Tuesday, June 06, 2006

I Have Anger Management Issues

I have a girlfriend who loves grocery shopping.
Personally, it's one of my least favourite things to do.
However, I'm good at it.
I'm good at gauging prices and getting a good deal.
This is why on Tuesday mornings, I go grocery shopping for my agency, rather than ordering from a supplier. We're non profit, so every penny counts.

The neighbourhood I work in is "up and coming", and is currently in transition.
So, there is an interesting brew of people in the community.
From shaking crackheads, mini thugs, to blue collar immigrant worker, to refugee, to outpatients from the mental health centre, to residents of half-way houses... to the newest addition of Yuppie families who are buying up the old Victorian homes and renovating them.

So, this morning...there I was touring around the large neighbourhood grocery store when I came across the irritated Yuppie. She was in a hurry, and it seemed that every corner I turned, there she was...in my way.
Or from her perspective, there I was in HER way.
Which is not a big deal, I really didn't care that she seemed to be everywhere I was, reaching for the same items...but it appeared to bother her a lot.

We're not the only agency that shops at this particular grocery store.
There is a residence for the mentally challenged close by and they often shop on Tuesday mornings as well.

The adults and their caregivers walk up and down the isles choosing their items and they put boxes of cookies and juice boxes onto the laps of their charges who are in wheelchairs.
There is much laughing, and enjoyment going on while they shop, and they're a large group...often taking up a whole isle.
I turned the corner to see them all gathered in the ice cream section.
What a sight they were!
They're a joy to watch.
They hugged each other spontaneously, and we can only wish that holding a brand of cookies or a box of freezies could bring us such happiness.
I smiled at the sight of them, and a few of them waved and grinned at me with delight.
...and then angry Yuppie pulled around behind me.

She made an audible sound of huffiness...kind of like "Ughhhh!"...and people...I really felt like grabbing her by her highlighed ponytail, making her spill the contents of her Starbucks all over her khakis and sketchers.

Is that wrong?