Nutty Moment
We live in the sprawling suburb of Big Flats, NY. I work at a Pennsylvania university 40 miles away. Because of this, I don’t know anyone in Big Flats. When we need something quick we drive to Miniers, a small grocery store three miles away that’s been a fixture in Big Flats for decades. Because I work at a university about 40 miles away, I know no one in Big Flats.
I don’t know any of the Miniers staff, most of whom are local high school students.
The other night I took bottles and cans to Miniers to feed them into the recyclable bins. A young cashier who I’d never seen before was unloading the cans bin. As I stood waiting for her to finish, she looked at me and did a quick study.
“Are you Dennis Miller?”
I’m sure I looked shocked, trying to figure out how she could have known me. The owner doesn’t know my name.
“Uh, yes.”
She smiled. “You’re supposed to buy pecans.”
A Twilight Zone moment froze brain synapses as I searched for Rod Serling floating in a corner with his cigarette. Once things unfroze, I started connecting the dots pretty quickly. I was supposed to get pecans the day before and forgot them. I felt my shirt pocket. Yup, I’d forgotten my cell phone.
My wife called Miniers, gave a description of me and told the girl to be on the lookout.
The girl finished emptying the bin and told me to go ahead. I was so preoccupied – and a little unnerved – I forgot to pull my receipt from the bin. The girl, still working with the bottles, pulled it out and handed it to me.
I thanked her and headed down the aisle.
“Don’t forget the pecans,” she called.