So on July 11, 2009 we thought we would kill some time by standing in line in North Haven for a whopping TWO AND A HALF HOURS for a chance to see the more than 400 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies who traveled from the kill shelters of the deep south to Connecticut in hopes of finding a new forever home! It was John's big idea to attend the event, even though I was sure the two dogs we currently owned were more than plenty.
After dusting off "Linda" and heading down the highway of life on our latest adventure we arrive in North Haven rather quickly. We find a parking spot in a flash and not far from where we spotted "the tent". The tent which housed all the animals that brought us here. After exiting the vehicle we realize that we are looking at the end of a line. Quickly we realize the end of that line is where we need to be. ARE YOU F'ing KIDDING ME?
Normally I wouldn't wait in a line this long for anything....not even for food if i hadn't eat in days! It was hot out, but honestly the breeze made it comfortable so the need to complain was quickly erased and I knew John wanted to be here so I bit my tongue about my anxiety and the need to run from this ridiculous line.
It was that kind of line where everyone is in a hurry to get to their destination now so they feel the need to stand REALLY close to the person in front of them, hoping this will teleport them to the front of the line...WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW IS NOT THE CASE!
After the first hour I was still holding my composure, yet talked very little for fear of accidentally engaging any nearby people into unnecessary conversation. Knowing it was going to be a long wait seems to prompt some people to get comfy with their neighbors quickly and they feel that insatiable need to make conversation...why are you here? how old are your kids, where are you from? how long have you been waiting?! or worse than questions...they want to tell you about themselves...and quite honestly, I don't really care to hear it (please excuse my candor but I was hear to look at dogs, not hear your life story and how many, what breed, and etc dogs you have owned)~
Anyway, my husband is a much nicer candidate for small talk than I am so I let him handle the dirty work as I stare endlessly at my feet, picking at the kids, quietly shooshing them to prevent any onlookers from judging their behavior and my ability to
do my job as a mom...because at the end of the day, that's really what its about. Isn't it?
By the end of the second hour and a bottle of water later I was growing VERY tired of being in that line, looking ahead I could tell there was approximately 40 to 50 people in front of us (most of which were families and would go into the tent toghether). I approximated our wait time at no more than 40 minutes...it was at this point..however I grew more anxious than I had been over 2 hours ago! I wanted to do an about-face and get the hell out of there. Our line neighbors were closer than ever and at this point his wife and granddaughter have joined him making my current conditions more uncomfortable. The more they inched up my back the more I felt the need to inch up on the couple in front of me~ even though i knew this would only cause the ass behind us to inch in closer causing me to be boxed in more than ever... PLEASE HELP ME I COULD SCREAM RIGHT NOW!!
I'm not claustrophobic but I do have a certain criteria for my personal space, and basically if you are not my husband, a good friend or family, or one of my children
you need to be a good foot from my body! I continue to stare at my feet and (more often) ahead in line just hoping to make it through this with every bit of my sanity intact.
AT LAST! We make it to the table...the table where you hand in your application, the table where the lady lets you by, the table of joy...our destination awaits... almost. We can glimpse some kittens just beyond the table inside the tent and we marvel at their cuteness, acting as if we have never before seen a kitten.
At this point in my story, if your just wishing I would GET TO THE POINT...then I have done my job in making you feel exactly how excrutiatingly impatient I was by the time we finally reached THE TABLE...
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i think you should be a writer. i felt like i was there with you and i was getting creeped out. (i, too, loathe long lines. and strangers in my space). ah well. on to part 2...
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