Conflicted

(I know I already posted a blog a little earlier, but I was wanting to write this yesterday and didn't get around to it... and I don't feel like just saving it til tomorrow to post it. I'll forget or something. So here you go.)

As most, if not all, of you know, I like to save money. I get excited about deals and take seriously the work I sometimes do in order to get money back for rebates or saving product labels in order to get the 13th item free, etc. It's important to me, and I've rarely felt like it's not worth the effort.

I also, though, treat respect very seriously and find myself getting angry when people don't respect each other and/or me. Adults especially are expected to respect each other. I'm also a pretty loyal person and stick with things that I like, especially when it's a small business.

Yesterday, I was conflicted and had to decide whether to save some money and stay loyal to a pet supply store or take my business elsewhere.

Before I went into the small store where I normally buy my pet food and supplies, I heard screaming. Apparently I didn't really think much about it, though, because I continued to enter the store and into an incredibly awkward and bad situation. The store is about the size of my living room, and two people can hardly pass each other in each of the two aisles, so I quickly made my way around the arguing people and to the dog food I wanted. I couldn't even remember the name of the new stuff I started getting last month, so I was trying to wait until the confrontation was over so I could ask about it. I stood there staring at a bag of dog food for a long couple minutes trying to act like I didn't notice the yelling about 5 feet away from me. They had quieted down while I walked to where I was, but they quickly resumed the harsh words and overall meanness. All of a sudden the woman was on the ground and the guy was trying to make excuses as to why she fell, but it seemed like she had tried to punch him. In blocking her, he pushed her back and she fell to the ground. Rather than help her up, obviously, he made his way to the other side of the counter.

Anyway, more screaming. More accusations. More of me not knowing what to do. Stay and make sure no one gets hurt, as if I can stop a huge guy from doing something worse? Leave and worry about the lady's safety? I had no way of knowing who was at fault or if it really was a dangerous situation but they were so nasty to each other that I just made my awkward exit around them and went out to my car. By that time they seemed to be wrapping up (btw... one of them owns the place and one seemed to be an employee and I gathered that she was forfeiting a key to the place as a trade for something he had of hers). There was another person about to walk in right then, but she quickly noticed something she didn't want to be part of and she turned around. As I was getting in my car, another person pulled up, so that made me feel both better and worse at the same time. I wanted to advise them against going in there, but also I was thinking that maybe someone there would keep the two haters under control.

After I drove down the street (without my much-needed dog food), I turned around and went back. I couldn't handle not knowing if that woman would be alright. I drove up to the woman's car as she was getting in and asked her if she was okay. A little profanity, a little more name calling, and a "I'm fine!" and I could tell she wasn't really in the mood for sharing her feelings. She was soon on her way and so was I.

All that was to say... do I go back there? Do I enter into that awkwardness again, knowing that the owner knows me and would totally remember that I was that person who heard most of the thing go down? Would it ever be an unsafe situation for me in that tiny store? Do I take Chris G up on the offer to go buy the food for me? Do I want to give my money to support that small business? Do I buy my 12th bag of dog food so I can get the next one free?

OR... do I just find somewhere else to buy my dog food and get pet advice from now on? Do I give up on those other 11 bags I've bought there and start over at another store? Do I drive out of my way rather than less than 1/2 a mile from my front door?

I'm pretty sure I've made up my mind, and Tilla is a happy camper. I didn't think she would be capable of liking food any more than she already did, but she seemed to enjoy the new stuff like never before. Tonight when I got it out, she almost couldn't sit still and it was making me laugh at the sight of her.