Clash of antlers

This week, I had a very unusual encounter with a stranger. 

I had popped into our local hypermarket to buy something for Kay's birthday, which is not until July, but we had visited this store together recently and she had shown an interest in something that gave me an idea for a present. It is very difficult nowadays to gauge presents for her. Living apart and rarely seeing her means I no longer know what her taste in clothes or homeware is, so to be given a strong clue was an advantage I couldn't miss.

I had taken a trolley so I could also buy some food as well, but had one of those trolleys where the wheels have a mind of their own and steering it was difficult. I had grabbed the present for Kay and a few food items and had just rounded the corner from one aisle and was about to turn into the next aisle, when a woman coming in the opposite direction did the same. We literally came face to face. She didn't have a trolley, just a carry basket, and of course my trolley was difficult to manoeuvre. So I half expected her to do a circle round me to get past. Instead, she stood her ground and glared at me. I was so flummoxed by her attitude that I was speechless. "I want to go there" she said angrily, pointing to behind me. "But I want to go there" I said, pointing to behind her. Still she glared at me and I could see that we were going to be there all day unless someone gave way. Which of course was me. I had to back up a bit to get the trolley to move forward and round her, whereupon she effortlessly went on her way with her carry basket, still glaring at me. I wouldn't care, but she was at least two decades younger than me and in no way disabled. There's no accounting for people sometimes. 

Meanwhile I returned to my usual gym classes this week for the first time in nine weeks. I had stopped going since the end of November because of my stomach problem flare-up. I half expected the energetic classes to kill me, but can vouch that not only did I survive, but I  kept up with all that was asked of me. And no aches and pains the following day.