I was just havin a good ol time walkin thru the big department store. It was one of them days where the sun was out, but the air still had a little chill, perfect for just kinda wanderin around and lookin at stuff. I love bein out and about, seein what other folks are up to. My eyes, one blue and one green, are always kinda takin in everything, like a sponge for all the little stories happenin around me. Most people dont even notice, but sometimes kids point, which is fine by me. I think it makes me better at catchin all the weird things that happen in public, and lemme tell ya, there’s always somethin.
I was in the home goods part, lookin at some fancy throw pillows. I don’t really need no more pillows, but they had some that felt like clouds, all soft and squishy. I was picturin them on my couch when I heard a voice, kinda loud, comin from the next aisle over. It was a woman, and she was talkin about how she just deserved the best of everything, like it was her birthright or somethin. I kinda peeked around the end of the aisle, just outta pure curiosity, and saw her.
She was a young lady, maybe twenty, twenty-one, dressed in clothes that looked like they were a size or two too small, but she wore em like she was on a fashion show catwalk. Her hair was bright blonde, like one of them cartoon characters, and she had a whole lotta makeup on, especially around her eyes. She kept flippin her hair and lookin around, like she expected everyone to stop and stare at her, thinkin she was the most beautiful person on the planet. I gotta say, she had a kinda mean look to her mouth, even when she was smilin, and she was a little bit rounder than she probly thought she was, but she carried herself like she owned the whole place. Her son, a kid about fifteen or sixteen, was trailin behind her, starin at his phone, not even lookin up. He had that kinda slumped over look that told ya he’d seen all this before, a million times.
They stopped in front of a display table that had some real pretty decorative stuff on it. There was this vase, a big glass one, with swirly blue and green patterns, real unique. I’d actually noticed it earlier, and it had a little tag on it that said “DISPLAY ONLY – NOT FOR SALE.” Some poor store employee, a real young fella, was standin nearby, tryin to refold some blankets, lookin all nervous and fidgety.
The woman, she marched right up to that vase and picked it up. She held it out and spun it around, makin a big show of lookin at it. Then she turned to the nervous store fella. She said that this vase was just perfect for her new apartment and she was gonna take it. The kid with her, he just kinda sighed and leaned against a shelf of blankets, not even lookin at her.
The store fella, bless his heart, he mumbled somethin about how it was a display piece and wasn’t for sale. He even pointed to the little tag, but the woman just waved her hand like she was shooing a fly. She said that was a silly rule and that she was a very important customer, and besides, she just knew that it would look perfect in her livin room. She kept talkin about how she had an eye for quality and how she always got what she wanted, especially when it came to decoratin. She said she had a vision, and no little tag was gonna stop her vision.
The young fella tried again, real soft like, to explain that it was the only one, and it was used for the display. He said he could show her other vases, similar ones even, but this one was just not for sale. The woman, she just kinda huffed and puffed. She said he clearly didn’t understand who he was dealin with. She started talkin louder, sayin that she should get a discount for the inconvenience of him not understandin her needs. She put the vase down with a thud that made me wince, even from a few feet away. She put her hands on her hips and glared at the poor kid. She said she bet if she was some old lady, he’d be fallin over himself to help her, but because she was young and had good taste, he was bein difficult. I kinda wondered what bein “young” had to do with it.
The store fella, he looked like he was about to cry. He stammered that he was gonna call his manager, just to clear things up. The woman just scoffed and said, “Go ahead! Your manager will understand that I deserve this vase. Everyone always understands in the end.” Her son, he finally looked up from his phone, kinda rolled his eyes at the sky, and then went back to his screen.
I was just standin there, enjoyin the show, thinkin about how some people just operate on a different plane of existence. She caught my eye then. She kinda smiled, a real fake smile, and said, “Right? Can you believe this guy? He’s refusin to sell me this vase that I clearly need.” She was lookin at me like she expected me to back her up. But I’ve been around the block a few times. I just gave her a little nod and said, real calm and easy, “Well, if it says display only, they do usually mean it.” I didn’t wanna make her feel good or bad, just state the obvious in a way that didn’t invite more argument. She looked a little surprised I didn’t jump on her side, but before she could say anythin else, the most god-awful ringtone started blarin. It was a sound like a bunch of cats fightin a broken ambulance siren. It was her phone. She pulled it out of her purse, answerin it with a dramatic flourish, like she was takin a call from the president.
She started talkin into the phone, loudly, still eyein the vase, tellin whoever was on the other end about “this ridiculous situation” and “this rude employee.” Her voice echoed through the home goods section. A minute or two later, a woman in a blue vest with “Manager” on it came walkin up, lookin calm but determined. She had that kinda look that said she’d seen it all before, too. She listened for a second to the woman on the phone, who was still carryin on, and then she looked at her employee, who quickly explained the vase situation in a low voice.
The manager walked up to the woman, who was still on her call, and waited for a moment. She looked at the vase, then at the “DISPLAY ONLY” tag, then back at the woman. Just as the manager opened her mouth to speak, my own phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from my friend, remindin me about our coffee plans across town in twenty minutes. I was already runnin a little behind. I kinda winced, knowin I had to get movin. I took one last look at the scene: the young woman still yellin into her phone, the manager lookin like she was about to lay down the law, the nervous employee lookin a little relieved, and the son still glued to his screen, totally oblivious.
I kinda slipped away, not wanna miss my coffee date. As I walked away, I could still hear the faint sound of the woman’s voice, still goin on about her vase and her rights. I never did find out what happened with that vase. But honestly, I got the feelin the manager would handle it. Some people just love bein the center of attention, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons. It always makes for a good story, even if you don’t get to see the endin.
