Chloe Peterson

The time is later in the day around 7:30pm and I have to run to the food store for a few

ingredients for my dinner I didn’t realize I ran out of. So I took the adventure down to the local

grocery store in my town to get it over with so I could eat as I’m ravenous. When getting there at

the same time I noticed a slightly older gentleman also pull into the parking lot, I would say he

was about mid 50s, maybe 55 or so. He wasn’t in a suit but definitely work attire, a button down

blue checked dress shirt and black slacks with black loafer type shoes. Throughout my time I’m

there I keep seeing him and noticing him. Maybe it's because of my hyperawareness of my

surroundings so I notice every detail and always worry for my safety but I keep noticing him

around the store. I wonder if we just have similar tastes and need some of the same products. But

why does he keep showing up around me? At this point I aimlessly go around the store to see if I

could remember anything else I could need or stock up on, one less trip the better.

The man goes slowly through the store. Why is he so slow? I catch myself and internally

yell at myself to not judge others, others have different speeds of walking and maybe he has a

medical condition making him walk slower or maybe it’s his age. But he’s not that old I find

myself saying, not that illness cares about age. I find myself curious as I examine his walking

while waiting for him to move down the aisle to get what I need out of one of the coolers. I’m

curious as I notice his walking isn’t a slow walking issue so much he has a hard time or that he’s

lost because he doesn’t know this store, I notice from his walking and body language that he

knows this area well that he’s lived here many years maybe his whole life and his walking is

more saddened and kind of a lonely walk. But why would he be lonely? Is he still married and

have kids? Shouldn’t he be at home with them or at least his wife enjoying dinner right now? Or

does he make dinner and he forgot some things like I did? Could he have never married or have

kids? Maybe he couldn’t have kids or wanted any and maybe he didn’t want a wife? If so, why is

he acting so miserable? I can tell through all of this he is also people watching and laughing at

silly things little kids are doing. Maybe it brings him joy of what he’s remembering or never had.

I realize it’s not about judging others for how we act, but how times like today have robbed us of

so much and so much in life and we all need things to cheer us up and if that means laughing at

some kids at the grocery store because we’re lonely then that’s enough for one day.