Month of Gratitude November 18

I was so wore out yesterday I didn't realize until tonight that I missed a post.

Yesterday started out fine. Physically I was feeling on the upswing and mentally I felt, well, stable.

Things started to go downhill when I realized that I had nothing to wear for my divorce court hearing today. My knee was still very bandaged and the only thing I could get over it was sweatpants or yoga pants. I decided I felt well enough to drive into Walmart for a cheap skirt to wear. No big deal, right?

I forgot to factor it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. I forgot to factor how crowded it got with the after church group and how nervous I would be about getting knocked off my crutches.  I forgot to consider how warm I would be in sweatpants and a long sleeve sweatshirt inside the store with the heat on during an unusually warm day.

As I hobbled through the aisles of Walmart there wasn't a skirt in sight. (Note to anyone reading this blog who doesn't live in rural Tennessee -- Walmart is the closest store. Yes I could have driven to Target or the mall but that is about 45 minutes away and let's remember I was two days post surgery and in no condition to be out shopping to begin with). I'm hot. It's crowded. I'm in pain. How can there be no skirts for sale here?

My mental stability is quickly eroding away in the Walmart Ladies section!

Eventually a saleswoman sees me, assesses my teary eyes and red face and offers to help me. As I stand  in one spot crying and shaking, she runs through the aisles trying to find a skirt. Finally she finds a pretty flowing black skirt, but it's from the plus section and entirely too big for me.

That's it. I've officially lost it. I don't want to be on crutches. I don't want to be in pain. I really don't want to be shopping for clothes in Walmart to wear to a hearing for a divorce I never wanted!

The very nice saleslady finds the smallest plus size skirt she can and walks with me over to the fitting room. With some creative pinning we assure us both that the skirt won't fall off me as I walk (hobble) through the court room.

As I grabbed the skirt to get out of the store as quickly as I could, I caught a glimpse of the saleswomans name. I think, I hope, I said thank you to Jeannine. But I'm not sure I did. I needed to escape out of the store and get to my car where I could have a complete meltdown and cry all the way home.

Although I unfortunately was in no shape to express my gratitude to Jeannine at the time, I am very grateful to this stranger who came to my rescue in the Walmart aisles.