Thursday, March 26, 2009

Those fleeting thoughts


Do you ever wonder what people think of you? I don't mean obsessively. I don't mean like you seriously worry about it or even care really. But do you have those fleeting thoughts when you are out somewhere and you see someone look at you - and wonder what they are thinking?


I do. And I guess I also form quick opinions as I pass by people I don't know. I might see a woman in what looks to be night-club attire at 10:00 in the morning and think "Oh, inappropriate. I wonder where SHE works!" Or maybe I spot an older man in his slippers shuffling into the drug store and think "Oh I'll bet his wife sent him." Things like that.

It doesn't mean anything, these things aren't consciously thought out they just sort of pop into your mind, little snap judgments you have as you walk by people, forgotten as quickly as you think them.

Mostly I don't care what people think when they see me - I'm sure other people have those odd little thoughts when I walk by too. But there IS one that kind of bothers me.

I frequently stop at my local drug store as it is so close to my house. And sometimes on my way home from work it occurs to me I'm just about out of cat food, so I pull into the parking lot and go in to the store to grab a couple of cans.

I, like most people, have heard the stories about old people eating pet food. And the stories tend to focus on old women. And cat food. So as I stand in line with my tuna pate or turkey and giblets grill - it is inevitable that it will cross my mind - "I hope nobody thinks this is my dinner."

It's NOT. I promise.

6 Comments:

Anonymous said...

I worked at a grocery store for 20 years as head cashier and I saw many people buying cat food , I know they were homeless and that was their dinner, my heart always went out to them for being in that situation,did you know that homeless people smell like something I cannot describe to you and when they were pulling out the 59 cents I would say its ok I will get it for you and I would put the can in a bag say goodbye, and I would put pay for the can myself, now your thinking ohhh how generous... how sweet of her........... nope its because I didn't want to touch anything they handled, they were so dirty and smelly it grossed me out .
I did feel good about buying it for them but I felt badly because of the true reason.I figured the good cancelled the bad feeling
Ok now what do you think of me??
Diane

Ring by Ring Designs said...

I personally can't get cat food past my nose. So, I hope to never get to that point. Don't much care for the smell of dog food either.
As for thinking about other people, I'm one of those who make up stories of people I see passing by. (Assuming I don't already know them)

BetteJo said...

Oh Diane I would say honesty is a wonderful quality! Who knows how any of us would react in that situation?

Unknown said...

Ha! I have similar thoughts about me...The old woman who lives on the hill alone with her dogs.

Funny to be in this place in time..because I still don't consider myself even remotely old or middle aged....or whatever you want to call it.

But I am!

Unknown said...

I wanted to comment to Dianne....

I don't think it was her bad thoughts that made her pay for the food...i think it was her innate good nature that rose to the occasion...she just doesn't know it.

Heather "Hev" said...

Yes I often wonder what people think of me.... more out of lack of self esteem than anything. Better these days though!!

I wonder about others too - I mean nothing is as it seems.

Thats why I love to watch Big Brother - sort of analysing people.

Yeah I know!!!