crazy girl in the grocery store

A quick anecdote about being mistaken for a crazy person. As I enter the grocery store, a tall guy catches my eye. I recognize him from my hometown of Black River Falls. I never recognize anyone in Minneapolis, much less someone from my tiny hometown. I realize that he may not know me. I generally know more people than know me. I can't quite think of the word for that, but I know popular isn't the right one. I introduce myself, anyway. A short awkward conversation ensues. I ask something embarrassing, like 'do you go to school at the U?' Later, I do a little math that puts him about 5 years out of college. He's uncomfortable around me. Possibly thinks I'm stalking him. I mention my mom, knowing she was his high school Math teacher. That doesn't help things. He's probably thinking I know all about his fractile dysfunction. Mom can be a little chatty in that way. I make a hasty farewell to put him out of the misery I got him into.

Ten minutes later, digging through the book bin, I see a shadow looming on the ground next to me. As I look up, he is disappearing around the nearest aisle with his cart. It's the feminine products aisle, so it's safe to say he is avoiding me. I can see how I would look weird to an outsider. In my defense, I don't usually dig like a hobo through the book bin at the grocery store. That's not to say I don't look like a bag lady most of the time, but c'mon- it's the grocery store. If there's any place in the world to bag-it without judgement, it should be here. Besides, it isn't every day that a Manga Drawing Kit stops me in my tracks.

The last straw is when the clerk at the checkout counter asks me how much my ice cream Dibs cost. I can't exactly remember. I say $3.97, knowing it is either that or $3.60-something and thinking it would be embarrassing if I am wrong and had aimed too low. Then I say, 'I could go check the price. Maybe I should just put them back. If I'm going back there anyway. I was wondering if I should buy them to begin with. Maybe it's a sign.' This variety of sounding off to the check-out guy is also most exceptional for me. The people who work at Rainbow are the real deal when it comes to nuts. I usually mind my own business. I would have kept quiet except I was hemming and hawing over buying the ice cream to begin with. I only bought it because Trista, from The Bachelor, claims that Dibs were the secret to losing all her post-baby weight.

Not surprising that I catch the attention of the tall guy in the checkout next to me. Nice the way it comes full circle like that. A little yin, a little yang. I guess we're all the crazy girl in the grocery store to someone.