Braiding, Shopping, and a Lack of Manners

While I did a lot today, it all didn’t take a long time to do.

I escorted my mother to the hair dresser so she could get her hair done. Her hair likes superb. And again, it only took about 3 hours for a full head of braided hair. I played my sister’s DS while waiting. The time flew by.

After that, we ventured off to Yorkdale Mall so that I could buy a present for my friend’s upcoming birthday. And, of course, I came out of there with plenty of stuff for myself. Luckily I got my friend a present as well. Sometimes I don’t like buying things for my friends because I end up buying them something that I totally want for myself. In this case, I bought my friend something…and I bought the same thing for myself in a different colour. (Yes, I know I know..!)

After that, it was off to the grocery store. I wanted to buy waffles, some fish, some shirmp, etc. As I hobbled up and down the aisle beside my mother near the front of the store, I asked my Mother if there was anything else she wanted and she said No.

I headed towards the express aisle as I only had a few things in my hands. When I turned around, my mother was nowhere to be found. When I stopped walking, a girl, no older than 8 years old, walked into me. She was with her younger brother and her mother. As soon as she walked into me, she let out the loudest kissing-of-teeth that I ever did hear. I glared down at her, as she not only walked right into me, but in doing so she kicked my foot. When I glared at her, she looked at my foot and noticed the boot. She quickly looked away with guilt clearly written on her face.

My point is, what causes someone to automatically kiss their teeth in an angry manner when it’s clearly they’re fault? Similarly in the mall today, I found myself face to face with groups of people who chose to all walk side by side instead of in groups of two and two and two. Always wanting to stand my ground and essentially stand for what’s right, I refused to move. In fact, it wasn’t even a matter of refusing to move, it was the fact that I had nowhere to move anyways…unless I wanted to dart into a store to avoid getting close-lined by a group of under dressed, over accessorized and made-up tweens. When I stopped walking, forcing them to take note, I heard the girl directly in front of me say “geez”. She didn’t say it because she wanted me to hear it. In fact, she said it quietly because she didn’t want me to hear. When she said it, another one of the girls said “Dude, she has a broken leg”.

I didn’t hear the response after that. Probably “yeah, so???”

I’m astonished by the behaviour of not only youths, but adults too. I know I’m not an absolute angel, but I also know that when I was out with my Mom and/or Dad, I was never out of their sight. If I was doing something that I shouldn’t be doing, my parents didn’t have to plead with me to behave. Oh no sir. All I needed was a look. One look. Not an angry look. Just a look. And whatever I was doing would stop immediately. To be honest, I didn’t get that look very often because I didn’t dare participate in any foolish behaviour, especially in public.

My parents were never strict. They never, ever laid a finger on me. They rarely raised their voices to yell unless they were joking. And all that being said, I’ll be the first to admit that myself as well as my two older siblings were quite spoiled. We didn’t ask for too-too much, but 9 and a half times out of 10, we got whatever we asked for. Kids were easier to please back then too I think.

But I digress. People need to have manners for the broken footed.