When Opportunity Presents

It had been some time since my husband and I had made a trip to Costco to buy groceries. We usually go weekly, but life gets busy and we hadn't gone in a few weeks. We were out of just about everything. We also had some fairly large items to pick up, so when we arrived we grabbed two carts to contain all that we needed.

After pretty much filling up both carts and then checking out, we headed toward the door where the store always has an employee look at each and every receipt before letting anyone leave. "It is to make sure no one is charged twice for an item," they tell us. There are probably multiple reasons; but most importantly, it is probably to make sure everyone HAS a receipt.

This time, there was a young man with a somber look on his face checking the receipts. I don't know what came over me. I had no plans to do anything silly. But as I handed him my receipt, I said to him in as serious a tone as I could muster, "That man behind me is going to try to tell you he is with me, but he is NOT."

"OK" was his only reply and the look on his face was as solemn as it was when I walked up to him.

I didn't think it would go this way. I thought I would simply put a smile on the young man's face who seemed entirely too intense and grim. But when he believed me, what could I do but travel the path I had started and he had then directed.

I continued out the door, desperately trying to contain my laughter. At this point I didn't want him to catch on. This was turning into a prank that was simply taking a direction all its own. Now the joke was on my husband. He was going to get questioned!

I walked several more paces making sure I was out of the way of customers entering and leaving the store. I turned around just in time to see my husband desperately pointing at me trying to explain to the clerk that he WAS with me. "Jan, Jan!" he excitedly called my name. 

I burst out laughing...doubled over with laughter, now at what had just taken place. I had not expected this to be carried this far.

The young man looked at me with shock on his face. When he saw me doubled over barely able to control my laughter, he knew immediately what had happened. "Oh YOU!" was all he uttered but with distinct exclamation and maybe a little disgust. My husband simply shook his head.

I was laughing so hard I couldn't do anything but continue on my way to the car. I couldn't have explained anything, anyway. Opportunity had opened the door. I simply walked through and did what the reaction of those involved directed. I mean really...what else could I do?