Sunday Writing Prompt –23rd August – Choosing your Context

Posted on August 23, 2020 by pensitivity101

Michael’s challenge :

I hope you enjoy these prompts as I have a few of them to use while Yves is taking a break.

The strangest thing happened as I went into the supermarket/swimming pool/the theme park.
The strangest thing happened as I went into the supermarket.
I had the uncomfortable feeling I was being followed.
I consulted the list, knowing the layout and walking down the relevant aisles accordingly.
‘Could you possibly reach that for me please?’ said a female voice behind me.
As she stood only about five feet four, I reached up to the top shelf for the object of her pointing finger, and handed it over.
‘Thank you.’ she said and walked on.
I added beans, carrots and tinned veg to my trolley, and turned into the desserts and home baking section.
‘So sorry,’ she said. ‘I can’t reach that either. I hate being short!’ so again I retrieved  the item from the shelf and passed it to her.
‘Thanks again. I quite like this 24 hour shopping don’t you? No crowds and you can get what you want.’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ I mumbled and walked on.
I passed her again in the next aisle and the next, though she didn’t seem to be adding very much to her shopping.  She smiled at me each time.
Alarm bells started to ring when I joined the checkout queue. There were three open, but she came up behind me as I waited in line, even though there was only one person at each of the others.
She giggled.
‘We can’t go on meeting like this. Fancy coming back to my place for coffee?’
I was stunned, perplexed, embarrassed and anxious all at once.
Jabbing frantically at my wedding ring I said loudly ‘I’m married!!!!’
She winked.
‘So am I, but my husband works nights, so he’ll never know.’
Blushing scarlet and sweating profusely, I left my trolley where it was, and high tailed it out of there. It was 3 am and I’d just finished my shift.
The wife would never believe me and I vowed never to go shopping there alone again.

About pensitivity101

I am a retired number cruncher with a vivid imagination and wacky sense of humour which extends to short stories and poetry. I love to cook and am a bit of a dog whisperer as I get on better with them than people sometimes! In November 2020, we lost our beloved Maggie who adopted us as a 7 week old pup in March 2005. We decided to have a photo put on canvas as we had for her predecessor Barney. We now have three pictures of our fur babies on the wall as we found a snapshot of Kizzy, my GSD when Hubby and I first met so had hers done too. On February 24th 2022 we were blessed to find Maya, a 13 week old GSD pup who has made her own place in our hearts. You can follow our training methods, photos and her growth in my blog posts. From 2014 to 2017 'Home' was a 41 foot narrow boat where we made strong friendships both on and off the water. We were close to nature enjoying swan and duck families for neighbours, and it was a fascinating chapter in our lives. We now reside in a small bungalow on the Lincolnshire coast where we have forged new friendships and interests.
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11 Responses to Sunday Writing Prompt –23rd August – Choosing your Context

  1. quiall says:
    August 23, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    Just a little scary!!!

  2. Sadje says:
    August 23, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    Haha! This is good.

  3. murisopsis says:
    August 23, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    Happened to me and no one believed me. Took son#1 with me. I sent him to get a gallon of milk and when he returned he interrupted a man trying very hard to make a “move” on me. His presence sent the “stranger danger” scurrying away. Both my sons and my husband consented to shop with me for over a year!!

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