Sitting in on a simple conversation
By Staff
Leada Gore, Editor
They were two Southern ladies of a "certain age," still dressed in their Sunday clothes. They were sitting on a bench at the mall, their backs to me.
I was feeding Sutton her bottle while her dad and brother went shopping. She and I were relaxing, watching the crowds go by.
Behind us, the two ladies were carrying on a conversation on the state of the world today. As they weren't being quiet and they were sitting right behind me, I couldn't help but overhear.
"Well, it looks like Hillary is going to be our next president," one said. "I just don't like her. I don't know why she would put up with that husband of hers. I wouldn't sit by and let someone do that to me in front of the whole country."
The other lady agreed.
"You know that wasn't the first time he had done something like that," the first one said. "It was just the first time he got caught. The rest of the time, they just covered it up.
"All he wants to do is be First Gentleman so he can go back to doing what he wants."
I lost the conversation along this time, when a man, who told me he was an 81-year-old Navy veteran, stopped to comment on Sutton. There's nothing like a baby to evoke smiles from passersby.
Another snippet of conversation passed over my shoulder.
"I tell you, though, they did a good job with keeping their daughter out of the news. Got her a fine job now, making lots of money."
"Daughter? I don't guess I ever saw a photo of her," the second lady said. "Who does she look like?"
"Bill," said the first lady. "She's the spitting image of her daddy."
I smiled. Sutton is the spitting image of her daddy, too.
"But I tell you what's really bad," the second lady said. "The Republicans. They have really screwed things up. Have you seen what things cost now? Have you seen how much milk is?"
"It's ridiculous," the first said. "If you leave things up to politicians, they will always look out for their own. They don't worry about the average person."
About this time, I spotted Greg and Derek walking our way. Sutton was finished and ready to keep shopping. I loaded her up and headed out. As I did, the two ladies picked up their purses and stood – albeit a bit shakily on both their parts.
"Well, I will see you at Sunday School next week and we can go eat afterwards again" one said to the other. She turned and looked at me and said "Oh! What a little baby," smiling a smile to let me know she knew her way around babies of all sizes.
I know I was eavesdropping when I shouldn't have been. I know these women weren't making a major political statement. Still, I did enjoy listening to them, if only for a minute or so.