Master's Week

** DISCLAIMER, I do not think all visitors are this way, nor are all Northerners. I have dated Northerners and I had no negative experience with them. *** It is Spring Break here in Augusta which means one thing, The Masters. For many people this is an exciting time and they long for this time every year. For me, this is a time where I can't do my normal routine. I don't hate it, but I am not in love with the Masters and I am certainly not in love with the change of routine. This year things are a little different. The misery that the Masters brings started on Sunday. I went grocery shopping at Publix. Well, many visitors rent houses in North Augusta and they were all in Publix. (overdramatic, but still) There was this one family in particular that really seemed to just rub me the wrong way. Excuse me while I vent... It all started when they stopped in the middle of the road, right in front of the door, to let the Mom out. Really, the Mom couldn't walk from the parking space? Then, their son finally realizes he can get out of the car (he was otherwise occupied by his cell phone), and the Dad decides that he is going to just hang out for a while to make sure that they make it in okay. Well, North Augusta is not that riddled with crime that the walk from the car to the Publix is the danger zone. STRIKE 1 I go in the store and get my buggy and just keep moving. Well, I thought...the son is standing in front of the door - still on his cell phone - oblivious to ANYONE behind him. STRIKE 2 STRIKE 2.5 I call it this because the Mom does the same thing. I go to the bakery section and she is looking at cheese with her cart in the middle of the aisle...so apparently being oblivious is genetic? I keep moving, no big deal. Well, this turned into one of those situations where we followed each other around the store. I would avoid aisle, go long, stay put, but there they were. See, the son would wander around just talking about golf on his cell phone. He was everywhere. It was the cracker aisle that pushed me over the edge. It reminded me of when I was in Chicago with Ansley. We were shopping in a store and looking at merchandise and this person said, "Excuse me" to Ansley. Naturally, Ansley moved out of the way for the boy to cross...oh, no, he stood there and looked right where Ansley was...directly in front of Ansley! Well, these visitors, they did the same thing! I was looking for crackers for Trenton and the Mom (who was not a natural color) said "excuse me" and just stood right in front of me to look. Here comes husband to do the same thing. STRIKE 3, 4, and 5!!!! I don't say anything, I just kind of huff away. They don't care, they aren't going to change. I just have to adjust for a week, until they leave my friendly, Southern, town. Thankfully, I check out in a different line. We leave around the same time and I am not surprised that the Dad was pulling the car TO THE DOOR to load the groceries. Really! Publix will even take them to your car and you don't tip. I leave, thankful I am a Southerner, who is observant, and respects those people around me. It is because of that upbringing that I did not lash out at these people. By the way, the son was still on his phone. (Trenton, this will not be you!)