Rudders at Home

The other day I was in the grocery store, moaning about the fact that I couldn’t get Karo Syrup in this country. Well, not moaning, really, but I did say aloud (quite loudly) to Paul, “You just don’t get it here. It’s something I’ve just come to accept,” and I picked up a tin of Golden Syrup.

I said it a little too loudly. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I caught the eye of an older gentleman who was walking down the aisle behind me, and he asks me, “What? What’s wrong with our country?” I must add here that he did have a mischievous smile on his face, but I was suitably chastened. I very quickly said, “Nothing at all!” He smiled again and then went on to seriously ask me what I was looking for. When I said I was looking for corn syrup, he simply said, oh, and then shrugged his shoulders a bit, smiled kindly and went about his business without another word. And left me there.

I’m not sure whether I should be embarrassed because I was speaking to loudly, or feel vindicated, because I did know what I was talking about. I think I’ll take vindicated, but next time I’ll remember to use my indoor voice at Sainsbury’s. Oh wait, I don’t have an indoor voice… Outdoor voice it is then!

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