Blog about: Awkward encounters

So today Randy was home from work with a bad cold. I am recovering from the same illness, feeling somewhat better today so I could take care of my man with the man-cold (man-cold reference here:Man Stroke Woman). After a morning of hanging out with the family, (which now also includes two house guests, Tom and Ben, kitties we are watching for friends) pancakes, tea, organizing the boys clothes and my clothes (two garbage bags worth of donations, yippee!), vegan grilled cheese and chilli for lunch, some It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and more tea served alongside homemade blueberry pie I felt up to an outing.



This is Tom. Ben is camera shy so far but he is beautiful, so I hope to get some photos of him soon.

Mmm.

I have only been out of the house once without Otis, which was Saturday, when I went to get a few groceries and was gone about an hour total, maybe. Granted, he is only 3 weeks old so that is pretty good. Today the plan was to go to Michael’s to get the supplies to convert my BumGenius 3.0 diapers to snaps. Unfortunately Michael’s supplies were unsatisfactory to my needs, so I will have to order them online or something. I was feeling good so I decided to get the rest of the groceries that I was unable to procure at Foodland on my aforementioned baby-less adventure. Got lots of fun stuff, olive oil cooking spray, jalapeños, Italian seasoning, etc... Exciting, grown up stuff. Decided to stop at the Wine Rack on my way out. Yes, I am sick with a cough so maybe not for tonight. But later this week it might come in handy.

Here is where the awkward encounter took place.

The single employee working at the small store was busy so I carefully chose my random bottle of Jackson Trigg’s and waited at the register. After a short wait the other customer left (without buying anything?) and the guy came to the counter. Looked at my in the eyes for a little too long before greeting me like a normal customer service representative. I am sensitive to weird eye contact, I hate it. Who likes it though, really? Perhaps pausing to judge whether I was of age, which I get. No makeup and hair pulled back, I look a little young. Then asked me what happened to my ears. I was taken aback. I have had questions asked about my earrings etc before, but not in such a confrontational and rude weird way. My eyes widened and I said, after several moments of silence, "Nothing?" And some mumblings that escape my memory, from both of us. Then he asked for my ID. Half thought he was going to ask me for a second (that used to happen all the time when I was in University, my hair changed a lot) but nope, got my mom-wine in my mom-cart that was loaded with 10kg of flour and several packages of the discount toilet paper and I was good to go load up my mom-wagon. Couldn't he have asked me about wine instead of my jewelry?

OK so maybe I am overreacting a little, but this guy made me really uncomfortable. Was I asking for it? You know, having body modifications and facial piercings and tattoos. It's a personal choice, and I choose it because I like it. Not because I want to talk about it with strangers. Especially strangers who have no actual interest in actually learning about it, but rather use it as an invitation to mock me. I hereby revoke that invitation. I am generally a reserved and shy-ish person so confrontation isn't something I am used to. I am also apparently not quick and clever with come backs, as I think this would help me to let go when things like this happen. "The jerk store called, they're running out of you!" Obviously it is any persons right to say whatever they want to me or anyone else. Doesn't make it any less rude.

Anywho, I got home and vented to my wondrous husband and beautiful bouncing babies and really couldn't care less about what anyone thinks about me other than these guys, there are so many more important things to worry about! It does make me think about the things that other people get "picked on" about, that, and all the times I have accidentally been rude to someone, friends or acquaintances or strangers (and these memories make me feel sooo awkward). There’s lots of things that people choose, and lots of things that people cannot choose, any combination of which they might be completely happy with or self conscious about (and for that they probably thank you not to call attention to it thankyouverymuch), that's their business. These differences can be a part of what makes the world interesting in so many ways, there are so many experiences to learn from. Next time I hope I can keep my cool and say "Is that a serious question?"

The important things:

Randy and Otis and of course,

Wyatt, hipsterbaby.