Hob Nobbing!
I shop for some of my groceries at Nob Hill Foods. Sometimes I refer to it as Snob Hill because the prices are a bit higher than Save-a-Lot, but I love the atmosphere, the wide selection of organic produce, and the many familiar health food brands that I favor.
Some time ago I pulled into the parking lot in front of the store, in a hurry, as usual, and did not make a note of the space I chose. I simply dashed in, bought more than I came for, what else is new, and rushed through the check stand. As I wheeled my cart out the front door, a young man headed me off. “May I help you to your car?”
I smiled but waved him off. “It’s okay. I can manage. Only two bags. No problem.”
He took the cart right out of my capable hands.
“I insist. Besides, I like getting out in the fresh air.”
I tried to talk him out of it, but he’d have none of my persuasive chatter.
Then my heart pounded—FAST! I had forgotten where I’d parked. Darn! If only I’d stop and pay attention this wouldn’t happen so often. I was caught. As the man waited for me to direct him to my car, I admitted my memory lapse.
“Good,” he said. “It will take longer.” Then he winked and nudged me with a shoulder. “Is that why you didn’t want me to help you out?”
“No,” I lied. “I just didn’t want to take you away from your work.”
He smiled—knowingly. I guess he’d heard that line before—from other grayheads like me. “What does your car look like?”
Look like? It looks like it’s lost—that’s what!
I pasted a smile on my face. “Gray, like my hair. A wagon with a rack on top.”
He spotted it and within a moment he packed my bags in the trunk, my face returned from red to white, and I was on my way. Drat! No wonder I’ve had no trouble writing for the over-50 crowd. All I have to do is live my life, take a few notes, and presto, I have a book! Help, Lord! I’m Having a Senior Moment and many more.
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They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 92:14).
I wish I had a dollar for every time I have stood in a parking lot thinking where did I park! Now that I have a new car it is even harder to remember…what car I am
driving? 🙂 So far, I have always found it …eventually. Keep smiling …it helps. Love your writing as usual!!
Thanks, Etta Mae. Always good to hear that I am not alone in my senior moments.
Ms. Karen, of course you’re not alone! The red-faced lady standing by your car was probably thinking the same things you were. Lol!
I love your “senior moment” stories! You have helped change my perspective of age for the better. I struggled with turning 50. Now, I’m 52, learning the guitar, learning to juggle, learning to Bible Journal, learning to write my first book, and still hunting for our car! ;-D
I’m actually adapting to my “3rd Phase” of womanhood and loving it–Thanks to you!
So, keep taking the scenic route to your car…it gives you more “moments” to share with us.
Happy Summer!
Smiles, BRC
Beth, you are always so encouraging. Many thanks!! And good for you to be taking up new activities and new adventures.
You think that’s bad … once I was able to block a car backing out of a space in a parking lot. The young woman driver got out and stomped angrily to my open window until I pointed to her baby that she’d left in a carrier on the car roof. And she couldn’t even call that a senior moment!
Oh my! That was quite an experience. Scary, actually.
Thank you for your honest writing about your memory lapsing. Just yesterday that happened to me in the Costco parking lot. Yes at 68 I am noticing that does happen a lot. Now I look at markers to help me remember. Your writing always inspires me Karen.
Thanka, Sandy. To save me from such moments happening again I now take a photo of my parking space with my iphone if I’m in crowded lot.
Love it!!
When Herb and I married I kept my car until my son flew down and I gave it to him as we really did not need two cars. I went to the grocery, parked under one of the few trees in the parking lot, when finished I went to the “tree” but my car was not there! I KNEW I had parked under that tree! I looked under the couple other trees that were in the lot and my car was not there either!! I went back to the original “tree” and rather disgusted stood and pointed my finger at that car and said out loud: ” I KNOW I parked under that tree”!! OOPS! then I saw the tag on the back with the name “mayhew” !! I forgot I had driven Herb’s car and not mine!
Another one for your next book! Love you. Margaret
Thanks, Margaret. What a great story. I remember one similar to that where a woman entered a Sears store from one entrance close to where she had parked but left from a different one and then assumed her card had been stolen!
OOPS ~ again ! I think you already have this in one of your books!
Oh, well, I will soon be 90, so I guess I am allowed to forget some things!
Happy shopping! Margaret
Wow! Almost 90. That is quite an achievement, Margaret. Congratulations!
I like to say, as we get older our minds become so full of wisdom and knowledge that a little bit overflows from time to time and gets lost.
I solved the problem of not remembering where my car was real easily. I push the red button on my key fob
and the horn starts honking and the lights go on and off. Voila, found my car!!!
Great idea. I now take a photo of my parking place if I worry that I’ll forget!
Ha! Yes. Many moments like these, Karen. Thanks for the humble reminder that it happens to all of us. What a sweetheart that young man was. Me? I just stand there and thank God he had somebody invent the beeping key. I just push that button on my key and follow the beeping until my car shows up!
Thanks, Heidi. I’m embarrassed to say I forgot my parking place today too but suddenly recalled what caught my attention when I got out of my car. When that came to mind, I returned to that spot and there was my car!!
Karen,
Trust me, I can relate to this one. Sometimes it is most difficult to not speak things over my life that aren’t true about me as I try and wave off my own inadequacies. Things like, “My mind is toast,” or “What an idiot.” I have conceded that with age comes my inability to do what I used to do- so easily. Karen, you are not alone. One thing however:
Be careful of the bad guys who use such ploys to attack woman and to abduct them. Women are endowed with the ability to scream and deafen a guy. LOL. The Lord does watch over us, eh!?
Yes, indeed the Lord leads and guides. I rely on that. Good to hear from you, Jim.
I love this – and like the young man who winked and nudged your shoulder, wanting to get outside. Very sweet. And I relate with not recalling where your car was. I did that at Intel in Arizona once, with a rental car. And that parking lot was HUGE. I had no idea where I’d parked the unfamiliar car, didn’t even remember what it looked like … and finally remembered I could hit the key button and lights would flash and the horn would honk. So I walked around the lot, hitting that button ’til I found “my” car! Red-faced? Yes!
My event happened before we had beepers but I now take a photo with my iphone and that does the trick. Thanks for your comment, Carol.