Something else to do while you’re in the queue…
22 May 2020
Dear LPG,
I am not sure if you remember my writing about something that dawned on me while I was waiting in the queue to go shopping a week or so ago. On that occasion I noticed the parking sign and CCTV camera that, during my hour and a half queuing experience on the day, I stood under for about 20 minutes before asking the security guard questions and not getting an answer which instilled me with a lot of confidence…
I think that I mentioned the last time I wrote, that I am what you would call a younger pensioner, and everyone has to go shopping, so this week I went again with a new stratagem; I started out earlier. I joined the queue half an hour before the shop was due to open, and the earlier arrival, left me in 21st place when I first got there. I knew there would be a wait and spent my time on my mobile phone again but, as ever, you can run out of things to talk about. I was talking to a friend and when the shop-doors opened to allow the first flood (I mean trickle) of ‘queuers’ entry, I thought that my early arrival would be rewarded.
A that point, I found myself number 12 in the queue, and little did I know that there would be yet another 20 minutes to go before it was my turn to make my big entrance. As the time passed I looked back and realised that the queue had grown somewhat and was now the length of the car park perimeter again.
As it got nearer to the official opening time, the flow of potential shoppers arriving increased and, as each one rounded the corner that lead to the point where they could see the full force of the length of the queue, there was one of two reactions… My mind and I could have managed alone, but my ‘phone a friend’ and I started discussing my reactions of the ‘would be shoppers’ as they were able to ascertain the full force of the length of the queue; some in cars and others walking, we spent the rest of my waiting time trying to predict which shoppers would join the queue and which would turn and retreat.
As I observed, it was interesting to predict which drivers would drive in, tour the scene and then drive straight out again, while the pedestrians would show that look of resignation as they continued to walk towards the back, or that other look of defiance as they turned and went the way they came. I found that you can tell more than you think from the reaction of eyes and eyebrows, when it came to the people wearing a mask, and the activity did pass the time…
HW, Crofton Park
