What I Won't Do For A Bargain...

Each morning I take a probiotic. It's good for what ails me. I have been out for roughly a couple weeks and, I have noticed the difference. I am frugal and the supplement is expensive so, I usually look for two for one sales. 

My local drugstore (starts with a W) advertised online that they had such a bargain. Late this afternoon I went down my hill and a couple blocks over to the drugstore. I searched their entire supplement aisle and did not see the sale probiotics. Rather than use my phone to go to their website, I first went to the front of the store to find a sale circular. No circular insight. I then went to the nearest open register. The conversation follows:

Me: Hi, I was looking for this week's sale circular but, I don't see it in its usual place. 

Young Cashier Lady: 

*She looked to be roughly 18 years old. She tilted her head and looked at me as if I were speaking a laugh foreign to her.

Sales circular? Sales circular?

Me: You know, the booklet of sales for this week?

YCL: Sales book? 

Me: 

*Expecting any second for her to say something like, "I was just joking."

You usually have a paper which highlights the items on sale for the week?

YCL: Idontknowwhatchutalkinabout, you better find somebody else.

Me:

 

* I turn away from her fearing the same fate as Lot's wife. I take a few steps forward and hear YCL whispering to someone "He wanted a sales circular. Do you know what that is?

I look up and there's another cashier/asst. mgr. She doesn't ask if she can help me but, rather leans in toward me as if we were already speaking.

I was looking for this week's sale paper of what's on sale.

*She was actually creeping me out. I could not tell you what she looked like other than; she had glasses, a light blue shirt and, a buffering symbol on her forehead, or at least it seemed so.

Asst. Mgr.: 

Oh, we don't have anything like that. If you want to know what's on sale you, have to look on line.

*She points to literature and starts to recite the web address.

Me: I didn't know that. Thank you.

*I return to the supplement section, use the store app and, this time find the probiotics that should be on sale. However, there is no posted sale sign. I take a box and walk to the front counter. I look around and get the attention of the middle-aged woman who I believe might be the manager. I explain my dilemma.

Mgr.: Sir, if you meet me at the first register, I can help you.

*She finds that indeed the item is on sale. Then in a super pleasant condescending voice...

Sir, in the future when you are in the store, if you want to know what's on sale, just look for the yellow sale tag beneath the product.

Me: There was no tag underneath this product.

Mgr.: Oh well, I guess we missed one. Thank you for shopping...

Me: Thanks.

*Please stay in school, kids!

Bad Dog Owner

On my usual walk to the grocery store a couple miles from home, there's a middle-aged white woman with a ferocious Rottweiler. Her ranch home is on a corner and is surrounded by a low chain link fence. It is a very quite residential area. The dog always races out of nowhere and, strains at the top of the fence to get me. Usually, I am in my own little world and I'm startled and a bit terrified. It's a large lot and, the woman always stands there and laughs at my terror.

On one occasion, I yelled at her to call her dog. She told me that he was inside the fence so... "Still you can't let your dog menace people," I offered. I guess I could have done a "Karen" but, each time I forget about the microaggression until it happened again.

Today, as I walked past the dog darted towards me and, almost literally scared the crap out of me. Instead of laughing, the woman raced over and grabbed the dog my the collar. She looked over at me and apologized four times. I was speechless. Why the change in behavior? Maybe, she was reported by someone else? Maybe, the tree surgeons across the street watching influenced her. Maybe, she's been watching the news. Who knows?

Creepo

I don't know why I forgot this story. About a week ago I was going for a morning six mile walk, which I take at least 3x each week. I was walking along the shoulder of a road across from a cemetery. In a couple mile stretch there are only about a half dozen homes. 

A random white man who was probably late 40's or early 50's, with grey hair in a pony tail slowed to a stop on the opposite side of the road. He was driving a rented cargo van.

Random Guy: Hey, I suspect if you are walking along here you have a ways to go. Want a ride?

Me: No thanks. I'm just out for a walk.

RG: Oh, you're just out for a walk?
His tone suggested that he didn't quite believe me. He just stared.

Me: Uncomfortable at this point and, hoping he would take the queue...
Okay, you have a great day.

RG: Still awkwardly staring
Is that your woman back there?

Me: No.
Almost afraid to turn around, I quickly looked behind me and saw a young white woman jogging probably a tenth of a mile in the distance.

RG: Looking as creepy as this sounds
Maybe, I'll go see if she needs a ride.

Me: Not knowing what else to say
Have a nice day.

The random guy made a u-turn. I walked faster and, looked back when I had created a distance the equivalent of couple city blocks. The van sped past me as the guy waved with his arm out of the window. He turned at the crossroad. I looked back and the woman was not there.

In a different time, I would have been more concerned, I would have watched. I would have thought it my chivalric duty or something to keep that stranger safe. It didn't really cross my mind. Perhaps, I am reading too many news stories but, my own safety seemed far more important at the time.