I have a Nordstrom
gift card burning a hole in my wallet. So I went to Westfield Topanga – the giant
mall in Woodland Hills with a Tesla showroom and a carousel – to try to find a pair
of heels.
(Unfortunately,
the heels I'm most drawn to – a pair of classic black pointy toe beauties – are
Manolo's. Outside of my budget doesn't begin
to describe )
As I trekked
through the 2nd floor maze of the mall, a man who looked old enough to be my grandfather crossed my path.
Happy New Year! he greeted with
a smile.
Happy New Year! I returned,
then paused. He looked like he wanted to say something else. And, as I had already dubbed him The Octogenarian, it would've been rude to brush past him without
letting him speak.
Do you work? I thought
he meant, was I working today?, so I
replied no. He looked sad and distressed by the news. Did he think I was
unemployed? I attempted to clarify.
Well, I work Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. A bit of
relief,
That's a long time to work, 8 hours. But concern for my welfare.
Well, I have a lunch break.
An hour? What time?
Yes, an hour. Well, I usually leave around
noon, take a walk, then eat.
Where do you walk? which I
heard as Where do you work?, for he
had a bit of an accent.
Brentwood.
Where do you walk?
Oh – by my office.
Hmm, yes. It's safer that way.
I sort of
shrugged. I don't think about safety when I walk – I think about going out and
getting back in roughly 30 minutes so I have some time to eat. I believe I said
something to that effect.
Will you be here tomorrow?
No. This was a surprising line of questioning.
He was sad
again. Where do you work?
Brentwood *
Ah, that's far away. I wish you could be here
tomorrow. Do you like sushi?
Yes, I do like sushi. Wait,
what? Is he chatting me up?
It's too bad you won't be here tomorrow
Well, we'll see how I feel after I go to
church, knowing full well I would not be in the mood to drive to
Woodland Hills to have lunch with an Octogenarian apparently interested in a woman who looked more than half his age.
I wish I could see you tomorrow.
<Smile> Well, it was nice talking to
you. Happy New Year! At least, I think that's how I got out of the dangerously
spiraling loop.
Happy New Year!
Yeah. It was kinda of weird.
* I just now
realized he thought I worked in the mall. There's a reason I identify with
turtles and tortoises.
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