Friday, September 23, 2011

Banana Studying


Blog it’s been too long. I will now come out of my married cocoon and blossom with stories.

My story starts in Walmart. If I were a bug, Walmart would be a bright, iridescent light. I don’t want to go visit it, but I must.

So I’m there waiting in the checkout line one early morning, trying to capture the QR code on the gum rack, and I noticed this guy studying a banana.

He’s a middle-aged man, well-dressed, and clearly on his way to work. Just stopped to grab a banana.

His eyes are locked on the yellow fruit, turning it slowly in his hands. Flipping, rolling, examining aren’t enough to find whatever treasure he is seeking.

I too am drawn in to this man’s quest, as I look from afar to also try to discover the banana’s secret. All too soon it his turn in line.

The man approached the checkout lady and desperately exclaimed that he couldn’t find the barcode anywhere. He even rotated it all the way around for her to see. The cashier then delicately took the banana from him and set it on the electronic reader.

“It’s a banana,” she said. “We weigh it to determine the price.”

Well duh. The lightbulb went off in this man’s head as he realized that none of the bananas have barcodes on them. Probably not that guy’s brightest moment.