the old couple

I was moved today. In the grocery store. There was an older woman pushing a grocery cart. She looked as if she was on a mission--perhaps the same mission she'd been on every week of her life for the past 50 years. It's called grocery shopping.

She was forging ahead while leaning on the cart, a blank stare on her face. It's not her face that moved me. It was the face of her elderly partner who shuffled along behind her. He had a panicked and troubled look on his face as he raced to keep up with this woman on a mission. He was not in the best of health, a little dishevelled, a little disoriented.

I found it most disturbing that he was being ignored by his partner. I was worried for him. It really tugged at my heartstrings. I just wanted to hug him and take care of him. I have always felt great compassion for little old men. Sometimes for little old women too, but mostly men. Not sure why, other than I've always gravitated more toward men in general.

Why wouldn't she wait for him to catch up...or at least slow down? Was he now just a nuisance to her after all these years, especially now that he's in bad health? When did she stop loving him? Was he worried that she would abandon him? Was he afraid he would get lost in the store without her? Where was the love?

I turned down the next aisle and felt my eyes welling up with tears. How ridiculous I am, I thought. What is making me react this way? I have my theories--missing Andy, pms, wanting to be married and hoping that never happens to us. Or maybe I was just overtired and hungry.

I thought I'd shake it off on the drive home. But when I walked in the house and started telling Christie what I'd seen, I started crying. And she proceeded to laugh hilariously at me. I guess my dramatic indulgence came to a grinding halt. Leave it to a teenager, a drama queen in fact, to point out how ridiculous I was being.

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