This Week March 14, 1990. Page M7 PRIME TIME ometimes, as hardened as I may think I have become, as inured to insensitivity, I still find myself somewhat taken aback by the feeling of nonentity one has after a simple shopping crip. Maybe it has to do with getting older. Maybe it’s the grey hair. But whatever the cause, the end result is what I call the phenomenon of invisibility. A decade ago it was described to me by a patient in the hospital where I worked. At the time, I didn’t know what she was taking about. Mrs. Merton was admitted for tests one afternoon when I was working medicine. She was of medium Stature, a cheerful woman with : I still didn’t know what he was talking about, so she went on to explain. “Take shopping, for instance,” she said. “In the first place, I don’t do it for pleasure. When I go to a store, it is for the purchase of specific items. What happens? I can never find a sales clerk. So I wander around feeling lost. Then, if I am lucky, I find what I am looking for and take it to the checkout. The cashier picks up the item, rings it up, hands me the change, mutters something about thanking me for shopping there and hands me my parcel. And all this without ever looking at me or acknowledging my presence as an individual. Repeat the experience in a cashier was talking on the telephone. Oh well, I thought, I'll find it myself, it can’t be all that difficult. It took me 10 minutes. I took my find up to the till. The cashier, still busy on the phone, looked at it, rang it up, took my money and gave me the change, bagged my purchase and handed it to me all without once looking at me or missing a word. The next stop was a dry goods store. My husband was in need of new heavy work socks. It was a chain store whose layout I was slightly familiar with, so it didn’t take me long to find the items in question. It took longer in the line-up, and I wondered, not for the first time, why people seem so impatient. Surely all this hustle and bustle falls into greying hair and a quiet man- ner. She told me that her hus- band didn’t care much for women who did a lot of talking. So with the children grown and gone, their’s must have been a pretty quiet household. We hit if off right away. She —Goldenrod- - By IVY KENT the category of what my aunt called “wishing our lives away,” an attitude she deplored as being both wasteful and futile. The line I chose, slowly moved along. I thought the cashier looked a trifle har- assed. One of the supervisors too, had a rural upbringing and ; whenever I had the time she would tell me about farm living during the early years, always making light of the hardships and looking back with humour at some of their consequences. - “One thing about those days,” she said, one lafternoon, “everybody knew everybody else. We all had names. We were all visible.” I wondered what she meant. What she like about me, she said, was that I always called her by name, and looked at here when I talked to her. I had never given that a thought. Then she went on to tell me how, since moving to the city, she had become accustomed to her invisibility. Cantu, few more stores, and by the end of the day one tends to feel a bit like a nonentity.” I thought that she was exaggerating. That is, until just the other day. Being out of our area on business, I found myself with some time on my hands. I had a short shopping list, and as there was a mall in the vicinity, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and do my buying there. First item was an end for a lamp cord. I found a hardware stcre. There seemed to be only one clerk on the floor, and he was busy with a customer. The was explaining something to her. Finally it was my turn. I handed over the socks - and waited for the total. The till read $8.78. The cashier waited, hand outstretched. I handed over eight dollars and counted out the change. She put the money in the till, closed the drawer, tore off my receipt and put it and the socks in a bag which she slid across the counter. Transaction completed. Never once did she look at me, and the mouthed “Have a nice day” was automatic and totally meaningless. It was then that I remembered Mrs. Merton. It may be my age, or perhaps the grey hair. But for whatever reason, I have finally made it. I have joined the ranks of the invisible. CAMOSUN PROPERTIES ur». #500-2950 Douglas Street 382-2121 DEAN PARK—CLASSIC VICTORIAN ELEGANT, WARM & ROOMY—VIEWS— $289,000 The title depicts this truly magnificent home. Custom-designed for family living, this 3 bed- Z foom spacious, 2-storey (plus attic) Victorian classic features 2 character fireplaces with one in master bedroom, 3 baths with 4-pce. magnifi- cent ensuite, almost new — built-in latter 1988 — large 2-car garage (attached) with character and charm throughout. Views of mountains and water from south side of this home. (Bonus added). MLS 6938. : RON HYKAWAY 382-2121 LITTLE EFFORT TO RUN IT 7 Legal Triplex, separate entrance, separate meters. Tenants pay all own utilities, extra large undeveloped full height basement. Main suite is over 1000 sq. ft. with lovely city view. Perfect for owner occupancy. Excellent condition inside and out. Offer ON A CLEAR DAY... You can see the Valley from your glassed in SUNROOM in this immaculate 3 bed- room split level. Excellent floor plan features family room off kitchen, spa- cious livingroom with FP, and formal | diningroom. Cul-de-sac, fenced yard and bluff-top location ensure PRIVACY! Excel- lent buy at $225,000. May | show you this home today? LAURIE ANNE FAULKNER 382-2121 = SL i. =e Lam sos r DEEP COVE WATERFRONT PRIVATE DOCK AND SHELTERED MOORAGE Acharming 1981 home on 2 levels, fabulous eastfacing views and large sundecks over- looking Deep Cove Marina. A million dollar view for only $389,000. ML 13066. DENNIS NYREN 14721. BILL DURUSSEL HOBBY FARM - $345,000 Gorgeous 5 acre parcel with everything one needs to be a gentleman farmer. All the necessary outbuildings on 200 amp service with water. The late 50’s resi- dence sits high and dry on rock out- cropping surrounded by oak and fir, has 3 - 4 bedrooms, a full height basement and all the energy efficiency updating. Very usable property for animals and what a treat for kids! All of this just 5 1/2 miles from city centre. Please, qualified viewings through your realtor or me. ML PRICE REDUCED - $279,900 The owners of this magnificent home have instructed me to get it sold. Imagine a2700 sq. ft. rancher with large, formal living and dining room and an absolutely outrageous kitchen-family room combination. Plus a master bedroom suite you're guaranteed to fall in love with. If this is beginning to sound like your dream home, give me a call — you'll be glad you did. GEOFF MCLEAN ~ 382-2121. 382-2121 382-2121 at $249,900. Call Sonya today to arrange viewing. : : SONYA LEE 382-2121 WESTERN GOLD Gute and cozy, fully renovated 3 bedroom rancher. Within walk- — great buy. BILL HAPGOOD LEGAL SUITE - $164,900 Are you looking for a 3 bedroom charac-. ter home that you can easily update to increase value and have a legal suite helping to pay your mortgage? This one is a beauty! It’s everything you could _ hope for: great city and mountain views, in Victoria proper, close to schools, shopping and buses, and the suite is ready to rent today. The current owner has painstakenly completed the en- trance, livingroom and huge sundeck. The rest is up to you, but hurry! This is a SAANICHTON STRATA DUPLEX - $129,900 Cozy 3 bedroom home on a nice sized lot. Glose to everything in Saanichton. . Very good starter home or investment property. Rare opportunity in this price range. ALLAN TRELFORD . 382-2121 382-2121 ing distance to shopp- ing and schools. Large private lot sur- 8 NEW HOMES - COLWOOD ESQUIMALT LEGAL 4-PLEX Legal non-conforming, 4-plex on a town- { FIRST AD Newly renovated 3 bedroom home. rounded by 10 ft. hedge. Immediate oc- Langford. 382-2121 RICHARD SIMS cupancy. $124,900 — | ! $159,900 - $169,900 | New cul-de-sac in quiet and handy location. Custom build your dream home or choose from the homes that will be started soon. ' Call now, they won't last. MARK LAWLESS 382-2121 house zoned lot of 7,425 sq. ft. Gross potential rents of $24,000 with a net of $20,000. Tenants pay all utilities. Easy to ‘ Over 1550 sq. ft. of finished area, includ- ' ing large rec. room. Separate, recently ' built garage and lots of parking. Close to tial. KERRY BROWN 982-2121 manage building with fabulour holding poten- | Gorge Vale Golf Course. Please call to view. : NEIL DOCHERTY 382-2121 OO