I have always had a bad habit of people watching. I know I'm not the only one, but still I know it isn't the best hobby to have. Somehow though, I think this habit has helped me learn to watch people's movements and reactions. I can usually pick up on bad things about to happen, whether it be a fight or someone about to steal something. I can also sense when people are lying, hiding something, etc. I contribute my people reading skills mainly to my hobby of people watching, well that mixed with women's intuition.
Anyways, a relaxing day with the hubby lead us to the mall, to peruse the stores and wait for our movie to start. We made a pit stop in the food court for hubby (he has the bladder of a hummingbird!) so I took a seat at a table on the edge of the food court to optimize my view of the coming and going people.
Nothing unusual or exciting. I begin to get bored, when I see a couple come in the door. Not your typical couple. An elderly couple, each in motorized wheelchairs. The man following behind the woman, both looking unhappy, albeit grumpy. I know I should not stare, in any case, but especially in this situation, they have been around this earth a long time and the last thing they should have to deal with is a gawker. But I can't bring myself to look away. They remind me of my grandparents. My grandmother almost always unhappy (though I do love her to bits and pieces) and my Papa always joking and whistling, but always unhappy looking when around my grandmother. I watch as the woman stops short to look at the mall map and just as soon as she stops, the old man runs into the back of her chair. She barely budged, but felt the need to turn around and give the old man a dirty look. He looks away, almost like a little child in trouble, and the elderly woman shook her head and scowled. At that moment I wanted to walk over and hug the old man. He looked very similar to my papa.
She finishes viewing the map and whips her chair around to "talk" to her spouse. They both look very angry and you can tell she was saying something nasty to him. At this point the hands go up and you can see that they are very clearly arguing. The woman whips her chair around and takes off into the mall. The man left there for a minute, only to begin following after her.
I know this probably sounds boring and uninteresting to some of you, but this is a picture I cannot get out of my head. I watched in sadness and couldn't stop the tears from falling. I would be willing to bet my grandparents had many moments like this, but were they necessary? If she could go back in time, would she be nicer? I would like to say yes, but I'm not sure.
Either way, it took all the power I had in me not to walk over and hug the stranger, and just pretend it was my papa. I miss him so much. I think it was a sign from him to be thankful for every moment I have with my loved ones.
Hubby came back to the table only to find me in tears. After giving me a glance over and seeing that I hadn't been mugged, he sat quietly and asked what was wrong. He probably thinks I'm a loon at this point that needs to be committed. And all I needed to say was I saw someone that reminded me of my papa, and he understood. He hugged me tighter than ever before, almost as if he knew what I was thinking.
I hope everyone reading this takes a minute after and thanks God (or whoever you may believe in) for the giving you the people you have in your life. Don't take anything for granted. Never leave your loved ones with harsh words, you never know when you will see them again.
