WHEN IN DOUBT...BING IT

'Who is here to shop?' I heard a lady's loud voice call out. I wondered how strange it was because I would think people are walking into the store for the purpose of shopping. However, as I made my way inside the store I heard that same question asked as if on repeat.

I entered through the other door. The one labeled 'Merchandise Returns'. Had I entered through the main doors, I might have had a better idea what was going on today. As I waited my turn to return the ill-fitting slippers I had purchased a week or so ago, I asked the cashier why Costco was so crowded as it seemed quite unlike a regular Monday crowd before noon.

'Ben Carson will be here for a book signing' he replied.

'Ben who?' I asked. He looked at me as if I had been living in a bubble for the past few years.

'The Presidential candidate. There will be Secret Service in the next 30 minutes...' he continued and his voice trailed off as I wondered if I should have been paying more attention to the lesser known candidates.  Had he mentioned the names of Hillary, Trump, Bush, or Bernie, I would have known who he was talking about.

As I walked away into the direction of the bottled water in the back of the store, I thought to myself 'When in doubt...Bing it'. Or Google, Safari, or any other search engine of your choice though I tend to prefer Bing as I get points for my searches which I then redeem for my Amazon orders. Simply pretend you know what the other person is referring to and do a quick search on your phone.

I navigated the large cart, now filled with two cases of water, around the store and observed the large crowd which had snaked around the wine and beer section. Making my way back to the front of the store and standing near the books and DVDs, I heard clapping and cheering. I glanced over and noticed a tall African American man walking a few feet from me accompanied by the Secret Service.

Unperturbed, I continued towards the registers, paid for my items, and left the store. I wondered if I was the only one who did not know who Ben was. I did not have to wonder too long.

'Ben Carson was at Costco today' I mentioned to my children's father who appeared at the door this evening to take my oldest to skate night at school. The quizzical look on his face let me know he had no clue about whom I was talking.

'Is he your favourite chef?' he asked.

'Ha! I'm not the only one' I exclaimed in delight. Sometimes when you have no idea what someone is talking about, you simply have to wing it. Or in this case, Bing it.