Oh, Wal-Mart...

I happened to be in Wal-Mart the other day with my good friend, Lauren. Alright, so it wasn't the other day, it was a while ago, but it just came to mind so I'm going to share it. We were there to get these new Kisses that came out; Hershey's Cookies and Cream Kisses. (We make Kiss Cookies with all different kinds of Kisses and they are basically astounding). So, we are standing in the check-out line.

Just two girls and a bag of Kisses.

I happened to be leaning against the check-out counter while I was talking to Lauren. I felt someone lightly tap on my arm, and I just figured they wanted to start putting their groceries on the counter so I moved my arm off of it. Instead, I felt more tapping on my arm. This time I just figured that it was someone I knew trying to get my attention. So I turned around, and it was an older Hispanic man.

I should have just stopped figuring things. 

He pointed to my watch, and my mind went oh! as I told him it was 6:58. I started to turn back to talk to Lauren, but he looked so confused... So I just said it a bit louder. 6:58. Then he pointed back and forth to my watch and his eyes. So naturally, I try to let him see my watch so he could see what time it was.

Watches aren't meant to be seen by anyone but the wearer.

So, as I'm awkwardly twisting my arm around for him to try and see what time it is, I decide to try telling him once again that it was 6:58. It was when he started holding up fingers and saying "Seis..." that I realized what the problem was. The man couldn't speak English. So, I put my finger up to gather my thoughts for a second, and then I said, "Seis cincuenta y ocho." I was so proud of myself.Whoever said you never use high school Spanish in life was wrong. 

Now, before I say anything else, you need to know that he was very cautious and polite about the whole thing. He was very nice about it all; he simply wanted to know what time it was.

Once he finally understood me and knew what time it was, he got this giant smile on his face and said thank you more times than I could count. I just kept saying you're welcome and he asked me if I spoke Spanish. (and he asked in Spanish, mind you, and I understood what he was saying). I simply told him no, however. So he just kept saying thank you, 

and then decided to pull me in for one of those awkward half hugs...

At this point in time, I remembered that Lauren was right there. And as he pulled me in for this hug, I look over at Lauren and there she was, doing her best to suppress her laughter. Well, I shouldn't have turned my head, because this man was apparently very grateful to know what time it was, grateful to the point where he kissed me right on the cheek. 

The Hispanic man in Wal-Mart kissed me on the cheek. 

He then released a very shaken Jessica from his hug, and acknowledged Lauren's existence by extending a hand to her. She thought they were going to shake hands, and instead he kissed the back of her hand. My turn to suppress laughter at the shocked look on her face. It was short-lived though, because he then did the same thing to my hand...

After saying thank you a few more times, the conversation finally died, and Lauren and I were left rocking back and forth on our feet, desperately wishing that the check-out line could have gone faster. When we finally got back to my car, we both busted out laughing. Our first trip to Wal-Mart together, of course that had to happen. Creepy, weird, odd, and strange. Sounds like Walmart.

Oh, Wal-Mart.