Supermarket Surprise

Supermarket Surprise

Salad course with cold asparagus and isoelectric dressing. sliced roasted almonds and cheese twists

I was hosting a dinner party with a few good friends, and, with working long hours in the City with a lengthy commute,  I didn’t have much time to prepare.  I had managed to get the entrée, “Julia’s” Beef Stew, done and sitting in a Dutch Oven in the fridge, which was good as Stew needs a rest for flavors to infuse. But here it was, Saturday, the day of the occasion and I still needed to get a few produce items for the salad and the dinner wines.

I went to the Grocer’s early in the morning and had my selected wines, 3 bottles each of a white and a red, in my cart, and was in the produce section for some Romaine when a well dressed matron approached me.  This was not a lady seeking direction to the Dijon as I could see she was frowning.  She looked me in the eyes and said, “Decent folk don’t drink this early in the morning, don’t you know that?” 

I was so caught off guard I was not up to a witty reply.  I flummoxed, “ I’m buying wine for dinner  guests this evening.”

She “Harrumphed” me, retorting, “  No, you’re not, you’re a drunk !”

I was aghast, but “madam”  simply turned and carted away with a passing aside,

“And you are obviously not in control in other areas, like your eating habits, as well.”

I stood there, Inert, for a good five minutes, trying to shake this slight off, but it stayed with me all day.  There was simply no reckoning as to the motivation or lack of censure of this woman.  I have endured my share of insult in life but none ever startled me as much as this impromptu harangue by a stranger.

The dinner party was elegant and went well, but a large topic of conversation was what I now call my “Supermarket Surprise.”   I tell you that ‘bitch’ had no throttle at all.

-Jerry Wendt