Yes, for those of you wondering, that IS a picture of Crazy Harry, a beloved Muppet, created by Jim Henson. And yes, he is awesome.
The only time Crazy isn't awesome is when you come face to face with it, and it isn't the Muppet, er, Harry.
Anywho, this post isn't about dear Crazy Harry, no, it is about crazy and how we can find it just about anywhere these days. Why, even in the grocery store, in a candy aisle near you...
It was mid-afternoon and I had just finished a great lunch meeting and decided to run and errand before heading home. I stopped at the local [gasp] Super Wal-Mart because I really didn't feel like making the trip all the way over to another grocery store across town, or fighting parking at the grocery stores located in the downtown area. This was my first mistake. I should have NOT went to Wally-World...
Inside the store I grabbed up some bananas, lean ground beef and dark chocolate (odd combo, I know) and then I made my way further up the candy aisle to get some bubble gum. I noticed a man, perhaps in his mid-forties, average looking, and sweats. He looked normal enough and I even caught him glancing over at me every so often and quickly started staring at the floor when he realized I had noticed him staring at me.
He was to my immediate right and looking over the gum selection when I noticed him staring at me again. Instead of getting annoyed with his persistent staring, I turned to him, smiled and simply said "Hello." I figured it we be a nice thing to do.
Boy, was I ever wrong about that. Instead, the man began screaming at the top of his lungs and shrieking loudly "Don't Look at Me! Don't Look at Me! You'll Burn Me!!!" this of course caught me completely off guard.
Soon, other shoppers began peering down the aisle and a store associate approached to see what all the commotion was about.
The man kept right on wailing loudly and begging me to not look at him. He moved away from me, shielding his face and cowered against a display. I of course felt terrible and approached him, asking him what I did. He screamed wildly and backed away again.
Finally, store security showed up and asked me what I had done. "Nothing" I replied. I had just smiled at him and said "Hello". They instructed me to make my purchases and leave. Weird, I thought, they are asking ME to leave when clearly this poor chap was a few french-fries short of a happy meal.
Walking away, he continued to yell at me and instruct other shoppers not to look at me, that I would burn them. You would have thought he had seen death itself in my eyes or something. I will readily admit that I felt completely embarrassed of the spectacle.
On my way out all I could wonder was what the hell set that guy off in such a fashion.
I am reconsidering this whole saying "Hello" to strangers any more...
Later.
A
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