Showboat
THUMP!
I look over at the rather large woman laying on the floor. She has a strange look of surprise, embarrassment, and fear in the eyes. So do the other people standing around her. It takes a few seconds for the shock to wear off before people start to mobilize.
The woman, who had just slipped and fell while standing in line at Walmart, starts blubbering. I can't help but notice that she reminds me of a carp, flopping around out of water. Immediately a few people rush by her side. Others stand idly by, me included.
As I watch the large woman blubbering and crying, refusing to get up and ignoring the people trying to help her, I can see that she is obviously stable and in no immediate danger. I stay in my checkout line, visually assessing her. I can tell by the way she is moving around, kicking and waving her arms, that she has not suffered any fractures. She didn't appear to have lost consciousness, and other than the big dramatic show currently in play, everything seems OK.
I contemplate going over there to check her out. But I can't stand watching this woman carrying on, yelling loudly that she will sue Walmart, crying in supposed pain, and making a big scene. Various Walmart employees are now hovering around this large blubbering beast, not quite sure how to end both her misery and theirs.
After 10 minutes of listening to this agony while waiting for my turn at the checkout counter, I had enough. I was about to start walking over to end this exaggerated showboating when the paramedics came running through the door. Of course, when the lady spied the medical personnel, the show's intensity stepped up a notch.
Looking at this lady on the floor, I no longer felt concern or compassion, but disgust.
I've got to stop shopping at Walmart.
I look over at the rather large woman laying on the floor. She has a strange look of surprise, embarrassment, and fear in the eyes. So do the other people standing around her. It takes a few seconds for the shock to wear off before people start to mobilize.
The woman, who had just slipped and fell while standing in line at Walmart, starts blubbering. I can't help but notice that she reminds me of a carp, flopping around out of water. Immediately a few people rush by her side. Others stand idly by, me included.
As I watch the large woman blubbering and crying, refusing to get up and ignoring the people trying to help her, I can see that she is obviously stable and in no immediate danger. I stay in my checkout line, visually assessing her. I can tell by the way she is moving around, kicking and waving her arms, that she has not suffered any fractures. She didn't appear to have lost consciousness, and other than the big dramatic show currently in play, everything seems OK.
I contemplate going over there to check her out. But I can't stand watching this woman carrying on, yelling loudly that she will sue Walmart, crying in supposed pain, and making a big scene. Various Walmart employees are now hovering around this large blubbering beast, not quite sure how to end both her misery and theirs.
After 10 minutes of listening to this agony while waiting for my turn at the checkout counter, I had enough. I was about to start walking over to end this exaggerated showboating when the paramedics came running through the door. Of course, when the lady spied the medical personnel, the show's intensity stepped up a notch.
Looking at this lady on the floor, I no longer felt concern or compassion, but disgust.
I've got to stop shopping at Walmart.
posted by THW at 6:12 PM
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