It has been a particularly warm fall here in New York City. So warm, in fact, that today, October 17th, I am sitting here at my desk wearing shorts and a tank top. You might ask why I am not outside, traipsing around, enjoying the weather. Well, for your information I already did that. And I will do it again just as soon as I finish writing this blog. Moving on.
This past Tuesday, after doing the important morning things (coffee, snacks, newspaper reading) I decided to go out in the world and have myself an adventure. I wandered down fifth avenue and then I said to myself, “self, today is the perfect day to go admire some furniture you cannot afford.” So I walked down 9th Street to Find, my favorite unaffordable furniture store, where I found the most beautiful mirror I have ever seen in my life. So beautiful that I took photographs of it. Photographs that I will not post here because if one of you sees it, loves it, and then goes and buys it I would be so jealous that I don’t think I would be able to be your friend anymore. After ogling the mirror for some time, and then wondering to myself how much I could get the store owner to lower the price if I paid in cash, I went on my merry way down to Red Hook to visit Fairway for the first time since it reopened post-Sandy. I love Fairway. Mostly, I love grocery stores and it is the biggest one with the most things (smoked salmon ends! HUGE pickle bar! All of the cheese!) so I love it the most. On my way there, and just as I was approaching the Added-Value Community Farm, a pick-up truck made a right hand turn in front of me. As they went into their turn, the passenger leaned out of the window and yelled
“You can walk all over me in those boots any day, baby!”
They subsequently sped off, leaving me alone, on the side of the road, wearing my boots, face as red as a lobster. There I was having a perfectly wonderful Rebekah afternoon when some motherfuckers in a pick-up truck have to go and piss all over it. I stormed the rest of the way to Fairway, thinking mean thoughts.
Upon arriving and seeing the vast array of vegetables, the anger started to melt away. And then I saw them: papaya chunks! I know that they are not endemic to New York and that some people think they taste like vomit, but I love them and they remind me of happier times. So, I grabbed them, thought about the other things I wanted to buy and then realized I was in dire need of a basket. I quickly stashed my papaya chunks on top of one of those wire coupon racks when I saw the most wonderful sight: the assholes from the pick-up truck walked right by me into the store. It was like a gift from above.
My mind started racing. What should I do? Should I say something? Then my heart rate picked up. I knew there was no way I would let myself leave that grocery store without giving them a piece of my mind. I wandered around, plucking things off the shelves — salmon ends, some soy sauce, black licorice — trusting that whatever had delivered these upstanding individuals to me would insure that we crossed paths at an opportune moment. And then, it happened. I went to check out and, wouldn’t you know it, they got in the line right next to me! I was hoping that the timing would work out and that I would finish checking out first, head out the door, and then wait for them like a creeper outside to let them know what was what. In the meantime, I figured I would give them the stink eye. I have a really good stink eye. But then the thing that always happens to me happened. I picked the slowest checkout line ever and so, despite having gotten in line first and having fewer items, the two men headed out the door. My only recourse was to burn holes in the backs of their heads with my eyes. I felt defeated. Saddened.
But then, I had a realization! They have a car. And a rolling cart which, after being unloaded, needs to be returned to its home. My spirits immediately improved. When I was done paying for my items I headed quickly out to the parking lot and, lo and behold, there was the maroon pick-up from some 45 minutes earlier. I strode defiantly across the parking lot, eyes glued to the offending dude wearing those stupid reflective sunglasses that should only be warn by actors playing police officers on television. He was wearing a wedding ring. Of course. When he looked at me and acknowledge my rapid approach I slowed down, smiled and said:
“Maybe next time you decide to yell your opinion on someone’s outfit out your car window, you will consider the fact that you might see her at the grocery store 10 minutes later.”
I stayed long enough to see the shock register on his face, turned on my heel, and walked in the direction of my house, huge grin plastered on my face. It was the moment I have waited for. I felt like a super hero.
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Just as a little extra something to make you laugh, today when trying to send a text with the word “city” in it my phone inexplicably autocorrected it to “butt.” I was really happy I caught that one. Otherwise the text would have read:
“You leaving the butt now?”
I have been laughing for at least 10 minutes.
franklyrebekah 