shopping mall (several years ago)

[a_lotofthings]

I think I'm remembering this one since I went shopping today and it's that time of year when the mall is full of Christmas decorations:

It was December and I was in one of the big department stores looking at dress clothes when I noticed a young woman sniffling loudly a few feet away from me. I was probably 13 or 14 at the time and I figured that she was shopping for a sister or daughter. She was wandering kind of aimlessly, drifting and looking at things. She was kind of tall and thin and she had thick, wavy black hair. When I go shopping I either end up kind of "dressed to impress" or (more likely) wearing something comfortable and easy to change in and out of, and she had definitely gone the latter route: jeans and a big sweater, with her hair back. I think she was wearing glasses. All of a sudden she stopped sniffling, inhaled deeply (she was standing really close, like at the next rack) and sneezed hugely into both hands: HAAACHUUUMFP.

I was totally startled but I tried to be suave about it. As I continued shopping she sneezed again HEEACHOOMPH and sniffled. Then about two minutes later, HEEACHEWWW, this time uncovered. She continued to let out single huge sneezes every minute or so: HAAAAICEEEW (pause) HEITCHEEEW (pause) HAAAACHOOMPH--it must have been ten or fifteen minutes of sneezing.

At some point I decided it might be kind of gross that she was sneezing into her hands and then touching everything, and I remember trying to keep my distance because I didn't want to get sick. And yet...I was disappointed when I had to leave.

[NoV]

Wow - nice obs! I would have found it rather difficult to focus on my shopping with this going on - loud sneezing in a public place is the best! I know the feeling of not wanting to leave, yet not wanting to seem obvious that you are there for the sneezing

[Raven Insight]

That sounds like an amazing mall trip.

[blum]

wow, great obs