Would You Like A Little Cream To Go With That?

I was at the Kwik Trip in, Baldwin WI, a few weeks ago and as I was walking around, I started seeing NUMEROUS seniors in the store, sweet, little old people with baskets full of bananas, candy treats and what-not. One of those seniors really caught my eye, a little lady that, while I had passed her a couple times in the aisles saying “excuse me,” mumbled at me and passed me by. 

This happens to me a lot, people not looking me in the face when I say something to them. I believe it is because I am so much taller than average, it can be a little intimidating to some.

None-the-less, I put it out of my head, turned the corner to stroll down the next aisle and from the far end, she popped out again, this time facing me, still not daring to make eye contact. It almost looked like she had planted herself directly in my path waiting. I grab a bottle of pop from the case and move on. 

The registers on the other side of her are currently empty, a good time to get in line and get out quickly. I got closer to her and I shifted the invisible lane of the aisle I was walking in … and she did too!

As I got up to her I heard her saying something in a low voice, just above a whisper, and then she turned to face me STILL without making eye contact and then pointed to the refrigerated milk case behind her. It was at that moment that I finally made out what she was saying, “…bottles of cream on the top shelf are stuck and haven’t come forward, can you with your height grab one for me … please?” It finally hit me, she needed my help. I smiled and said “Oh, sure!”

We walked over to the dairy case and sure enough way back in the corner of the top shelf were a couple of bottles that were lodged and had not come forward.

It was at that moment I thought to myself, oh let’s have some fun with this!

I grabbed BOTH bottles and brought them down for her inspection. Eyeing up both bottles in my hands, she gave a start and said, looking at both of them, “Oh no, I just need the one!”

Seeing my opportunity and keeping my rhythm, I looked at both red-labeled bottled items and said, “Well, it looks like these are two different flavors. One is white cream and the other is a red labeled.”

She reached out to point out my mistake, and then stopped herself and gave a little chuckle.

In a little voice I heard, “I have always liked cream, ever since I was a little girl.”

“Far be it from me to separate a young lady from something that reminds her of being a little girl,” I said, looking at the top of her gray head smiling to myself.

She took the one she wanted from my hand and thanked me while looking at the spot to get to the Cashier and started shuffling that direction. I followed, never overtaking her speed. As we got to the registers, one right next to the other, she took the left one and I the right.

I heard the two talking while answering my own Cashier’s greetings and all of a sudden I heard, “… yes, it would be nice to be that tall and be able to do all those things.”

Wait, they are talking about me! I looked at the Cashier at the register who was smiling and looking at me out of the corner of her eye, smiled and said “Well, my Momma always told me, NEVER get between a pretty lady and her cream. You never know if it has been her favorite since she was a little girl.”

To that, the lady turned her body towards me with a smile that lit up the entire store, LOOKED ME IN THE EYE and said, “Thank you for helping me today.” I responded in kind with, “Anytime, it’s been fun.” I winked at her … and she winked back!

As I got to the door and pushed on it to leave, from much farther behind me I could hear the lady still talking to her Cashier, “Isn’t it nice to see that chivalry isn’t dead yet?”

Ok, bring on the day, let’s Turn It Around!!!!

Go win your day!