Yesterday, we went to the bank first. I had deposits to do, transfering of money from one account to another, money orders and double checking on my tax refund. It didn't seem like it took a lot of time but I found myself turning at one point to the gentleman behind me and apologizing for having so much to do. He smiled and said "no problem". He also looked a bit confused as to why I apologized. I don't know why I did it, I just did.
At the grocery store the same thing happened. I shop only once a month therefore I have lots of groceries. On top of that, I have become a coupon clipper since retiring. Now, I am not an extreme coupon clipper. I do not carry around an entire book filled with coupons. I mainly have about 15 to 20 with me when I shop. However, after the woman checked my groceries thru and I handed her my coupons, I felt the need to turn to the woman standing behind me in line and offer my apologies for taking so long. She smiled at me with the same confused look as the man at the bank. When the man bagging my groceries offered to push the cart out to the pick up lane for me, I thanked him and then apologized to him saying, "this is what happens when you only shop once a month".
My husband finds all this apologizing I do very amusing and in the past has asked why I do it. But after 43 years of marriage, he has stopped asking. He chalks it up to "Ellen being Ellen". I don't know why I do it. Most of the time, I don't notice I have done it until after the words are out of my mouth. But I suppose I could be saying something worse so I am not going to worry about it.
This was sooooo sweet! I've never had someone ahead of me in the check out line apologise to me. In fact, both my husband and I have experienced having people in front of the queue checking out their purchases and then realizing they've forgotten an item, rushing off to get it, and then seeing another thing and another thing and yet another thing they forgot - so much so, we're all shifting from one foot to the other while the line has stalled for someone who's forgotten about the rest of us in the queue!!!
ReplyDeleteI never get apologies either so its strange that I feel the need to do it.
DeleteAlthough I like to buy my groceries at the store, and go to about 3 stores, some all in one week, you can order your groceries online if you know exactly what you want to buy (I never do).
ReplyDeleteAlso, you can do your banking online. The only time I show up at an actual branch is to get what I call my "religious" money--small denominations, or what others call, walking-around money. I can transfer money between accounts, pay my bills, and even deposit any checks I may receive (these are few and far between, though). All online. I keep joking with the tellers that I wish they would get an app set up so I can get actual cash from my smart phone. Then, I would be set and never have to darken their door.
Although these are good ideas, the area I live in is too far off the beaten track for groceries to be delivered. As for banking online, I do a fair amount of shopping online but I am not comfortable with doing my banking that way. My children say I am very old fashioned in that area.
Delete