Shopping Etiquette 101

Today was a wonderful day with my mom, Rayliana, and I. We had lunch, ran some errands, and did some shopping at the mall. We went to Dillard's near the end of our trip to the mall (we should start making that the first stop as that is one of my favorite stores in the mall and we should see how much money we are going to spend there before going into any other store!). My mom said she was going to the restroom and said she would meet me in the shoe department. I didn't have to tell her I was going to the shoe department, that is just how well she knows me!

Dillard's was having an incredible shoe sale! Not just any shoe sale, a $9.99 sale! Shoes that were originally priced at $80+, down to ten bucks! I immedietely walked towards the shoe rack! Naturally, Chums was sitting in her stroller. I am just ONE woman and I can't keep my eye on a running toddler in a big department store and search the rack for size 6.5 designer pumps! Not gonna happen!

Usually whenever Dillard's has a shoe sale, several shoes are displayed on racks in between the shoe and the purse department. These racks are separated only by rows, two or three at the most and maybe one column in between. However, today the racks were separated by rows and columns; three columns and three rows each separated by open spaces. And yes I promise this boring description is important to fully understand the story!

After skimming the first row of shoes, I mosey on over to the first open space that I could comfortably fit the obnoxious stroller I was pushing. An African-American woman, I'd say in her 50's, is standing in the center of this open area. (And yes that description is also important!) I pushed the stroller as far right as I could without giving Rayliana whiplash due to hitting the bottom of a rack with one of the wheels on the stroller. She is still not moving, I thought this was weird as it was clear that I was trying to do my part to make room for her to walk through. Of course, the first thought in my head is, "Why doesn't she just move one more row over then down that column or slightly scoot over and we can both fit down this aisle?" Anyway, the story continues...I said, "Excuse me." She doesn't move. Once again I said, "Excuse me." Doesn't even budge. I finally push my way through with the stroller and, still in a very polite voice, say, "Excuse me, I can't get through." She then says to me and remember I'm actaully quoting her, "Well I was trying to get through too!" I reply, "Yes, I know, but I said excuse me several times." She says to me, "You saw that I was trying to come that way too, what did you expect me to move out of your way?" At this point I'm not using my nice voice anymore, "Yes I'm the one with the stroller!" She says, remember still quoting, "How is that my problem, so did you expect me to move over and go down the next aisle so that you can get through?" I answered, "Yes, you obviously never had any children!"

By now, a young lady turned to me and asked, "Did she really just tell you that?" She was with her baby, her husband, and her very own obnoxious stroller. Before I could open my mouth, this lovely African-American female said, "Yes I sure did!" The young lady's mouth dropped open and looked at me and I just started laughing. Neither one of us could believe this! The young lady said, "Yeah I know how it is we have a big stroller too and it is hard to fit in places. I'm sorry that she said that to you." Then the rude shopper continues by saying, "Prescott is filled with cowboys!" Again I started laughing and the girl said, "What does she mean? Did you bring your horse in with you?" I laughed and told her that I had no idea what she was ranting about.

My mom came back from the restroom and I explained the entire story to her. My mom thinks the lady meant that because she is black and I am white, I shouldn't have thought she should move out of my way. Then it clicked and I thought, "Yeah I guess that is what she meant." Ian also said that he bets she will go home and tell all of her other African-American friends that some white chick actaully wanted her to move when the stupid white girl politely said "excuse me" three times!

I just wonder if she would've done that if Ian was with me. I wish I could have told her that I am married to an African-American to see her reaction. I'm still in shock about the whole incident. I mean if I was pushing an empty stroller that would have been one thing, but she could clearly see that I had a baby in it and there was no other place for me to go! Unbelievable! Oh well, nobody got hurt and I left with one pair of $9.99 shoes and so did Rayliana! That's right only one pair! Even Ian was proud of that! :-)