Adventures in a Walmart Parking Lot

Today, while frantically typing a last minute assignment, I had what can only be referred to as a "brain flash." You know those times when you've written out everything that you need to do? And then you set about doing them... you're reaching the end, when **BAM** you remember a HUGE thing that you almost forgot? Perhaps I'm the only one who does that...

Any way, I had a "brain flash" when I remembered that today was my day to bring snacks to class. (Yes, we have snacks in class. It helps ease the tedious boredom of 3 hours of Educational Law.) I quickly finalized my papers, packed up my books, and hit the road. Fortunately the West Lafayette Walmart is less than 10 minutes away.

I pull into the parking lot. Blissfully wrapped in a cocoon of testing requirements, snack possibilities, and 10th Avenue North blaring on the radio when I see, out of my peripheral vision, a fifty-ish year-old man, pushing a shopping cart with a child in it. Being responsible (yes I am- mark it down!) I slowed my speed when all of a sudden-

**WHOOSH!**

The man shoves the cart, complete with child, out into my path. I slam on the brakes. My heart skips a beat.

But that man's heart- it didn't even give a wee bit of palpitation. The cart continued to roll in traffic. And he just stood there. Watching the little girl narrowly miss moving cars. Two women stand watching the whole scene. Clearly their with the man, and obviously they're just as unfazed as he is- well, except that one woman yells huskily,

"Watcha doin'? You shovin' your granddaughter into the middle of the road? Why?"

He doesn't move. He doesn't respond.

"Well- why dontcha go get 'er?"

At this prompt, the man ambles out in front of me. Commandeers the errant cart (complete with the miraculously uninjured granddaughter), and returns to the two women.

It takes a while for me to let my foot off the brake. My mouth was slightly agape and I speed-dialed my mother to tell her how I almost hit another person.

Completing my errand seemed tame in comparison.

Somehow the excitement of buying popsicles had waned...