School of Hard Knocks
"I guess I'm just having a bad day," I said. I was in line at the grocery
store. Not my favorite place to be. They were out of most everything I was
looking for, so my small cart was nearly empty.
I placed the few items on the conveyor belt and began searching through all my
little courtesy cards that fill my wallet.
It seems like I have one for everything but the kitchen sink. Oh wait, I have
one for Lowe's and Home Depot. Never mind.
"There, I found it!" I said proudly.
"That's not for this store," she said.
I sighed and nervously searched for the right one. I was very aware that there
was a line of people eager to get on with their day. I even heard someone say
quietly, "This is the express check out, right?"
I turned and gave him one of those looks. Kind of like the one our dog Lucy
gives the other two dogs, when she's playing Alpha dog.
I was at the checkout...I was alpha dog. "growl!"
"I guess I'm having a bad day," I repeated. Then I heard someone say, "There are
no bad days, just bad attitudes."
"Rough crowd!" I thought to myself.
"You're right," I acknowledged. It was a young college age girl behind me who
said it.
"Every once in awhile I need someone to knock some sense into me. I should know
better," I said.
Then I attempted to pull the right card out of my wallet and six key chain size
cards flew out.
"No...it's definitely a bad day!" I said in frustration.
Suddenly I felt something hit my head. Not hard, but certainly enough to get my
attention.
I heard, "Knock, Knock!" As she used her knuckles to tap my head.
It was the girl behind me.
I turned with this shocked look on my face.
"I'm trying to knock some sense into you like you said," she replied.
Everyone laughed. Even the guy in the back of the line who made the "express
checkout" comment.
"Thanks, I needed that!" I said.
I quickly paid the clerk and thanked the girl behind me.
As I sat in my car I watched her exit the store. She met up with a man and a
young child in a wheel chair. They walked across the lot and I watched the girl
pick the child up as the man folded the chair and loaded it in the back seat of
a car. The car must have been at least 15 years old. It had more scratches and
dents then I do at 60.
As they drove away I could hear her words... "There are no bad days, just bad
attitudes."
Think you're having a bad day? "Knock, knock!"
Bob Perks
2believe@comcast.net