Sunday, November 23, 2008

The dangers of snap judgments

Sometimes when i spot a person casually in passing, my mind invents a back story to explain what they are doing.

I was striding through the aisles of the drug store last week when i passed by a slightly rounded Indian man who had a tuft of hair coming out one ear, and one of those brain slugs*, (also know as a Bluetooth,) coming out the other. He was standing in the cosmetics aisle as i brushed past him.

Without me really being aware of it, my mind decided that he was too lost in his brain slug conversation to notice that he was, in fact, in the girly section of the store.

A few minutes later, having completed whatever errand had brought me to the store, i passed by him again. This time he was crouched down in front of the lipstick display, still talking into his brain slug.

"Midnight Frost or Pale Shimmering Frost?" i heard him say in that lovely Indian singsong accent.

Awwww, he's picking up some lipstick for his wife. How cute! And he's not afraid to stand in the cosmetics aisle and utter words like 'Pale Shimmering Frost' for all the world to hear.

This time i smiled at him.

*
Futurama reference to an alien life form that attaches itself to your head and takes over your mind.

**************************************

If you are not offended by the obscenity,
this will crack you right up. If you are offended, skip it.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember the first time I was able to stand in the check-out line of a very busy grocery store with nothing but a box of tampons on the little conveyor belt. I didn't even collapse in embarrassment when the cute cashier smiled at me.

((hugs)) for the Futurama reference!

And yes, I laughed my ASS OFF at the 'obscenity' link. Gods that's excellent!

ooooh...first commenter! Swee!

luckyzmom said...

What story had you invented before you heard that he was talking to his wife?

Girlplustwo said...

i love your crazy brain.

Princess in Galoshes said...

I love making up back stories about strangers, too. Hotel lobbies are a great place for that.

And I've seen that link somewhere else, recently. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The Real Mother Hen said...

So you like vermicelli salad? I only read the first few words in the post you deleted. I shall make you some good Asian salad if you visit me in Central Oregon :)

No, honey, I don't blackmail, I just order you to do that.

You know, I stand in the grocery aisles all the time talking on the phone, checking if I should get this and that, and no bloody has come up and smile at me! They back off instead. See, people are so unfriendly :)

Vanessa said...

That is so sweet! I want one just like him. But you know, without the slugs and ear hair.

meno said...

irrelephant, good for you! A real man is not afraid to buy tampons.

luckyzmom, oh who knows?

jen, thank you! But i think that you might have the crazier brain right now.

princess, hotel lobbies and airports. well, i laughed, but it was inappropriate of me.

mother hen, oh yeah! i love it, and someday i'll show up on your doorstep.

vanessa, it was sweet. I wanted to hug him.

Imez said...

Top Ten! I'm on fire.

I'm also such a big believer in snap judgments.

You would LOVE the backstory and future destiny I've given you.

Scott from Oregon said...

I like to buy tampons and question the girl at the check out about what size I should get.

Talk about a conversation starter...

Mrs. Chili said...

People often surprise us, no? Sadly, though, I find that my surprises are not always pleasant. Perhaps Mr. Chili is right; I should start with lower expectations of people...

QT said...

Ok, that is so cute. I encountered a similar scene yesterday at Walgreens - a black man with the brain slug wandering around the lotion section saying "but this one doesn't have Burt's Bee's honey, I promise. I'm standing right here!"

Oh, how I miss I, Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Either that or he's a transvestite by night?

meno said...

imez, the only future destiny i am sure of is that i will end up dead someday.

scott, super plus all the way dude.

mrs. chili, i am usually pleasantly surprised because i have such a rotten view of the world.

qt, aww. i love a man who will shop for stuff for his lady. And remember, The Stranger, including I, Anonymous, is ON-LINE!

josh, i dismissed that as a possibility when i saw the ear hair. I'm guessing that a transvestite would remove that. You would, right?? :D

Say It said...

you are right, it totally cracked me up!! and backstories are the only way to judge.

fiwa said...

Then again, maybe he was a pimp? Go ahead, smack me with the rolled up paper, I deserve it. ;)

jaded said...

I'm pretty sure I sold scott a box a tampons when I worked at drug store as a teenager...

sari said...

I left a comment and now it's not here.

Whatever!

The link was funny, and Futurama always makes me happy.

Cheesy said...

Ya know men should do that more often... stand in the checkout line with feminine products held proudly over their heads and shout...

"I got a woman sucka's"

Cheesy said...

AND... OMFG!1 That link was da bomb!!

Anonymous said...

But what if he was talking with his girlfriend and his wife was on hold?

Dianne said...

STANDING OVATION for the person you linked!!

I know what you mean about snap judgements - I tend to make them and I'm almost always sorry so now, in my older, wiser, kinder, gnetler phase - I try to always create nice back stories.

Of course I am sure this will one day cause me to be kidnapped and killed.

When I see the blue toothers talking into thin air I enjoy saying "excuse me?" - sometimes I say it several times
hehehehehe

Happy Thanksgiving

Diane Mandy said...

I'm still laughing at the term brain slug. I ad never heard of it before.

See? You always educate me.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Real Men buy Lipstick.

I love it!

Mrs4444 said...

Wow-That IAnonymous is intense; felt like I was totally out of my league, so I didn't leave a comment, but I read three different posts.

Sweet story, BTW.

Anonymous said...

awww...that was romantic!

meno said...

say it, you are a lover of the finer things in life!

fiwa, uh, his aura didn't exactly scream pimp, but you never know.

patches, i wonder if he still has them?

sari, silly blogger, to erase your brilliance. Glad you liked the link.

cheesy, that brings a very amusing scene to mind!

end of motherhood, he was lucky to have a wife, much less a girlfriend.

dianne, I KNOW! Isn't that the best? I know i am being a luddite about the blue tooth things, but i do so hate them.

diane, it seemed appropriate.

hearts, it's the little things that make a real man. Wait, that didn't sound right.

Mrs. 4444, It's a weekly feature that someone different writes every week. Just random readers.

franki, it IS romantic, better than chocolate and flowers i say!.