I usually shop with the 99%

I usually shop with the 99%. You know, the the fit looking young man in the L.A. firefighter t-shirt, a list written on notebook paper in his hand, his cart full of pampers and Gerber baby food.

The mom with  a toddler sitting patiently swinging his feet as his mom , holding his younger sister on her hip, unloads their cart with one hand.

The frail little lady who snaps open her ancient coin purse to pay, to the penny and not a farthing more, for her cans of cat food and soup.

Earlier this week I visited out local gourmet food store. With just the two of us to cook for, I needed to be able to buy just one carrot and one rib of celery and 5 oz of ground beef and ground pork, for the individual meatloaf for two I was making.

The store is a sensory field trip, sights, sounds, colors...people...

I noticed  ladies dressed in designer jeans, lots of gold jewelery, fit and trim and botoxed. I hate to admitted it , my first thought...You cook?

Then I noticed I only saw the ladies in the produce, cheese and bakery departments, so...maybe not.


Next were the earth people, you know, guys in wire rimed classes with graying pony tails, ladies in long cotton skirts, dyed in bright purples and teals, wearing sandals and toe rings.

they like the bulk food areas it seems.

For all their interest in "natural" foods everyone was in a huge hurry, no eye contact, I guess they had places to go, people to see, things to do....Just try to strike up a friendly conversation, your fellow shoppers will look at you like you are nuts...the 99% will talk to you, or at least smile.

If any of you are/were Star Trek fans, you will remember Mr. Spock's multilevel chess board. I was thinking we all live in the same town but we all move in our own circle or levels .

What, "Duh!" you say..well, it takes me a while, I think everyone is like me, so...what can I say?

I will go back. It really is a beautiful place to shop, and people watch!

P.S. Here is the recipe from Cuisine at Home for the meatloaf . It was really good!

click on picture to enlarge