Three things happened yesterday that made my grocery shopping experience a fabulous escape from being inside with my kids for four days and lifted my sore spirits.
1. I wore my only-wear-to-evening-events red lipstick IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
See me! It says. Talk to me, I'll respond! I need and crave human interaction!
I smile! My lipstick also says, I may or may not have worn these jeans yesterday, but dammit, people, you're worth a little Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in #466. You're worth a lot of it.
2. A man stocking the fridge in Dairy/Eggs was singing Billy Joel's 1970s paean to physical/emotional space, "My Life"--an odd choice, given how careful and thoughtful we need to be around one another.
(Disclaimer: I'm not a big Billy Joel fan anymore, not since 1989.) But I needed eggs and chocolate milk, and since I was already invested in scoping out what I needed, joined him for some horrible attempts at harmony.
I STILL BE-LO-ONG, he trilled;
STILL BEEE-LOOONG, I followed;
DON'T GET ME WRO-OOO-ONG, he smiled my way,
GEEET MEEEE WROOO-OOOONGGG, I trailed.
We both wailed AND YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR MIND. . . BUT NOT, ON, MY, TIME!
As Mr. Dairy continued to dee dee dee the piano solo, I nodded him a good evening, and he nodded one back to me.
This duet would never ever ever happen if the grocery store were remotely more populated than it was. I only duet in grocery stores that look like ghost towns.
3. Did you know? There are no fresh flowers available at the moment. I was hoping to get some for our house to make it a little more springy and lively, but all that remains of the floral department are some house plants and an annual harbinger of Easter, tiny, egg-shaped, pastel-colored vases with brightly-colored kalanchoe. I picked up two.
At the check-out, the small-framed, cashier (in her sixties, I'm guessing) wiped down the conveyor belt before I placed my items on it; the plastic guard reminded me to stay back while she scanned, so I couldn't help her load the cart with what were some heavy paper bags. If she had just started her shift, she'd have another two hours to go; if this were the end of her shift, she'd had already been at the register for at least four. I watched her arm muscles flex and strain with each bag she lifted into my cart.
The kalanchoe was at the end of the order, their being the most fragile items. Where do you want these? she asked. I had her place the one for our house at the top of one bag. I had her keep the other one. She looked puzzled. Just remember that we are thankful for your coming to work today, I said. She smiled, nodded, and didn't speak for a moment. When she handed me the receipt, she said, softly, that was very nice. I needed that.
As our kids' teachers have often put it, singing with a stranger filled up my bucket. It reminded my heart that we are still connected together by silly things, like the theme song to Bosom Buddies. Try to fill up someone else's bucket if you have some cheer to spare.
Looking for some locally-sourced, fresh flowers come spring and summer? Here are some local farms you can support by investing in a CSA:
Flowerwell Flower Studios
Sunscape Farms (Penfield, NY)
Stacy K Floral is delivering floral arrangements in the Rochester area.
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