Wednesday, November 24, 2010

What the? Wednesdays ... Cell Phones and Shopping Carts

Okay, I know this will come off as a crank-fest, but....when you've been run over by a cart-wielding'll understand.

Happened to be at the grocery store and wandering the aisles. I know. Bringing a list would help. Sad thing? I had a list. Sometimes you just need that time with no small people or large people. Meh.

Anyway, I'm wandering down the froze food aisle when I notice this woman talking at top volume on her cell. I think to myself, gee...she's really involved in her conversation. I keep moving and yet another woman in on her cell. This time though, the woman had a small person with her. Problem? Small person is darting around the aisle. Mom/Gramma/Auntie/Babysitter (or whatever her relationship to the child) is paying NO attention. This would not normally bother me, but this time it did.


Because I just about ran the tot over. Keep this in mind: I'm wandering, so I'm not going particularly fast down the aisle. Small child runs up the aisle, screaming. Startles me because the child came from behind me. Okay, I can still deal. It was the moment the child runs IN FRONT of my cart and then STOPS that bothered me. I kid you not, I skidded to a halt because I thought I was about to run the tot over. So I say, You'd better watch where you're going.

You'd think this would be where the mother would get off the phone and harness child.

You'd be wrong.

"Don't run over my child. She's not hurting anything."

I tell you, my jaw dropped. This parent, still on the phone, mind you, couldn't bring herself to deal with the child and blamed me for minding my own business.

Now I have no problem with those who want to use cell phones in the store. You realize you're super loud--I don't want to hear you inform the person on the other end that you need to buy underwear because yours are splitting, and I really don't need to know that your gout has cleared up. When you're in the store and on the phone, you know you're not really watching where the cart is going and will take absolutely no responsibility when you run into someone ("Don't step in front of me. I had the right of way."). And then there are those with children. I am a parent and my child has been known to wander from time to time. Guess what? If you get off the phone, you know Little Johnnie has just grabbed five boxes of fruit snacks. It's true. Also, if you get off the phone and corral Little Susie, you'll find that you don't get so many rude stares from the people LS has run over as she bounds up and down the aisles.

I'm sure your conversation on the phone is important. Mine are. But think about where you are and what you're not doing in order to be on the phone talking about paint drying. We don't want to hear it and we don't want to have to play interference while buying Frosted Flakes.

Just sayin'.

No comments: