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Waiting is the bane of many people’s lives—waiting in line, waiting in traffic, waiting for a repairperson to show up. So what do you do when you’re stuck in a car that won’t start in a shopping center parking lot while the sun is going down and you need to wait for help to arrive? Maybe you could walk home, have someone pick you up, call a taxi, or make the most of it while you wait. I did the latter. To while away the time, I people watched. This is one of my favorite things to do and is actually considered an art form.
It was supposed to be a quick, 40-minute, round trip to Wal-Mart. But, when I left the store and tried to start my car, I heard “that” sound, the sound that I hadn’t heard since I had my first car back in the 70’s. I was floored. After trying to start it a few times, I resolved to make the best of the wait for my husband. He had just started mowing the lawn when I left the house, so it would be a couple hours before he would hear my plea-for-help voicemail message (sigh). So, I kicked my seat back a couple notches, got comfortable, and let the people watching begin.
Two guys walked out of the store. One walked past the front of my car, the other walked past the back of my car. The one in front wore a t-shirt and his arms bore many tattoos. They were very colorful and possibly quite beautiful. His legs were frightening, though, coming out of his khaki cargo shorts. They were bright white as if they had been sprayed with paint. I tried hard to figure it out. He looked at and spoke to the other as they walked up the aisles. The other guy never looked at him and never responded. They reached the wall at the end of the parking lot and stood several feet apart. Oh, there’s a flickering light. They’re smoking … something. Suddenly, the tattoo guy started doing a crazy shuffle-like dance. Reminded me of those NFL touchdown dances. Then, they disappeared into the darkness.
A car parked next to me, and a 20-something couple got out, walked to the end of their car, whipped around, got back in their car, and took off like a jet. Ho-kayyy.
A distinguished-looking, 60-ish man wearing a white-collared shirt and dress pants walked out of the store and past the front of my car. He seemed confident, as if he knew where he was going, but he stopped abruptly and slowly looked in all directions before taking off. After a few feet, he stopped again, walked in a mini circle as he looked around, stopped, and took off in another direction. L-o-s-t? The last I saw of him was about a dozen lanes over where he stopped, looked in all directions, and took off again.
A woman got in a car that was parked one aisle over and in front of me. She closed her door, then opened it and placed a large, plastic drinking cup on the ground, and drove off. HEY YOU! LITTER BUG! HEEEEY! I shouted in my car with the windows rolled up.
Finally, Michael arrived, turned the key, and VROOM! A what? A vapor lock?! Good grief. I could’ve been home long ago … but I’m glad I wasn’t. The strangers will never know how much joy they gave me. I feel grateful.
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait—it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” ~Joyce Meyer
Photo (Flickr CC) by Hartwig HKD
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Shawn Krumm
Latest posts by Shawn Krumm (see all)
- I Sorry I Was Actin’ A Fool - April 22, 2015
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- Where is Home? - November 18, 2014
- Waiting in the Check-Out Line with the Come-Here Lady - October 10, 2014