My Weekly Update

Melissa and I had to go to court on last Thursday for her expired tags ticket. I have a couple of observations regarding our “court experience”. The first thing I noticed is that the courtroom is nothing like you see on TV. The room was pretty small, and we were packed in there like sardines. I always imagined courtrooms as being these big, spacious rooms with the little fence that divides the people in the courtroom from the lawyers and defendants. The second thing I noticed was the giant gavel on the judge’s desk. That thing was huge, it was like something out of a cartoon.



I wonder if he actually uses it? I would have taken a picture of it, but that would have embarrassed Melissa beyond repair. My most meaningful observation was that if you get a ticket for running a stop sign in this town, IT WILL COST YOU. It will cost you a lot. I will never again “roll” through a stop sign. The fine is over a hundred dollars. I might as well saw off one of my own arms. For Melissa’s ticket, the fine was two dollars…….plus $113 dollars in court fees. I immediately began sawing my left arm. I also realized that I would never make a good criminal. I would never be a good criminal because I fear the law. Even though I knew we were there for just a ticket, I was definitely uneasy. Melissa would probably deny it, but she was downright scared. If I was a different kind of mother, I would have enjoyed her fear. I would have relished that she was afraid of the law, and maybe been comforted in the knowledge that she probably wont grow up to be a troublemaker. If I was a different of parent that is.


I am still working the second DSJ (Department Store Job). A couple of nights ago, this lady showed me a shirt and asked me if we had it in a different size. I took the shirt with me, and when I couldn’t find one in the size she wanted, I put it back on the rack. I returned to the fitting room and told her we didn’t have any in the size that she wanted. We did however have a different color in her size. For the SECOND time she tried to send me to fetch a shirt for her. I was having none of that. It’s not that I don’t want to give good customer service…but COME ON!! I am not a personal shopper for one thing. It’s not as if I don’t have anything else to do but run around getting clothes for people. Don’t get me wrong, if you come in and want to know where to find things, I will be happy to point you in the right direction. But I am not the “gopher girl”.

At first I tried to pretend like I didn’t hear her try to send me to fetch her another shirt. That obviously didn’t work. I had to think fast. I had to let her know without being rude that I was not going to fetch that shirt for her. I spun around and told her where she could find the shirt she wanted. She then stated that she didn’t want to leave her purse in the dressing room. I smiled pleasantly and told her that since I was cleaning that area anyway, that I would be happy to watch her purse while she went and got the shirt she wanted. This worked beautifully. She even thanked me later as she came out of the fitting room.


I would never try to send someone to fetch things for me in a store ( unless I was physically unable to). I just don’t understand what makes people think it’s ok to treat others this way. Later, I even told the manager about what happened. She confirmed that we are NOT personal shoppers and that I was justified in not fetching that woman a shirt.


Saturday was fun. I did nothing. I did nothing all. I didn’t even get out of my pajamas. For the ENTIRE day. I watched TV. All.Day.Long. I didn’t even cook dinner. Keri and I went and picked up dinner and yes, I was still in my pajamas. That’s why God invented drive thru windows. I hope you have enjoyed another deep and meaningful post. Please stay tuned for more thought provoking dialogue.