Don't Stand So Close To Me

Being an American, when in a public place, I like to have and am used to my allotted “personal space”.

That 8 inches or so radius of space between me and another stranger. When you are in line, you expect to not have someone breathing down your neck and heaven forbid—never actually bumping into you and touching you!

I just had an afternoon where I had two encounters where my personal space was “violated”.

Not the worst thing in the world—just two events that happened in the space of an hour or so at two different places that made me wonder what was going on. ?????

First off, I was in line at a store (Job Lot, Erin!)

—where I went in for one thing and came out with ten, because that is the Job Lot way,

and was finishing paying and then gathering up my purchases into my bag, when I had a feeling of being almost pushed along and out of there by the next person behind me—a man I saw out of the corner of my eye, standing now very close to me.

Even, though, like I said, I had just finished up and was still not done and not quite ready to go. (he was already inching up right beside me before I had even gotten the total from the clerk, now that I think of it)
Even the clerk had to tell him to “wait” (he had already swiped his debit card in the machine and apparently she wasn’t ready for that). And there I was still gathering up my things and not even ready myself. Right, this man was so annoying standing so close and in such a stupid hurry.

Then, as I was putting my key into the ignition once I was out of there and in the parking lot, I noticed that same man jumping (hurriedly) into a car parked right alongside the entrance. Obviously, whatever rush he was in and so badly needed at Job Lot meant that parking in a normal parking spot was not for him. He was off and out of the lot before me, even.

What was the rush? Well, he was one of those rushed and therefore rude people.

I was still a little ticked off by his inching his way into my “space” and rushing me along. The noive of him!

After Job Lot, I had one more errand—needed to get some things at the market near our house— some cheese at the deli counter in particular.

I went to the back of the store first and waited in front of the deli counter. They weren’t too busy, with one other person already standing there and being waited on. I was next, once that man was done getting his order. As I am standing there, I notice out of the corner of my eye, a woman—short whitish curly hair, a little older than me—come along and stand right near me. And I mean NEAR me—as in almost shoulder to shoulder-- she was so close.

Did I mention there wasn’t a huge rush of people there? And plenty of room? At first I thought she was about to tell me something or that she was getting a closer look at something in the case and then would move away after a bit. But, er, nooo..she stayed right there.

A little disconcerting, to say the least.

But, again, not the worst thing in the world—she seemed a nice person and didn’t smell or anything. But, still—strange that she had no concept of “personal space” and was so close to me. Even the woman behind the case was confused when it came time for my-um, “our” turn. She asked if we were “together”!! I said, “no, I’m next" and moved apart more than slightly to reclaim my “space” and get my cheese and get out of there.

Maybe it’s my perfume?