Knitting in Public

Today was one of those days that make me think, "THIS is why one should always have a simple sock in one's purse." 

It was poor timing that found me at the commissary this morning.  Normally, I avoid the commissary around paydays and Saturdays and today was both.  But we needed food and I figured if I got there not long after they opened, perhaps I could minimize the hassle.    Arriving at 9:25 was not early enough, though, and when I took my filled shopping cart to check out, the line was stretching back into the freezer section.

This is only my second time in this commissary and I didn't realize that there was a system for the line that was set up with ropes and poles for the overflow line to bend around the corner.  Not that it mattered, because people had just stretched the line straight back, so I just got behind the person who was last and worked on my Moving to El Paso socks.  A few minutes later, there's young family in the proper part of the ropes and poles getting very upset with a commissary worker because they are in the CORRECT part of the line and other people are going AHEAD of them instead of standing in the RIGHT place and it's not THEIR job to direct people in line, etc. 

I happily told them, "Go in front of me.  I don't care.  There's 30 people ahead of me, what's one more?"  The commissary lady gave me a grateful look and they got in line, thanking me.  It's easy for me to be patient when I don't have the kids with me and they had 2 little ones getting cranky.  I kept knitting and finally got to the register, where there were 2 older ladies and 2 horribly behaving grandchildren in front of me. 

At this commissary, they not only bag your groceries, but they have someone take them out of the buggy and put them on the conveyer belt thing.  I try to help, but they have a system and I am totally in their way.  The top layer of my buggy was unloaded when the one older lady couldn't get her food stamp card to work.  I waited, seriously, 20 minutes while they puzzled over why it didn't work (She told the cashier it had $55 on it and there was only $53....gah!!)  and could they just try it again and call the manager, all the while this terrible grandchild is being terrible.  I kept knitting.

My buggy was already partially unloaded and I thought, "I will not make anyone's day more difficult.  I will be patient and put calm vibes out into the universe.  I am not in a hurry and I can be pleasant and wait and I will not be the cause of anyone's stress this morning."  It's a good thing they finally took the whole mess over to another register because my calm vibes were all gone after 20 minutes and I was afraid my ice cream would melt. 

It's called Dreyer's here, but I could only find a photo of the Edy's label.  It's ridiculously delicious.  I kind of want to eat the whole tub myself.

Later, going through the access control point, I got stopped for a random search.  Also, the bank put a hold on my credit card for fraud alert.  No, Suntrust, that was just me trying to buy groceries, but thank you.  And it was 108 today.

That afternoon, I took the kids to get some Father's Day stuff and no lie, got in a line at Target behind someone else with payment ISSUES.  I wasn't going to get stuck waiting so long again, but the people behind me wouldn't really move so I could get out and go to another register.  I dredged up more calming vibes and made more sock progress.  Fortunately, the cashier sent the people to the service desk after several minutes.

It was then that I realized today is World Wide Knit in Public Day.  The universe clearly must have wanted my participation.  Consider my contribution complete.

Comments

[Tana]

I love this post. I shop commissary too so I can feel this particular pain. I also used to live in Arizona (not El Paso, but still) where 108 was pretty normal for a June day and getting ice cream home before it melted was a minor miracle.

I always tell the story of the Easter Bunnies growing up - my mom would rush out to the Walgreens to get our chocolate Easter bunnies for our Easter baskets and try as she might, my brother and I always woke up to chocolate bunnies half melted, an ear missing or a sugar eye that's fallen. Those were the days!

[Carly]

wow. .. . that's WAAAAY more patience than I could ever manage :) when I worked at a grocery store I despised the food stamp cards. . . . somehow it seems like it would be a lot easier if they still gave booklets so there was no question about how much was there or what the PIN was or whatever else!

[hokgardner]

I got stuck in traffic the other week, caught behind a multi-car pile-up, and instead of freaking out about being late to my appointment, I pulled out my knitting bag and got to work on a sock. The time just flew, and since I didn't have screaming kids in the back seat, I rather enjoyed myself. I did get odd looks from people in neighboring cars, though.

[Tammy]

I don't go anywhere without at least a sock in my purse. Sometimes I feel silly carrying it around, but your experience has made me feel secure in its necessity. Carry on brave knitter!

[Holly]

There's an old saying: "Never ask God for patience... because He'll make you earn it."

[angelarae]

Knitting has definitely made me a more patient person, as well. I don't mind waiting for anything anymore, as long as I can knit whilst I wait. On the other hand, it has made me a little neurotic, too. I panic if I don't have my knitting with me at all times. I might have to wait.

Ang

[weezalana]

Props to you for your line patience! After about 10 minutes, I'd have given the ladies $2 just to get my ice cream... er, I mean myself out of there.

[Knitalittle]

Yep I hear you. Knitting in the purse the only way to live here in El Paso. Well that and not having the kids with you. Never leave home with out knitting tucked in purse. :)

[Valerie]

You have the patience of a saint and I cannot fathom being so calm under the circumstances.....then again, I can't imagine actually getting to go to the grocery store ALONE (without 2 screaming kids) and getting to knit/crochet too all in one visit! Amazing!

As for the comissary, my friend's daughter took me once and I swore I would never go again. the line to check out was like the line for Space Mountain.

[Mandy]

I mean this in the very nicest way possible - you are evil. Just evil. Now come over here and help me eat the ice cream that jumped into my grocery cart. It's way too yummy. If my WW leader saw that in my freezer, she'd smack me.

[Marie]

You have a lot of patience. And I suppose I would be almost as patient if I had knitting with me too. What a joy it must be to be able to shop without kids in tow.