“Whoa” was all I could mutter, swerving sharply to the left. Avoiding this guy took some mighty quick reactions.
It was Friday afternoon; the weather was absolutely gorgeous and half the population of our town seemed to be grocery shopping. I’d only come for a jug of milk but as every shopper can attest, one rarely leaves with less than half a cart. Such was the case this day – except that my cart was nearly full and so was the cart that nearly ran into mine.
“Sorry,” the driver apologized. “When I get into these places, I’m a terrible driver.” I smiled (how could I not, recalling the near misses I’d precipitated). “Don’t worry about it, I’m a pretty lousy driver in store aisles, too.”
Mr. Near-Miss, his wife, and I exchanged smiles and wished each other a great day. “Well done, Linda,” I thought to myself. “You handled that well.”
Determined to demonstrate my navigational expertise to staff and shoppers alike, I eased around the corner. No crossing into the wrong lane by this cart! I heard the crash before I saw copies of the nation’s best-selling diet manual slithering between the onions and the potatoes. Mr. Near-Miss’s beaming face loomed over my kneeling form. “Told you I was a lousy driver,” I whimpered, grabbing at books while blathering something to three acquaintances who happened to saunter by.
The clerk was gracious. “Never did believe in that diet, anyhow,” he consoled, stocking the flimsy cardboard display case.” With blazing face and no milk, I fled to the checkout counter, paid my bill and raced (carefully) to the safety of home.
“For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”
Amen and phew – I head there often!
