Diary of a Middle-aged Woman

03/19/07 - My Supermarket Stalker

Since we had a major snowstorm on Friday, I wasn't able to do my grocery shopping early Saturday morning. I had to go Sunday afternoon which is, apparently, the worst time to go.

As soon as I pulled into the full parking lot I knew I was in for trouble. The last shopping cart left was the one with the wobbly, squeaky wheel. I pushed this monster around the crowded store envying everyone who had a normal cart.

Did you ever walk into the supermarket the same time as someone else and then every aisle that you walked down, there was that person? It's like they are stalking you throughout the store. This happened to me on Sunday. An older gentlemen was in every aisle that I walked down. Finally, since he was staring at me, I said 'hello'. Well, this ended-up being the start of a whole 'friendship'. I soon learned everything about him: where he lived, where he used to work before he retired, why he liked to shop on Sunday afternoons, etc. I couldn't get away from him. Why he even invited me to his home.

I somehow managed to get away, then made sure that I checked each aisle before walking down it not wanting to run into him again. After having my weekly chat with Steve, the dairy manager, I headed for check-out. Wouldn't you know it, there he was. Again, the conversation started. He waited for me at the doors and asked if he could help me load-up my car. Since he was a lot older than me, I told him that I should be helping him. This only endeared me to him more. Again, he invited me to his house "whenever I wanted to stop by."

I drove home and told my husband about my experience. He looked at me like I was some kind of a freak. "What, do you talk to everyone you meet at the store?" I assured him that 'they' talk to me. "Well, it's your own fault for being so hot." What a great guy. I said it before and I'll say it again, I really did train him right.

Anyway, I can go to the local convenience store any morning and hang-out with Coach Bo (that was his name). He would gladly buy me a cup of coffee and introduce me to the coffee club that meets there every morning. I'm reluctant to take him up on his offer, as I don't want him to get the "wrong idea." I'm not sure, because it's been awhile, but I think Coach Bo was trying to pick me up.

Where younger men used to try to pick me up, now I have the senior citizen set. And of course, the local dairy managers of every grocery store within a 15 mile radius of my home. It's comforting to know I still got "it".