Thursday, July 30, 2009

< happy >

So I've been thinking of late about the whole Friend Thang. Gotten some emails and phone calls regarding my last post - women who identify with the difficulties WE give each other. Swapped stories - laughed some - cried some - girled some.

Chatted with MomLady about it. We came to the conclusion that, truly, everyone we meet wants to be friends. They might not want to put forth the effort to create a friendship, but really? women like friends. Or at least women like other women to like them.

"No man is an island," and all that jazz.

Went to Wal-Mart the other day with My Man. Quick trip. Just for hamburger buns (Sloppy Joe buns, to be exact). Oh, and bananas, milk, and a phone with an answering machine while we're at it. You know, basic stuff. Left MomLady with Da Boyz suuuuuuuuuuper fast. Super fast, Mom, I swear.

We were determined to make it out of The Labyrinth Built to Destroy Your Budget in record time, so we split up. Divide and conquer. I headed to produce.

Got my bananas (and cantaloupe - on sale, and peaches - they looked good) and buns. I was in a good mood. That lady in sweats and a ponytail with two screaming children over by the potatoes wanted to be my friend. The lovey-dovey couple checking prices on kiwi wanted to be my friends, too. I grinned a lot - with my teeth, because that's so much friendlier than the cheek smile.

Milk was next. Of course, the Labyrinth Built to Destroy Your Budget places milk at the very BACK of the store - forcing you to pass all sorts of deliciousness.

And lest we forget, I was in a hurry. Suuuuuuper quick trip and all.

I contemplated for a good four seconds. The fastest way to get to that milk would be to ride the cart. But I didn't have any kids with me. Truly - what would people think?!

Then I remembered everyone in the store wanted to be my friend.

And dang it if I didn't hop on and SPEED down to the milk.

image here

Got some looks - didn't have time to see if they were weird looks - and I grinned at them with my teeth. Because that's so much friendlier than a cheek smile. One little girl in particular opened her eyes wide at me. She looked about ten - old enough to know that I was one crazy lady to be riding a cart without any kids in it.

Picked up the four milks that fit in my fridge (and some yogurt ... and some cheese ...) and headed on to electronics to meet My Man. As I rounded the corner, there was my buddy, the ten-year-old. She grinned at me with her teeth - so much friendlier than a cheek smile - and waved. I waved back. We're friends.

My Man was happy to see me. I was happy to see him. We got our phone, riffled through the $5 movies and the $3 books suuuuuuuuuuper fast, and headed back through the Labyrinth toward check-out.

We were meandering quite slow. I tried not to sigh.

My Man squeezed my hand, looked into my eyes and -

"Hop on."

And we sped off toward check-out with toothy grins -

We're friends.

22 comments:

Lara Neves said...

You. Are. AWESOME! Love it!

Kristina P. said...

I really want to be your friend.

I have a friend who I have known for years, because I introduced myself to her at church. I love her to death, but one of her issues is that she sits around and waits for people to come to her, and then when they don't, and she can come off as standoffish, she thinks everyone is rude and stuck up.

People will want to be your best friend in no time!

annie valentine said...

We're already friends. I loved this post, you could probably enter it somewhere.

Jenny P. said...

Aptly titled post. :) I was happy just reading it.

Harmony said...

I think if we all had the smile and heart of a 10-year-old, we'd all be friends with no complications at all.

You're so great!

Anonymous said...

Loved the post. It made me laugh(enough to actually leave a comment, which as you know I rarely ever do). You are a truly talented writer and have a talent for vocalizing what many women feel as well as insights to make us all a little better. Keep up the good work and the smiles.
Jennetta

Wonder Woman said...

I only ride the cart in the parking lot. I'll have to try it in store tomorrow. With the kiddies.

It's nice to know that you've always got a fall-back best friend in the Hubs.

I've spent most of the morning talking to friends on the phone. Wishing they weren't busy, wishing I wasn't vehicleless today, wishing they would return my calls. Wishing I had the guts to call up someone and ask if they want to go to the park.

I'm just gonna go and smile with my teeth. Apparently that's a friendly thing to do. ♥

The Prices said...

You're just the best, that's all I have to say!

Perpetual Mommy Exhaustion said...

Rock. On.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has let my dignity go in the name of fun. I like to dance to the muzak. I haven't ridden the cart since college. I sense a funner day at Wal-marche coming on.

Sweating in the endless heat said...

AWESOME!!! You are the BEST!!!!

gina said...

My first thought was "oohh, I would think she was a little odd", then I thought " I wish I could do that". Maybe I will.

Unknown said...

Love it, love it, love it. And one day at IKEA we ended up spending an additional 20 minutes in an obscure back aisle, waiting for my very grown up kids to finisht taking turns pushing each other around on those ginormous carts. Then I had to take my turn of course. With my husband pushing, of course. At WARP 8, of course.

Cuz we're friends, too.

Tobi said...

Wally World has breaking your budget down to a tried and true science. Love this post and I love your paragraph about how a toothy grin is friendlier! You are so right about that my friend.

Lisha said...

You're cool!! I ride the trolley with my 3 year old down the ramp to the car. You are so right about the friend thing, thanks for the example.

Brittany Ann said...

You're my hero. I mean that, I think that I need to make you a cape and send it to you, so that next time you ride the cart the cape can flow behind you in the wind. Seriously, who has more friends than superheroes?!

Anonymous said...

I ride the cart all the time, inside the store and out...Did you know you can steer the cart by putting a foot down on one of the back wheels? It's truly an art form and the ONLY way to travel through big box stores.

Kazzy said...

I agree about the instinctual need to be/ have friends. I did have a friendship end recently though when the other person said she felt like it was much more important to me than to her. That one hurt.

I think I am barely past the age where I can pull off riding in the cart. Dang it! And it is nice to be married to a good friend, isn't it?

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I only ride the cart when I don't think anyone is looking - if only I could remember they ALL want to be my friend. You rock!

The Motherboard said...

I LOVE to spin through the store, riding on the back of the cart! FAVORITE THING!

Smiling like you have a great big secret makes everyone else happy.

You're a smart thang, you are!

(Annie is right... you could post this somewhere else. If you wanted. I happen to know of such a place... just sayin'.)

LisAway said...

Love it. I was feeling the rush. I'm a major cart rider, too. It's even weirder in Poland. Adults don't do stuff like that EVER. Except me.

Way to get in and out of the Labyrinth Built To Destroy Your Budget. And with only three times as much as you meant to buy!!

Kaylene said...

My hubby likes to ride the cart, but I'm too embarrassed and awkward. I know I'd end up on my behind.
Thank you for your post, you're an amazing writer.

Sharon said...

You're awesome. I've thought a lot about your assertion that everyone wants friends, and I think you're right. My problem is that I'm so completely bogged down by "issues" or "baggage" or whatever you want to call it that I assume that - even if they want friends - they don't want to be MY friend. Because I'm lesser-than. Why do I feel this way? I don't even know, but I don't think I'm alone in this insecurity. It's something I'm working on, however. Thanks for your awesome posts!