Pondering A Potion
For A Particular Kind Of Notion
The other day, I found myself out and about walking a bit later than usual. It was early afternoon. More people and activity than I might typically observe earlier in the day.
My midday trip was interrupted by a woman who approached me with a question. Her phone (where her request was spelled out in Spanish) aided her communication. And I was glad for that. Even though I learned to speak and read it in school, my fluency often falters when proceeding beyond the basics.
Through my limited skills, some luck and her ability to pantomime effectively we were able to determine she was searching for sewing supplies. There was a time (albeit long ago) when products such as these were widely available and some may remember them classified as “notions”.
There were entire departments in stores where such things could be found. In fact, there are still fabric and craft retailers where you can find them today. I'm no expert in this field either. No such business came to mind in the area where we were. It was important to keep reasonable walking distance in my thinking.
Of course, had she asked me where to find a nearby cup of coffee, I could easily recite many choices but this time it was important to use my hyperlocal wits for something else. This was a test. Could I meet the challenge? Could any of us? I digress. . .
I suggested a store telling her (or at least I think I did) that it was a slim possibility but worth a try. She seemed satisfied with my response mas o menos (translation: more or less) and she was on her way.
While I am not sure she found what she wanted, I hope she was glad for the effort. After all, a kind thought matters, right?
Could I have done more? A quick online search later didn’t offer any additional suggestions.
Although quotes about notions seem rare to find as well, I found these words that seem to fit nicely with my thoughts:
It’s amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions. Ben Stein
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