Holiday People-Watching

The host station is at the very front of the restaurant and with the huge ceiling-to-floor doors that slide open in summer, there is a great view of the main drag (Rehoboth Avenue) as well as the post office across the street.

I love to people-watch anytime, but this season is especially fun.  As people walk by the front doors bundled up, carrying gifts to shops and restaurants, or packages for mailing at the post office there is a candid view for me to marvel at (good and bad - positive and sad) every minute of the day.

Watching the reaction of some people to those struggling with their bundles is very enlightening and offers a look into the mindset of the individuals involved.

An agile young person may leap-frog past an elderly lady trudging up the PO steps with a large box and not even hold the door for her. The next person may hold the door for someone who can barely see over the stack of packages they are about to send through the mail.

A woman walking past the restaurant with a stack of wrapped gifts is suddenly hit by a gust of wind scattering her lovely gifts all over the walkway and street and 3 other people walking by scramble to salvage her gifts before they fly away or get run over by a passing automobile.

I've watched this tableau for days and after my experience (and long wait) at the post office today, I paid even closer attention.  Being told that for the holidays the windows opened at 8:30 am, and since I was to be at work at 9, figured it was a good idea to beat the crowds of last minute mailings; arrived at 8:15 to discover the windows opened at regular time - 9 am.  Oh well, I decided to hang out and read the newspaper - took off coat and hat, and enjoyed the warmth of the building. Two others arrived a few minutes later and had totally opposite reactions to the situation.  One pitched a hissy fit and screamed a bit before leaving the building.  The other, thinking as I had, set down her boxes behind me and worked at a crossword puzzle.

Variations of this scenario played out for the 45 minutes as the line grew longer, fewer people pitched fits and simply left annoyed.  The rest of us started conversations and some recognized me from the restaurant.  One woman asked me to watch her purse and 3 boxes so she could retrieve another one that a friend had just brought to curb-side.  Now, how many people would trust a total stranger with such a task?  Only in Rehoboth!

By 9:05 am, my business was concluded and I was at the restaurant, but being fascinated by the morning's events, watched the PO comings & goings; the courtesy and arrogance; the happy faces and the grim ones all day.   Yes, it was a rather slow lunch day.

 Happy to report the courtesy and happy face crowd won the day - hands down.  And that is as it should be.

And so it goes.
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