All the Carbs in the World Can't Make Me Feel Better

I've just been completely undone by a total stranger.

After I dropped Lauren at school I had to swing by the Target pharmacy to fill a prescription for Mr. Blyleaf. While I was waiting for the prescription to be filled I decided to pick up a few things: toothpaste, laundry detergent, etc. Very exciting stuff.

I'm walking along with a red plastic basket over my arm, minding my business, sipping a latte, when this guy approaches. He's looking right at me and that's kind of weird because eye contact in Connecticut, are you serious? So he said hello and I said hello and just as he's about to exit my peripheral vision he stopped and called out to me, "You look so natural. You just look so natural strolling here, you know, with your..." here he made a gesture with his arms to indicate my basket and latte, "and everything." I responded they way I always do whenever I don't know what to say. I smiled like a crazy person and gave him a "HA!" a la Chris Matthews and just kept on walking.

I got from his tone that it was supposed to be a compliment, but of course it wasn't. Not to me. More like a bullet in the back.

I mean, I was in a Target of all places. A Target. I was in a Target walking on a linoleum floor under florescent lights. I was carrying a red plastic basket full of random consumer goods like toothpaste and laundry soap. I had a Starbucks brand drink in my hand and I looked "so natural?" Is that who I am? Because that's not who I want to be. I want to be something closer to green grass and blue sky and a view. But, OK, I'm florescent lights and linoleum. Florescent lights and linoleum. Way to destroy my fragile psyche, random stranger. Thank you very much.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to lie here in the fetal position for a little while.