I don't have a long list of errands to run for the holiday season but I have a few so I ventured out today to knock off a few. I ventured to the local LL Bean store and their shared parking lot was a "parking lot" in traffic commentator lingo.
I was not in a hurry so I spotted someone getting into their car, and pulled into that aisle with my correct blinker on waiting for his spot. In the meantime another car pulled into the aisle and was going to pull into a spot opposite the one I was signaling for, which was about to be vacant.
Boston drivers will not understand some of this post and I apologize in advance for that.
It would have made more sense for her to take the spot I had my eye on and for me to take hers, but I figured I had already committed and since I am not in a hurry I could wait for the gentleman to adjust his mirrors, put on his seat belt, count the money in his wallet, phone his wife and then turn the car on. I was being patient though, honest I was.
The other driver stopped, and in hand signals asked me if I was pulling into the other spot. Through a series of hand signals and I do not mean middle finger gestures, I assured her that I was waiting for the other spot and she pulled into the one that was vacant. I jumped out and thanked her for checking with me to see if I wanted to pull into the vacant spot.
This whole experience surprised me, since my experience is that Boston drivers would cut you off for the parking spot, and never would they stop and check to see if you wanted the one they were about to pull into. They might pull in and then ask you, but the point is moot then.
That was the first place I found Holiday spirit today.
The second place was Trader Joe's. I was going to go to Market Basket where the prices are cheaper, but I had an errand at Trader Joe's so I bought my groceries there today. ALL of the clerks were genuinely in a good mood and happy, unless they hire a lot of actors. The aisles are wide and the place is clean and organized. The check out person, when I presented my canvas bag and asked to try to fit it all in, helped me in my effort to put it all in so I did not have to take a paper or plastic bag. He understood that by bringing my own bag I am doing what I can for the environment and we had a real conversation about that. My experience at Market Basket and Stop and Shop is that they fight me and try to give me plastic bags when I bring my own. "Are you sure you don't want this is a separate bag?" they ask me at Market Basket. So the second gift I got today, was a 15 minute shopping adventure at Trader Joe's and genuinely happy workers.
These are silly and simple gifts, but they are gifts, and they are where I found the Holiday spirit today.
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