Today’s trip to Hobby Lobby required deep breaths to avoid lashing out at the obnoxious old lady in line behind me. Normally, I’m all about the whole “respect your elders” thing. I really am. I open doors, help carry bags, etc, etc. What I’m not into is the idea that just because you’ve lived approximately three times as long as I have, you have the right to be rude and bossy. Which brings us to today.
Hobby Lobby is a a pretty happening place to be on a Saturday (especially because they aren’t open on Sundays). Because of this, I had to wait in line (I was the 5th person) for about 5 minutes. When I was the second person in line, an elderly lady and her husband joined the line behind me. About 30 seconds after they had gotten into line behind me, another lane opened up. The cashier looked directly at me and said “Miss, I can help you over here ” (Bonus points for not calling me ma’am).
Now, I could tell this lady behind me seriously considered just rushing over into the other lane and skipping me. This is one of my MAJOR pet peeves. It makes me so angry that I want to punch strongly reprimand people. There are lines for a reason. It keeps things orderly. You don’t get to skip in line because you can wheel your cart a little faster than I can. But I digress.
Elderly lady did let me go first. When I set my basket on the counter she held up her 15 embroidery threads exclaims “But I only have this! I really should have gone in front of you”.
I stared at her, unable to find words, when she added in a very uppity voice “But I guess I’m just nicer than you”.
OH
MY
GOD
I was stunned. Last time I checked, you didn’t get to skip to the front of the line just because you have less stuff. That just isn’t how it works. Not only do you not get to skip, but you certainly do NOT get to inform strangers that you are “nicer than they are” because you followed the rules and didn’t skip. This is a KINDERGARTEN lesson people. Wait your turn, for God’s sake.
In my head I’m thinking “This lady did NOT just say this to me!” along with a laundry list of inappropriate places I could tell her to shove it.
Instead, I just looked at her and said “And I was here first, which is generally how lines work”. I think the cashier was trying not to laugh.
