May 28, 2010

awkward

So, if you know me well, you know two things about me.

1) I can be a little obsessive. When I get something "in my head," as Ryan calls it, watch out.
2) I am sometimes a tad bit socially awkward. Most of the time I can hold my own, but there are those instances where I revert to a gawky 12 year-old.

Both of these endearing traits came together last Thursday.

I made lemon cookies to take to the families Ryan home teaches, and I decided that they would look oh-so-cute if they were on these plates


from IKEA. Yes, it's a little silly to drive 40 minutes just to get two plates....but it was in my head. So you can imagine my disappointment when I got there and realized I had left my wallet at home. {ella thought it was funny, though. "Mom no have money!"}

Not easily deterred, I went inside and asked if they would accept my credit card number without the actual card. Nope.

I asked if I could apply for an Ikea credit card. Nope. You need your DL number.

So, I just wandered the store, hoping to see someone I knew. Right as I was leaving, a family came up to me and said, "You look like a Pediatrician!" I didn't recognize them, but they told me that I had seen their son in the hospital and they brought their children to our office. We made a little small talk, and then I said, "Would you.....oh, never mind." Stopped myself just in time. More small talk, and I couldn't help it.

"This is the weirdest thing I've ever done, but I forgot my wallet and was wondering if I could borrow $3?"

"Um, sure."

So I go to get the plates and realize that they are $3 each, and I need two. Duh.

"Actually, it would be $6, is that okay?"

So we had to wind all the way through IKEA making more small talk. I should say that the family was very very nice (the wife said things like, "This happens to me all the time"), but it was a little weird. I mean, who asks a nearly perfect stranger for money at Ikea. I probably should have held my tongue. I did send them the money right away...hopefully I didn't scare them from our office.




The cookies, however, looked perfect.

8 comments:

Jessica said...

You are hilarious! And brave, I must add. Hey, in the end you got what you needed!

Janice said...

We have been to Ikea about 10 times in the last few weeks. Too bad we weren't there when you needed us. I so would have given you the $6 and told you to not bother reimbursing us.

Thayer said...

I'm glad you have this recorded for your posterity. Great story :)

Lauren said...

I love this story. And I love that you think you're socially awkward.

Molly Bice-Jackson said...

absolutely fantastic and exactly what i would have done.

Amelia Hohl said...

that is hilarious, al. amelia and i read this together and laughed so hard. not a bad idea for advertising, though . . . you should ask people for money more often and then give them a business card . . . or a plate of lemon cookies that they paid for.

packermom said...

Since I have had similar experiences, I now keep (most of the time, anyway) a twenty or two tucked inside the console of the car. It has saved me more than once!!

Todd and Megan said...

you are so fabulous...miss you!