Monday, June 24, 2013

Friendly Conversation

I go grocery shopping often. I usually go sometime in the middle of the week, and usually around 10 or 11. I always seem to find the cashier who likes to talk about weird things or ask lots of questions. The thing that weirds me out the most is when they ask me why I'm buying the things I have put on the conveyer belt. Seriously. It's happened more than four times in the last six months. It went down something like this:

*Disclaimer* The following conversations may have taken place prior to the six month block of time I previously mentioned. I am just using a few of the experiences I can remember the best.*

[C] You having a bunch of people over? Like a party?
[M] Uh...yeah! Yeah, we are having a get together. 
[C] Cool. Like a birthday party?
[M] ....yep. My son is turning two. Having the grandparents over for dinner.
[C] My husband's friend's cousin has a baby. She's so cute. The other day she said momma! It sounded like [person imitating a small child].....
[M] .....yeeahhh.....kids are funny. 


[C] Do you use brown sugar a lot?
[M] Um, no, not a lot. I just ran out. 
[C] You must use a lot if you ran out! What do you use it for?
[M] Cooking. I cook and bake with it. 
[C] Like, all the time? What do you put it in? I've never used it before!
[M] Well I use it in certain baking recipes and I have a few dinner recipes that call for a small amount. 
[C] That is crazy. I have never used brown sugar. I don't even know what you'd use it for. 
[M] ???


[C] Are you going to make a pie? (Scanning two cans of cherry pie filling)
[M] No, just a dessert. 
[C] Like a cherry pie?
[M] Not exactly. Just a dessert that requires cherry pie filling. 
[C] I don't know what dessert you'd make with cherry pie filling that isn't a pie!
[M] It's not a cherry pie. It's more like a cobbler, I think. I can't remember the name of it. It's for a Father's Day dessert.
[C] Well I hope they like cherry pie stuff!!


[C] Where did you find this?! (Cannot remember what it was they were asking about)
[M] Oh, it was over on the aisle with (whatever aisle it was on)
[C] Woah. I have got to get one of these. Do you know how much it was?
[M] .........ummmm no. I can't remember. 
[C] Oh look! I scanned it and it said it was $5.99! That's a good deal!!!

Don't get me wrong. I do not mind chatting with people, even at the store. It just feels very weird when they start closely examining each item I am purchasing, ask lots of questions and get a little personal. I don't even mind awkward conversation, just not about all the stuff I'm buying right then. I would also like to mention that I am ALWAYS nice to people at the grocery store. I make a point to be kind because you never know what kind of stuff someone is dealing with. Plus, I see too many people who are cold and rude to these employees on a regular basis. So, I try to engage them in a friendly way. It's a lot harder during these types of chats. I get really weird and never know what to say exactly. 

It never fails though- if someone is going to talk about something weird, I'm the person they go to. I think I seem very approachable.