Chips

An elderly gentleman approached me as I parked my car at the not so great neighborhood CVS (I wouldn’t normally stop at such iffy spots, but it was across the street from the USPS and I desperately did not want to drive the opposite way 15 minutes to go to my nice, safe, comfortable and familiar Postal Service. Instead I took my chances and pulled in, so I could check one more thing off my to do list for the day.) He mumbled something and I started to do my normal aversion technique. But I couldn’t. He started a little louder this time and said “Excuse me Mrs. could you possibly get me a bag of chips?” (Another side note: Olivia has a very big heart and anytime we see people asking for change or standing on the corners she does not stop talking about them making up a huge story about how we can build them a special bedroom house and usually ends up drawing a house later that week for them to live in so they won’t be cold or hungry. We always try to make sure our children know we should be nice to all people and so this picture is usually heartbreaking.) I was surprised by his request but said “Sir, I don’t have any cash but I would be happy to grab you a bag while I am inside. Will you be out here awhile?” He replied yes and I asked him what kind of chips he liked. Still finding a bag of chips for a potentially very hungry old man an odd request. But I went in picked up my few items and the bag of chips that he requested.  This was one of my more quick trips into and out of a drugstore. Partially because the place was..well, icky.. and partially because the carts wheels didn’t all touch the ground at the same time making it almost impossible to push the children. OH! and because I had a man outside waiting on me for some chips, so I thought. Only to find the man was nowhere to be found when I exited. I looked all over even after I drove away, I watched up and down the streets. He had disappeared in the five minutes I was inside. Maybe someone else got him the chips he needed. It was weird. Needless to say that was the start of a very, very, very long afternoon, that involved crying not sharing children, way too much wind causing me to be a litter bug across a five lane 50 mph street and having to scold my children for their obnoxious behavior at the post office of all places! And I fully believe that maybe that  man was a figment of my imagination brought on by my diet! It really makes sense.. I can’t eat chips. So make up a poor suffering homeless man begging for chips, of all things.

The kids and I ate the entire bag on the way home. (it was only the 99 cents bag!!) Although I did share!  -and didn’t cry.