In a hurry

I dread grocery shopping at a few of the markets here in China. Fifteen check out lanes, and only two of them open. You can imagine the pile up that causes...but it seems to be the norm for the store near our apartment.

Sal and I had a few things we needed to purchase for a baby shower I am co hosting on Friday, so this morning, I added a detour to our jog. We stopped in at Carrefour. I figured that 8: 00 a.m. On a Wednesday was probably not going to be too busy. I found what we needed and we headed to the checkout lanes. Two lanes, at least ten people in each line. I chose the one that seemed to be moving quickest and settled in for inevitable gawkers and people who insist on pushing their cart across the line rather than going around. People in the states do this too..it drives me nuts.

So, of course Sal and his new bright green stroller (what was I thinking...drawing even MORE attention to the kid?) drew a crowd. I kept moving forward in line, and this old woman came and stood next to me with her groceries. She started to crowd into me and I realized that this woman was going to cut line (insert the childhood song "no cuts, no butts, no coconuts" here) in front of me. Thankful for the massive size of our spaceship stroller, I pushed forward just enough so that she could not get in front of us. Why would I let someone cut in front after I have already waited five minutes? No sir-ree.

So, now Sal and I are in the actual lane and not just the line, and as I start unloading the basket I've been balancing, I feel a push.

Surely, it must be an accident. The person behind me probably assumed I was done unloading.

I do a quick turn around and what do I see?

That dang line cutter wanna be right behind me.

Instead of an "oops, sorry" look like you'd get in the states, she looked at me as if to say, "hurry up, whitey. What's taking so long?" I of course, rushed to get the rest of my basket unloaded, wallet out ready to pay, and my re-useable bag (bravo, China for charging for plastic bags..provides incentive for bringing our own) ready to bag up my purchases and hit the road running again. As I inch forward, I feel the woman behind me's full body against me. And then she pushes forward with her ENTIRE body touching my backside.

Seriously? So not cool.

I inch forward again, and she does it again with even more force.

Super irritated this time, I give her a good booty pop backwards to earn myself a few inches of space between us.

Thankfully, it's now my turn to pay and get the heck outta there.

On my way home, I got to thinking....she must have been in one big hurry. Maybe next time instead of waiting for me to count my change ( gotta make sure I get correct change back..I  might be an American  but I'm no dummy), she can just pay for both our purchases.

Or, I could have just let her cut in line.

Maybe she was teaching me a lesson.

If so, I failed that one.