Maybe You Should Write It Down

This was going to be a fast trip. The store was super slow, no one around. I knew I'd get right in and right out.

"Hi. I need this brand of paint, in this color (handing him the color swatch), in satin finish. And I need two gallons."

"Sure! I'm just finishing up a gallon here and I'll get right on it." He then mumbled something else, but I had no idea what small talk he was making, nor did I care.

"Great. I'll be back in a few minutes." I wandered the front half of the store, numbly looking at storage bins, cleaning supplies, closet organizers and counter tops.

Ten minutes later. "Oh there you are! I forgot to ask you what finish you wanted?"

Hold the eye contact. Don't blink. Slowly force a smile. "That would be satin. I think I mentioned it."

"Okay, great! Because I couldn't mix it until I knew what finish!" Yes the exclamation points are there because that's how he talked.


Five minutes later I made my way back to the paint counter and numbly looked at different brands of painting tape all proclaiming to not let the paint bleed under it. Yeah, right.


"Here you go! All done!" He pushed a gallon of paint across the counter toward me.


Eye contact. *blink, blink* "There's supposed to be two."


At this point his chipper face actually fell a little. "Oh two? Let me get another mixed right up."


And all I could think? Thank goodness he wasn't taking drink orders at Starbucks. Can you imagine what he'd do with a venti half-caf non-fat two pumps vanilla one pump hazelnut extra foam no whip latte?


***Ally

Tweet