Flirt or Disclosure
We had to go to the local hardware store. We’re both still steering pretty clear of any store that isn’t for an absolute need, but this is an absolute need. You see, we were due to get over a foot of snow and as we unfortunately found out in our last blizzard- our Widow’s Walk leaks when it snows. Oh boy! We could fix this, but in order to fix it, we had to go to the store, or call someone to do it. But, we were handy enough to do it ourselves. (Well, we hope so at least! As I write this, knock on wood, the snow is still coming down out there pretty hard and we’re hoping that the leaking does not happen, but we won’t actually know until the ice starts to melt. Pretty neat, huh? Yep.)
In order to fix the Widow’s Walk, we needed some wood. We also needed to get the wood cut to certain lengths. While we were waiting in line to get the wood cut, Master Pravus said I could “play The Game” and he’d wait there for me. What is “The game” you ask?
Well, I don’t really remember how this started but The Game entails walking away and picking up one thing at a time, and dropping it in the cart. You can keep anything you pick up that you bring back during this time. The trick to this is, Master Pravus will only tell me we’re playing The Game when like, we’re near the fruit and veggie aisle (back in the day) or the bulk candy section (for gummy bears) or if we’re near something relatively inexpensive. It isn’t like we’ll play The Game when we’re near the TV aisle or the goth boots or something because who could afford??
A couple times he let me play The Game while we were near the toy aisle and I got some of those Hatchimals I’ve grown obsess-y with. But like, you can pick up one at a time and you usually have to make it down an aisle and back. And I’m a reasonable adult.. So I’m not about to speed dash down there. It’s pretty chill, but if he’s in the bathroom or there’s a huge line or we’re near something that’s fun but not too fun, he’ll let me play The Game. 🙂
So he’s waiting for the wood cutter and he told me I could play The Game, and I jaunt off. There’s also a generally accepted rule with The Game that I’m only allowed to go one or two aisles over, and I was just thinking “I hope we’re near the rope aisle!” And you know what? We were! As I approached, there were a group of employees, and they were all standing there, watching me. They were one aisle away from me, and one guy shouts out:
“It’s ok hon, you can go down,”
They were just about to close that aisle down because they were stocking it or something and they had a piece of heavy machinery out. Boy were they surprised when I stopped one aisle short, and just dashed in there like nothing. Audible gasp, which threw me off a bit. Don’t people buy chains and rope? I wonder what was in the next aisle over? Toilets or drawer knobs or what? Who knows, I certainly didn’t care to look. I picked up one small green bit of rope and wandered out almost as quick as I came.
A female employee took notice.
I sauntered off towards Master Pravus’ cart, dropped it off- he smiled at me, and I just bounded off the other way back towards the aisle I came from to get some other rope. I picked up some paracord, and a couple giant carabiners (but the carabiners weren’t part of The Game, we thought we could use them to fix the futon so they didn’t count, I just hadn’t noticed them in the aisle the first time).
On my way back to Master Pravus this time, the group that was telling people to stay out of the aisle was beginning to disperse. The machinery was away and they were allowing people back into the aisle again.
The woman who noticed me the first time took a few steps directly towards my direction, gave me an “up and down” scan- pausing at my boots and my collar and then she said:
“Hey. How YOU doin’?”
It totally flustered me because I hadn’t expected it at all, and I almost quipped back with:
“Hey! This isn’t what it looks like! I’m trying to fix a futon! LOL!” But I just kept walking.
I told Master Pravus about it later and he said she was totally trying to flirt, but I definitely do not think that at all. I think she more than likely saw that I was picking up bundles of rope one at a time, noticed my shiny boots, recognized my collar, and knows what I’m going to do with that rope. And you know what else? Discreet as I thought I was- I think she thought it would be fun to rattle me a little bit.
>.<