After the verbal torture and
drama at the Thanksgiving table and surviving yet another afternoon of gorging
like a pack of wolves unsure when the next prey will cross our path, the alpha
relatives made their way to the local mall on Black Friday. Growling at the disharmony of my belligerent Aunt and
ignoring my brother-in-law after unpleasant discord at lunch in the courtyard,
we dragged our newly discovered carcasses of treasure to the trunks of our
respective cars. Yes, we mostly drove separately. And alone was the state of
strategy of which I craved.
On Shop Small Saturday I walked into a new store downtown called Attitude. The young lady behind the counter offered to
assist, but I insisted I was just looking around. After aimlessly wandering and
wondering about the events of the preceding days, I motioned for help. A second
woman appeared from behind a store fixture. At least she and her co-worker
maintained epidermal integrity of their ear lobes, and both kept their natural
hair color.
"My name is Sandra,
welcome to my shop. How may I help you?" She was certainly young. My expression betrayed me. I scanned the many
levels of shelves with the intent to hunt on my own, but instantly her
confident demeanour dispelled my previous misconceptions. She asked what I had
in mind and provided a few options. "Based on what you describe, I'm
inclined to point out this popular item," she started as I examined it.
"But I need to add, it seems to have a negative effect on people,"
she cautioned, as I tried it on with ease. Too easy, in fact. She emphasized
the store had a return policy, and from her kind tone I could tell it was
important to avoid any initial dissonance.
With it still on, I detected
aversion on the faces of the other customers, as if they were at the ready to
dart and scatter like elk on the prairie. Careful not to frighten, I made a
second attempt -- this time with significant effort. It felt uncomfortable.
Alert to my hesitation, Sandra
assured me it would feel more natural over time. I pondered my decision for a
moment. As I gazed into the mirror, the results seemed contagious as the same
herd of shoppers gravitated toward this new selection. Unlike yesterday, I was
gifted with smiles. I stood wondering audibly how it would look outside or at
home or at the office. While she reminded me the name of this small shop – Attitude – my groans of indecision
prompted the joyful owner to respond, "Well, it is your choice; may I
suggest you pick out a good one."
