Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Crazy Lady

Pin It I walked toward the store entrance, doing the pocket check along the way to ensure that I had both my wallet and cell phone.

Affirmative—on both counts.

As I neared the door, I noticed the woman sitting on the small bundles of overpriced firewood in front of the large picture windows. She was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms.

No big deal. Not really. After all, this is a college town. Only this woman was a bit too advanced in years to be attending college, and most certainly too well along in years to be sporting pajama bottoms in public on such a late afternoon.

As I came closer, I noticed that she was talking to herself. Not just mutterings, but she appeared to be having an entire conversation with a person who was simply not there.

The lady was crazy.

Then it struck me, she must have been using a wireless Bluetooth for her phone…only there wasn’t one in her ear at all. I realized that this little piece of technology must have been in her other ear, the one that I couldn’t see from my vantage point.

I walked into the store, making the decision that I would never use my wireless earpiece again. The woman had been rambling on, staring blankly across the parking lot, making it look like she was having a complete conversation with herself.

I didn’t want anyone to ever think that of me when I was on the phone.

I purchased the necessities, gathered up my environmentally-unfriendly bags from the checkstand, and glanced out the large windows where the very same woman was still perched on the firewood and yakking away.

There was no earpiece in the other ear either.

So, she really was crazy.

I need to stop giving crazy people the benefit of the doubt…and maybe I’ll still use my earpiece after all.

12 comments:

A Lark said...

Ummm.... YOU'RE crazy and we all give YOU the benefit of the doubt. So maybe you should do the same for other crazy people. (:

One of my students who sits near my desk told me she hears me talking to myself sometimes. So I guess I'm crazy too.

Richard & Natalie said...

I've had some pretty enlightening conversations with myself, so put me in the crazy category. I hope you'll still give me the benefit of the doubt.
PS- Why didn't you give Rachel a ride home? ;)

Gerb said...

Use your wireless earpiece when you're at home. Otherwise people may mistake you for a Borg. Trust me on this one.

Resistance is futile.

L said...

Sounds like she has schizophrenia. I like the new header by the way.

mamahasspoken said...

Confession: I have worn my flannel pajama bottoms out in public. Not often, just when you think you're going to do the drive thru thing and then once you're out, you realize that you need to go in. Yep, done it several times. Even had the slippers on to match.
Oh and that blue tooth thingy drives me nuts!

Linn said...

I have never used my Bluetooth again (outside of the car), since I saw what it makes you look like.

Poor lady. I'm sure I talk to myself often, I just have the luxury of having a job where either no one is around to notice or those that are around, don't care.

Being a mom is the best.

Rachel said...

NATALIE! You stole my line!!!!

I was going to rip Jason up one side and down the other for being such a jerk! It was cold that day!! Why the heck do you think I was sitting on the firewood?

tammy said...

From your title I thought this post was going to be about me. I have been known to talk to myself, but try to avoid talking on my phone in public. I don't need everyone listening in on my conversations.

tiburon said...

I love me some crazy people. Free entertainment.

And I often have conversations with myself.

Valerie said...

I hate it when I think someone is talking to me, and they are really on their blue tooth....but not enough to stop using my hands-free in public.

Teachinfourth said...

J - Good point…of course, there are levels to crazy.

N - Mostly because she was kind of creeping me out. But just a bit.

G - I always knew you were a closet Trekkie. So, how was the last convention?

L - Thanks. Not for the schizophrenia, but for the header compliment. I figured it was about time for a change…

B - Wow, I never realized that this was a post on confessions. Rock on.

L - One day, your kids will start to notice.

R - The cat is out of the bag now isn't it?

T - Good advice about not talking in public on the phone; people can make all sorts of assumptions from only hearing one side of the conversation.

T - So, you're free entertainment for others?

V - It is kind of embarrassing when you reply to someone not really talking to you, isn't it?

summer said...

she just needed one of your ice cream cones. too bad she was sitting at the wrong store...

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