy social experience and have not ever encountered a problem, in fact we watch the kindness of people reaching up to high shelves for the shorties, offering to let people with just a few items go through the check out before them and as lani said, helping people with their trolleys etc. Love saturday shopping.
Good job skip. I always try to do at least on good deed a day, mostly while driving, I will let someone out of a side street. The way I look at is, it might change the mood of that person, and they might do a good deed to 🙂 and the world goes round
I love people watching
My dear mother called it “watching the passing parade” – She was like you Way, loved to watch people’s expressions. I dislike the shoppers who shove their trolley in the back of your legs or leave their trolleys in the middle of the aisle while they wander over to their purchase, and you have to manoeuvre around their trolley. Enough said LOL xoxox
I don’t like shopping …I hate big shopping centers where you seem to walk for days to find something you need! I stick to small local shops and small business .
I love small specialty shops and country old fashioned stores . I like to walk into a shop and say I need this and that pay and go .
To socialize with neighbors and friends I go to the local farmers market …fresh beautiful produce and nice atmosphere .
I keep away from crowded shops or shops so full of stuff you can hardly walk in .
I understand that shopping routines may have it’s advantages … But I hate routines . And I hate shopping .
So I wonder which category of shopper I fit in ? Lol
You won’t find me crashing trolleys that’s for sure !
I’m with you Nmod. The Malls have the same old same old cookie cutter stuff. I love poking into small shops. There seems to be a resurrection of those in small towns. I’d rather support them than cheap mass produced Chinese junk. Having said that, I still enjoy a bargain at the Dollar Store.
I was in a big departmental store the other day and had to wander around for 15 minutes looking for a check-out person. She said they had severe staff cuts what with the company’s new merger. I told her I’d sooner shop online, or support my local smaller store. So much more convenient and worth paying for the shipping.