Perspective

I’m not much of a shopper so the fact that today is Black Friday was lost on me. Apparently, I am in the minority as throngs of shoppers hit Costco this morning with a vengeance. As one clerk told me, when I asked if it’s always this busy on a Friday morning: “It’s Black Friday. We don’t participate in it, but they all think we do”.

I foolishly chose today to visit the Costco optical department for new glasses. The parking lot was jam packed so I, as many others did, circled the parking lot in search of an elusive spot in which to park. I circled so long, I was able to notice who had just arrived and who had been hunting for awhile. After being beaten to spots by old and new entrants on several occasions, I decided to circle just one strip rather than the whole lot.

On my third rotation of one particular strip, I was once again beaten by a newcomer so I drove past him and spotted a couple loading up their vehicle. In anticipation of their imminent departure, I pulled up and engaged my signal (to my right), indicating my desire to obtain the spot.

On my left, facing me, was a large pickup truck occupied by a couple that I can only describe as looking “retired”. The male driver had his signal on as well, but he was signalling to my left (opposite to where I was signalling).

The couple loading their car were taking a good amount of time to carefully place their purchases into the back of their tiny hatchback. After a bit, the female passenger of the pick-up truck got out and found herself a shopping cart in the adjacent cart-drop off spot. I thought she had decided to get a jump on shopping and was going to go into the store while her companion idled his truck nearby.

Finally the occupants of the space started backing out and before I could move an inch, the woman with the shopping cart swung it in front of my car, completely blocking my attempt to gain access to the space as her male companion turned his behemoth truck into it.

I opened my window and shouted “hey, what are you doing?” She retorted that they had been “waiting ½ an hour for that spot”. I knew better and when I disputed her assertion, she yelled at me: “Are you an angry shopper?” Well, I am NOW!! The gentleman within me quickly departed and she became the recipient of a string of epithets that would make a sailor blush. I ended up abandoning my quest and parked across the road.

Later, the poor optician made the mistake of asking me if the parking lot was “crazy”? Still steamed, I recounted my woeful tale to which she commented, “that was a violent act toward you by that woman”.

It hadn’t occurred to me that I was a victim of a “violent act” but I guess looking at it through a different lens, I suppose the optician was correct. Perhaps when my new spectacles arrive, I will see things from a new perspective . . .