People Watching

Today I have two things on my to-do list.

1. Vote
2. Try to get over this miserable cold.
   

Things are going slowly, but now that I've had my nap after a shower, I am about to head out and enjoy my right to choose.

Yesterday, I had a running around day. I took a friend to acquire an ID so that she could vote, went grocery shopping, got my allergy shots, met King for a date, got the oil changed in the van, picked up Cinderella from choir and took her to piano, took Sleeping Beauty to tap, got the tires rotated on the van, (yes, I did the oil and the tires separately, so it would be free) picked up Sleeping Beauty from tap, helped with homework, and encouraged good grooming habits in my children. I have to say that of these tasks, the ones I enjoyed the most were changing the oil and rotating the tires. Mostly because I didn't have to do anything but read a book, and people watch.

I love people watching. Yesterday, people were fun. There was one man that sat on the couch in the auto lounge intently watching a Soap Opera, hushing his wife every time she wondered aloud if they should check on their car or change the channel. Another man, not interested in the Soaps, got the following lecture from his wife when she returned from the bathroom: "Did you just read the last page of my book again? You better keep your mouth shut. I like to be surprised! I hate when you do that, you're going to give it away. See? You're already grinning, you know I'm going to like it. You ruined my book! Next time, you are not coming with me."

There were also the garden variety college conversations about telling or not telling a guy you want to "hook up" and whether or not the rent you pay is worth it with such lousy roommates. I also heard a sweet old lady cuss like a sailor when she lost her car in the parking lot. (I did that too. Not the cussing part, the losing the car part. But only for a minute. I hate that. And remember--I said I have a lousy cold. That might be a good excuse. This time, anyway.)

Anyhow, I think it's fun to watch people in action. I hope no one was really watching me. I was either reading, and blowing my dripping nose and wiping my watering eyes, so I looked like I was quite emotional about the book. Or, I was pretending to read, and trying to not laugh at my people observations, still wiping my eyes and nose. So sort of laughing and crying at my book. They probably thought I was a freak. My only consolation is that I probably left them with enough little germs that next week they'll look a little freaky. Too bad it's not still Halloween.