A large woman, wearing jogging bottoms two sizes too small, with large breasts cascading over her too tight bra, with messy hair smelling of cat was seen shopping today in Walmart, and her picture was not taken by a person and then put on the internet for the whole world to laugh at and judge.
As the large woman paid for her shopping, what started as an unusual event, turned into a modern day miracle
Three younger, skinny, tanned, blonde, non cat smelling women looked on.
None of the blonde women reached for their phone.
They refused to nudge each other; the act which usually symbolises the beginning of agreeing people who look different, are a mess to be laughed at.
The three blondes did not whisper words sold as jokes, haunted by unnecessary hate.
The three blondes listened as, in a brief exchange, the woman explained she has a thyroid problem, and her weight has fluctuated for years.
The large woman went on to explain she was suffering in these tough economic times, and the blonde women looked on nodding their heads – as if understanding and empathising with what it’s like to not be a person accepted into the fold of popularity because of their looks, and their ability to post photographs on-line of fat people shopping in Walmart.
In a further turn of unexpected wonder, the skinny blonde women noticed the large woman’s basket contained two large tubs of ice-cream, and listened as the large woman felt the need to explain…
“…Because I don’t have many friends. It’s just me and my husband, you see. And well, life can be really hard sometimes looking like me. So, we both get quite a lot out of the simple pleasure of eating the occasional chocolate chip ice cream.”
Not one of the blonde women heard this and rolled their eyes.
One of the girls felt like giving the large woman a hug; she felt bad for how the behaviour of large groups of people conform other people to behave against minorities.
When the large woman noticed slimmer people, she only ever wondered what it would be like to be like them.
No hate. No bullying.
The large woman thanked the man serving her for a wonderful chat.
In another world first, the oldest, tallest and skinniest blonde woman, with the most bleached hair, did not think who in the world would want to share a bed with you?
The youngest blonde in the group did not think I should laugh now at my friend’s comment, because I don’t really know what’s going on, and I just want to fit in.
The middle blonde woman did not make her face large, and nor did she use her hands to look bigger than she was.
Nobody laughed in the group of three, at the expense of the individual.
Instead, in a continuation of events most unexpected, the blonde women walked over to the large woman; they formed a line, and asked if there was anything they could learn from her.
They stood chatting for a moment, and discovered they were all the same.
They exchanged names, and the blonde girls took a group photograph of the large woman who they now knew as Sarah, a photograph they shared on Facebook and Twitter.
Sarah left to go home, and the three blonde girls felt something they had almost forgotten, a feeling almost lost in the tiny space between trying to fit underneath Christina Aguilera’s skin and trying to be them.
They felt good about themselves.
The photo they shared to the world was not a cheap shot taken from behind of a woman just trying to get on with her life.
The girls felt good about themselves because they hadn’t bullied or mocked, ridiculed or put down.
They hadn’t judged; perhaps, they had judged for the last time.
They hadn’t slimed behind the back of a stranger they had not tried to understand.
They hadn’t used the pain and suffering of one, for a foothold on social media; sold their kindness, for a Facebook like.
This first time, where they had resisted all the temptations of highlighting difference, could be the first step on the path to people being nicer.
They all agreed, they felt a warm feeling inside.
The youngest blonde woman even said to hell with this diet, and ran to the back of the shop, to find the biggest tub of ice cream she could carry.
Sarah got home, and found them on Facebook, and friends were made.
This was the first time this has happened in Walmart.
And it’s sad that it’s news, but if news is interesting because it’s new; if news is interesting because the event is rare – then meeting Sarah, instead of posting pictures of her arse on-line behind her back, really is a first.
Because that’s the world we are enjoying, mocking the few whose lives we don’t try to understand.
So, next time you’re behind someone you want to laugh at, before you do, maybe you should face their front, look them in the eye and meet them.
Extend your hand.
Take a photo of you and a new friend; don’t take a photo of a person you refused to meet, to please people you never will.
