Shopping and a Show

There must be something in the water at the Eagleville Genaurdi's.

I went shopping there the other night and, really, I should have known that I was in for it as I thought "why did I decide to come to the crappy Genaurdi's tonight?"*

Generally, I'm the type of person who likes to be left alone while shopping. I like to peruse the aisles, take my time, compare prices, read labels... really, I'm in my own little world. And, I do not like when people come into my grocery shopping world unless I invite them.

However, for some reason, nearly every time I go this particular Genaurdi's, something weird happens and somebody invades my grocery shopping bubble.

There was the time a lady assumed I worked there and started asking me all these questions about wax paper v. parchment paper and where to find them (note: I was bundled up in my winter gear and pushing a half-filled cart at the time).

Another time, some kid, who couldn't have been more than 12, was following me around with his "posse" and singing Hannah Montana songs. He would promptly "hide" every time I turned around.

Oh, but Friday night may have trumped them all. This time, the employees were getting into the action. However, I will admit, that I was definitely amused this time around. Albeit, a little frightened.

It all started in the produce section. As I was wandering around trying to decide what types of fruit I wanted for a fruit salad, one of the employees asked me how I was doing. "I'm fine," I replied, assuming this would be the end of our exchange.

Instead of going back to stocking the pears, he then asked me if I liked apples.

"Um, yes, I like apples..."

"No," he said. "I need you say: Michael, I LOVE apples!!"

I shrugged and decided to play along: "I LOVE apples!"

While I was still recovering from the shock of yelling this in the middle of the produce section (introverts don't generally like to draw attention to themselves), Michael the Produce Guy started to point out to me all the specials they were having on apples, including the lovely fuji's, which were reduced from $2.99 to $.99 a pound and which I already had my cart.

Michael congratulated me on what a good shopper I was and we both went about our business.

Weird.... yet, not the end of it.

Not long after, as I was comparing the prices on chicken, another gentleman asked me how I was doing. "Good," I replied. This time, I really thought this would be end of our exchange. Surely, I will not have another strange encounter of the Genaurdi's variety, right?

Wrong again.

"Trying to decide what you're going to have for dinner?" he asked.

I replied, "Yeah, kind of."

At that he gave me a wink, and told me he would let me know what I was in the mood for. He asked me to hold out my hand and gingerly held it between his thumb and pointer finger.

He closed his eyes, and after a moment of consideration, opened them and exclaimed: "You want salmon!"

I considered the suggestion and then followed Mr. Dinner Psychic over the the fish section where I soon found myself with a pound of salmon wrapped in brown paper and a delicious recipe scribbled on the back of my grocery list.

Yes, I was duped. And I can't help but think that with two such encounters I must have had a sign flashing over my head that read "Easy Target".

However, I am not ashamed.

Thanks to the two gentlemen at Genaurdi's, I had a grin on my face and a bounce in my step for the remainder of my shopping trip. I decided that the entertainment I received while shopping was well worth the price of the salmon (which was actually not too pricey; and, after I dressed it in a lovely herb butter, it turned it out deliciously!).

Plus, even with the salmon (which is definitely a splurge for Daniel and I), I still kept to my budget (yay me!).

So, for the price of an average Genaurdi's shopping trip, I also received dinner and a show. All in all, not a bad deal.

*Note: Ok, so this Genaurdi's really isn't "crappy"... but, we have two Genaurdi's almost equidistance from the apartment. The other one in Audubon is larger and generally has more variety. Plus. it has a much better cafe area - complete with pizza shop and $5 pizzas!!