I decided yesterday that I’m old. Not because I just had another birthday … although that doesn’t help the situation, but because of the words and phrases coming out of my mouth that I used to hear as a youth and think, “you’re just saying that because you’re old and don’t get it.”
So, this new revelation came to me during an evening of frantic and frustrated shopping. I hate shopping when I need something and, of course, I was shopping last minute for the perfect item to wear for our family pictures. I say ‘perfect’ because somehow I had this ideal that just the right outfit would hide the extra baby pounds that linger on and conceal any well-into-my-mid-30’s wrinkles. Oh how disappointed I became as I just looked like myself in everything I tried on. I digress.
Anywhooo … in my quest to find something youthful I decided to visit some stores that frankly, I haven’t been in since college and a few I’ve never ventured in at all … and for good reason. The first store I go into is so dark I can hardly see three feet in front of me, let alone discern whether I’m grabbing the navy blue or chocolate brown sweater. Of course, this is coming from someone who is one contact prescription away from being legally blind! Second, the sizing in this store was enough to throw even the thinnest of women into an eating disorder. I had to go almost three sizes bigger to get anything to fit half decent. Then there was the blaring music!! I couldn’t hear myself think (see, I know we all remember our parents saying that when we were younger and just rolled our eyes!) Jairo called while I was in this store and wanted to know where in the world I was. He probably thought I had a particularly bad day at work and decided to stop off at the local bar for a pick me up.
I finally headed out of that store and over to another well known store of my college years when I was practically knocked over by the scent of cologne and perfume even before I entered the store. Oh yeah, and then there was the blaring music again and the low lights. I guess the poor lighting makes your look better?? Anyway, I could hardly talk loud enough to get the sales associate’s attention or so I thought. I finally realized it wasn’t because she couldn’t hear me, but that she was in the middle of a very important social conversation with her very handsome male counterpart about who was going to such and such party that night. Aaahhhh, yes, you guys just carry-on. Don’t mind me.
So, long story short, although I left the mall feeling like I hit my mid 60’s instead of 30’s, I finally found a sweater that I love in a store with bright lights, soft music, and sales people that we’re actually more interested in assisting customers than each other.
