Lollygagging

Today was Grocery Shopping Day. This is typically followed by More Grocery Shopping Day, then Still More Grocery Shopping Day, and finally Remember the List Day. I'm a slow learner sometimes. Today, however, I can blame my shopping inadequacies on running into a friend in the cereal aisle and spending far too much time chatting. This is not a complaint. I enjoyed myself immensely, and would do it again should the opportunity arise.

Eventually, the two of us stopped gabbing long enough to go our separate ways and attempt to finish grocery shopping. As I meandered down one of the aisles, I waited for all of half a second for a couple to move to one side of the aisle as they debated whatever it was that made them pause for reflection. They apologized profusely, which led me to believe they did not see my friend and I taking up plenty of aisle space while we blathered on endlessly. I said, "No worries. I'm just lollygagging my way through the store here."

As I walked away, I heard the woman excitedly giggle to the man, "Did you hear that? She said 'lollygagging!'"

Thinking she was acting silly because lollygagging is not a word many people use these days, I called back, "Well, it is a real word!"

The lady looked over at me and said, with tears in her eyes, "I know. My mother used to say that a lot. Thank you." She sounded a bit as if she was choking, but also grateful.

I have no idea what the back story is with her mother. Regardless of the story I will never hear, I will not look at "lollygagging" quite the same way again. I'm glad I could remind that woman about her mother even as I feel badly about making a stranger cry.

After pondering this for a few hours, I asked my kidlets if there was anything they thought I said a lot that would remind them of their mother. I was expecting some inanity, such as calling someone a "goober" or making a reference to being a "gamer geek." Instead, my eldest piped up with, "Um...I want a nap?" I guess I can't argue with that one.