November 23, 2013
Flying wheels
It always happens with an oil change. I go in for some quick maintenance, and come out with a mortgage. That's right. Today I dropped off my car at the shop to get an oil change I've been over due for (my poor baby!) and also have them install two front tires I've been saving up for. You don't even want to know the state my tread was in. Well, naturally a one hour job turned into a four hour job because they had to replace my two front wheel assemblies. Apparently I was missing some bolts and they don't know how I've been driving around without my tires flying off and probably leaving me dead. Needless to say, replacing wheel assemblies is expensive and I'm now out $700 I don't have. Oh, and I'm moving next weekend.
I will not be eating for a month.
That's a bummer, but I did have a lovely experience with a sales associate at Home Depot before the car fiasco. TJ and I were looking for blinds. We walked right by them, I pointed them out, but he decided that was not the blind aisle and kept on walking. It wasn't in a mean way. He was just convinced he had seen them somewhere else before. Whatever. As he walked on, the sales associate noticed me and asked if I needed an assistance. As discreetly as possible, I asked him where the blinds were. Naturally, they were exactly where I had thought. I told him as such, but said I'd let TJ investigate a little bit before steering him back in the right direction. The associate, Matt, laughed with me and I went on my way. Then he called after me and told me I was a good woman. A real keeper. Later, as TJ and I made our way back to the blinds. Matt and I exchanged winks and he clapped TJ on the back and told him I was a keeper.
I almost burst into tears. Not sad tears. Let's say ironic tears. Maybe even appreciative tears. I'm sure I was nothing more than a passing frenzy for dear Matt, but his kindness in our brief interaction made my heart swell. It was just so nice for someone to notice me. To notice how hard I try. To notice the love I have to give. All this time I've spent with TJ and he's never really acknowledged my goodness. Things are always so back and forth with him, how can he? But for Matt to look me in the eye and sincerely tell me that he knew I was a good woman, a real keeper just touched me. Ha I had half a mind to let him know that I was unattached and he could keep me any day.
Then I remembered that people in my generation are so affection starved, are so deprived of intimacy that we think every little kindness is a flirtation. I know Matt wasn't flirting with me because he thought I was with my boyfriend, but I wouldn't mind if he had been flirting.
But really, the whole thing just reminded me that there is so much more out there than TJ. And when we end things for the last time one day, I'll be fine.
I'll be fine.
scullerymaid at 9:51 p.m.