I really just wanted her to shut up

Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.

I didn’t have much benevolence in my heart when I was standing in line at a Victoria’s Secret. It was one of their big sales (Ooo, “bras half off,” as my boyfriend at the time used to say). The line was long, and the sales associates looked overworked and stressed out. There was also a return going on, and it didn’t look like it was going well.

Despite what was going on ahead of me, there was a bigger storm brewing behind me. The lady directly behind me was on her phone complaining loudly to some poor soul about how long the line was, how slow it was, and how it was going to make her late for dinner.

I get it. No one likes lines. No one likes to wait, but honey… you’re in a mall. You don’t go to the mall for a “quick stop.” Malls take time. You block out a couple of hours – especially when you are there on a Saturday afternoon when 90% of the stores are running sales (it was July, I believe, so mostly back to school stuff).

I could take it for a bit, but she wouldn’t stop. She kept her voice elevated, hoping the sales girls would hear her. They could. I could see them shooting random dark glances at her. My inner Dexter monologue started to kick in.

The line was moving slowly, but it was moving. For five minutes or so (it seemed like an eternity), it was a constant barrage.

“This waiting,  blah, blah, blah.”

“I’ve been here forever, and the line isn’t moving, blah blah, blah.“

“I’m supposed to be meeting friends for dinner, blah, blah, blah.”

Then I was the next in line.

I was called to the counter, but I turned to the lady and said. “Hey, I have nowhere to be, go on ahead.”

The look on her face was priceless.

“Are you sure??”

I really can’t stand when people ask me that, but that’s a whole other rant.

I assured her that I was completely in my right mind. I really didn’t have anywhere to be (I blocked out the appropriate mall time), and what was a couple more minutes in the grand scheme of things?

She thanked me profusely as she hustled off to the next available cashier. She seemed subdued. I think she realized that she was making a bigger scene than she realized.

I was called up soon after. The lady stopped by as I was finishing my transaction and thanked me again. “Hey, it’s no problem.  Enjoy your dinner with your friends.” I gave her a genuine smile, and she scurried off.

Was it an act of kindness?

I think so.

Did I also passively aggressively point out that she was annoying?

Most likely

Do I care?

No.