The people-watching perk ...

Marlene Terry

Greatest people watching day ever ... Labor Day at work. Being at a store that's open on a holiday probably was the reason that a bigger variety of people than usual came in. But the actions of some? Surprising to say the least!

It's been years and I'd all but forgotten (blocked out) that particular perk that comes from being employed in retail.

From my place behind rows of sewing machines I can see almost every occurrence in the store. ... Like the lady who without hesitation and just 20 feet from the ladies room, plopped down a soft folded pad on the floor, laid her baby on it, changed his very poopy diaper and then handed the wadded up, stinky package to the cashier to deposit in the trash can.

... Had everyone in ear, eye and nose shot reacting.

Believe me when I say you haven't lived until you've watched the closing of a sale with both the cashier AND customers struggling to control the gagging reflux, plus the urge to up-chuck.

Later in the day an elderly lady in a purple hat, stopped by my register to return a sewing machine foot she'd purchased several years ago. 
"I can't remember that far back," she commented when I asked her about the date of the purchase.

The foot was also purchased at ANOTHER STORE, a fact that was confirmed with the printed name "FW Woolworth" on the bottom half of the crumpled, original receipt she pulled from her purse.

She really was a sweetheart though, explaining that she'd come upon the foot while cleaning out the drawers in her sewing machine cabinet.

"Just thought I'd turn some of my unused junk into cash if I could," she said.
And then we spent the next several minutes discussing how a visit to an antique dealer or perhaps hosting a yard sale could do just that.
... At the end she made me promise I'd come to her sale if she had one, gave me her address and a hug and walked away ... her image forever engraved in my mind.

And just before closing I dealt with a grown man, who seeing the wheeled chairs positioned at our sewing machines to use during demonstrations, sat down on one.

I greeted him asked if he needed help and told him the purpose of the chairs. He in turn told me that since we didn't appear to need the chairs at that moment, he felt fine using them, and signaled his children to occupy some of the others.

Then after I'd turned away and to the amazement and embarrassment of everyone who was with him, he proceeded to scoot around the store like a 2-year-old, yelling "Beep, Beep" at the top of his voice!

... Wait a minute. I take that back. A 2-year-old wouldn't have legs long enough, or a brain small enough to do that!

♦ Hope you'll let me share YOUR stories and photos here at my new residence "In a Nutshell." Email me at nutshellstories@gmail.com.