Sometimes You Have to Let it Go

Recently, I decided to run into CVS during my "lunch hour." Of course, I am a salaried professional so, for me, there is no such thing as a lunch hour. However, I try to keep my errands and lunch times to a minimum so that I don't lose any billable time. Ahhhh billable hours...have to love them or cry, whichever comes first.

So, giving up my billable hours for a quick moment to run into CVS to purchase something is not that big of a deal. That is, until I get trapped in there FOREVER because there is the longest line in history and only one cashier. To pass the time, I allow myself to eavesdrop on the conversation of the two girls behind me. I think "God they sound young" - all about who got drunk when, who is sleeping with whom, and so on. Imagine my surprise when I look behind me and one of them is wearing a wedding ring. Here's hoping she is not the one sleeping around.

After about 15 minutes in this line (probably more like 5 but it felt like forever), another cashier opens up and says "next in line." Well, you will be relieved to know that I was next in line. I was sure relieved. As I was about to take a step in that direction, an elderly man four people behind me speeds right over there as if he is, in fact, next in line. So, I take a step back, look at the young girls behind me and nonchalantly remark "I guess I wasn't next in line." Everyone in line looks at this guy like "boy you have some balls." I, however, am not in the mood (at least today) to throw fits or to curse a man that is clearly about 50 years my elder. So I wait patiently because I am next in line after all, regardless of the line.

The cashier, however, wrongly sensing that there is about to be a revolution (I assure you no plans were made) decides that she is going to take it upon herself to be the sheriff of the situation:

Cashier: SIR! I said NEXT in line.

Man: Yes [nodding his head like he was, in fact, next in line]

Cashier: SIR, you were NOT NEXT in line. SHE was next in line [pointing to me].

Man: [still nodding]

And then...the man waves his arm at us, those in the other line, signalling to us that we should all come over. It was actually quite cute. And it was also quite clear that the man had no idea what the cashier was saying to him or that he had done anything wrong. So, as the cashier was winding up to yell at the man one more time (you could see it in her face and in the way she drew in her breath), she looked over at me and I shook my head softly no, saying to her with my head "just let it go." She exhaled and rang him up.

Finally, it was my turn in my line and the cashier was very quick to apologize profusely about the man and how he had, effectively, cut in front of me in line to which I respond "it is really no big deal." And it wasn't.

There was a time, probably in the not so distant past, that things like this would upset me...okay sometimes they still do. But I am learning! I have learned that you cannot change people, your sanity is ultimately more important that pointing you you are right and sometimes...elderly people can be so darn cute!