Those of you who are teachers out there will probably understand where I am coming from on this one. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you just CAN'T turn off the teacher in you? It doesn't matter where you are...eating at a restaurant...walking behind a group of teenagers at a public event...shopping at the "After Thanksgiving Day" sales at the mall.... It is so naturally ingrained within you, it just "oozes" out at the most inopportune times. You don't even mean to do it. It is almost involuntary. It is as if your brain is so used to guiding, instructing, and redirecting, that when it signals an opportunity to do so, it acts on that impulse. This can be a extremely embarrassing when you are not in the classroom.
Case in point: I went to Macy's for the 3rd day in a row to pick up some makeup they were out of. With each trip I made, they promised me it would be there the next day. (Wait a minute...haven't I heard this story before with some living room furniture we are STILL waiting for from Macy's??) Anyway...on my third visit, I went to the Clinique counter to receive my long awaited makeup. I am in a "tweet" about it (as my Grandma would say) because I am COMPLETELY out.... as in not even dipping a Q-Tip in the bottle would help me out. Do you understand my pain???? This meek "Sandy Duncan" like woman comes to the counter and asks me if I needed some help. I noticed her voice was a little loud on my "audio radar" but it seemed harmless and after all, it was a short question she asked me. When I proceeded to explain to her what I needed, she began searching every nook and crannie of the Clinique counter and came up empty-handed. She began to explain to me in a VERY LOUD voice that the makeup must be on the truck still and she wasn't sure when it would be unloaded. I quickly eyed the other counters of snooty cosmetics (Estee Lauder, Lancome, and the like) to see which costumers were becoming privy to my "lack of makeup" situation. I knew they would judge me for it. After all, what TRUE woman waits until she has nothing left in the bottle to purchase a new one? "Sandy" went on and on to explain that she could order it for me from this city or that city and it may be in by early next week. Oh, her voice was just TOO LOUD!!! So....I shhhhh-ed her. I mean it. I actually went "shhhhhhhh" to her!!!! I even put my finger up to my mouth, just in case she wasn't reading me "loud and clear." (Get it??) It was my involuntary teacher coming out, I knew it!!! She looked at me so strangely. I don't blame her. I am sure she has never been "shhhhhh-ed" by a customer before. I couldn't believe I did it myself. When my brain registered that the "involuntary teacher" button had been launched, I responded with a quick "thank you" and mustered up any dignity I could find (there wasn't much to be found...I was without my makeup after all :) ), turned around and bolted out of Macy's. I can only imagine all the makeup reps from the snooty cosmetic counters running to her aid after I left. "Were you just "shhhhhh-ed" by a customer?? How absolutely undignified!!!!"
I forgot to mention one important factor in the story. Unfortunately, Faith was with me when all this was going on. She witnessed me "shhhhhh-ing" the Clinique lady!!!! How's that for a "teachable" moment?????
Case in point: I went to Macy's for the 3rd day in a row to pick up some makeup they were out of. With each trip I made, they promised me it would be there the next day. (Wait a minute...haven't I heard this story before with some living room furniture we are STILL waiting for from Macy's??) Anyway...on my third visit, I went to the Clinique counter to receive my long awaited makeup. I am in a "tweet" about it (as my Grandma would say) because I am COMPLETELY out.... as in not even dipping a Q-Tip in the bottle would help me out. Do you understand my pain???? This meek "Sandy Duncan" like woman comes to the counter and asks me if I needed some help. I noticed her voice was a little loud on my "audio radar" but it seemed harmless and after all, it was a short question she asked me. When I proceeded to explain to her what I needed, she began searching every nook and crannie of the Clinique counter and came up empty-handed. She began to explain to me in a VERY LOUD voice that the makeup must be on the truck still and she wasn't sure when it would be unloaded. I quickly eyed the other counters of snooty cosmetics (Estee Lauder, Lancome, and the like) to see which costumers were becoming privy to my "lack of makeup" situation. I knew they would judge me for it. After all, what TRUE woman waits until she has nothing left in the bottle to purchase a new one? "Sandy" went on and on to explain that she could order it for me from this city or that city and it may be in by early next week. Oh, her voice was just TOO LOUD!!! So....I shhhhh-ed her. I mean it. I actually went "shhhhhhhh" to her!!!! I even put my finger up to my mouth, just in case she wasn't reading me "loud and clear." (Get it??) It was my involuntary teacher coming out, I knew it!!! She looked at me so strangely. I don't blame her. I am sure she has never been "shhhhhh-ed" by a customer before. I couldn't believe I did it myself. When my brain registered that the "involuntary teacher" button had been launched, I responded with a quick "thank you" and mustered up any dignity I could find (there wasn't much to be found...I was without my makeup after all :) ), turned around and bolted out of Macy's. I can only imagine all the makeup reps from the snooty cosmetic counters running to her aid after I left. "Were you just "shhhhhh-ed" by a customer?? How absolutely undignified!!!!"
I forgot to mention one important factor in the story. Unfortunately, Faith was with me when all this was going on. She witnessed me "shhhhhh-ing" the Clinique lady!!!! How's that for a "teachable" moment?????
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