The Traffic Cop

Slow down there, my friend!

The grocery store was busier than usual for a Saturday afternoon. Cade had hoped to finish up in the 10 Items or Less lane. That was his intention when he entered the store.

Four items into his trip, he stood at the end of the aisle and held up his hand for a woman and her two small children to stop.

“Halt,” Cade said.

Her kids stopped before she did. From brisk pace up the aisle, it was apparent that she was an in-and-out type of shopper. Nothing was going to stand in her way until she got to the check out.

She was taken aback at Cade’s command. He dropped his basket, and with his hand still raised, twisted 90 degrees away from the woman. He then waved an elderly couple through as they held on to a cart and pushed it together. They smiled because they could see that he was trying to prevent an accident because of the end-of-aisle blind spot stores have.

After they passed by, Cade dropped his hand and made a scooping motion with it as if to say, “After you, Madam” and waved the family through.

“Thank you,” the mother said, smiling. “Could’ve been a big crash.”

*******