Seriously?

I have to wonder if these things happen to other people. Really, do they? Or is it just me?

It snowed last night and throughout the morning. I didn't clear my driveway until later this afternoon and then had to go out and feed a co-worker's cat. I decided that first I'd head over to Wal-Mart and take a tour around the store. I wanted to look at a few things and besides sometimes it's nice to just get out of the house and be surrounded by strangers buying crap they don't need.

As I pulled into the parking lot I saw three cop cars parked outside which is strange. When I walked into the store I saw two teenage girls being escorted out of the store in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers. The girl in front had this smug sort of shit eating grin on her face as though she was HAPPY to be led out of the store in handcuffs. This would have been enough of a story for me but of course that wasn't enough for the Universe. Nope, not enough for today.

After walking past the cops escorting the shop lifters from the store I headed back to the electronics section to look for something which I did not find. So, I left that department and headed back toward the front of the store. And who do I see headed in my direction? The woman from Coffee Date Number One of course! The one who e-mailed me a few hours after our "date" to say she'd like to get to know me better and to which I have not responded. I made a quick change in direction and headed for a hiding place. Because that is the grown up thing to do right?

But really, where do you hide in a Wal-Mart? I found a support pole on the other side of the store and leaned myself up against it nonchalantly for a minute while I texted a friend to tell her about my situation. Then I pretended to "shop" for a few minutes while I figured out what to do next. "Shopping" involved me peeking around aisles trying to make sure I wouldn't bump into her unexpectedly. And what to do next of course was try to see if I could find her in the store without her seeing me. Because it's better to be the hunter than the hunted right? What I really wanted to do was leave, but I didn't want to risk her seeing me which could have led to an awkward encounter. Because what do you say to the person who sent you an e-mail a week ago to which you have not responded? Especially if you really aren't intersted in that person? Would it go something like this?

Me: Um hi.
Her: Hey, so I sent you a message. I had a good time the other night.
Me: Um, yeah about that. I've been really busy and haven't had a chance to respond. Sorry about that.
Her: So, would you like to get together again soon?
Me: Um, yeah so about that.....

And then I would stutter and try to figure out how to let her down easily which would of course turn into us getting together again sometime this coming week followed by a relationship. So, obvioulsy trying to hide from her was the better choice.

And hiding from her is of course what led to me standing at the end of an aisle mostly hidden by some shelving and watching her check out and leave the store. And it was blatantly obvious to anyone watching me that I was up to something, or at least it felt like that to me. I guess I should be thankful that the cops had already left with the shoplifters.....but I don't think she saw me.

Once I was sure she was gone and had had enough time to get in her car I got the heck out of dodge. And no, I did not buy anything. Do things like this happen to other people? And now it's been a week since she e-mailed me and I really don't know what to say to her (which is I guess an answer for both of us). And what if she DID see me? What then? Oy vey.

I don't even have a song for this post so I'm just going to open my iTunes and pick something, anything.

So, I give you Roll With It, Ani DiFranco.

She says my ass hurts
When I sit down
She says my feet hurt
From just standing around
I think my body is as restless as my mind
And I don't know if I can roll with it this time