I ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things. Specifically, wine. I’m on a Petite Syrah kick right now and I bought a case that was on sale. (Oh, but what I would give to afford a daily Rombauer habit… but I digress.)
A clerk helped me out to the parking lot in order to put the case into my car for me. A little old man came up to talk to us. Now the clerk was able to scoot out of the situation by going to round up more carts. I couldn’t leave unless I wanted to back over the old guy, so I settled in for a nice discussion.
This is what I learned from this gentleman:
- The 99 Cent store is the end all, be all of fun.
- I should be buying my wine there, as it is just 99 cents a bottle.
- If I don’t like the wine I bought, I can “fix” it by adding an equal part of apple cider to it.
- This works for any wine, including champagne… What’s that wonderful champagne that comes from Naples? You know… they’re famous for it. The good stuff. Has a red top… Ah! I know! Asti Spumonte! A little apple cider mixed in there is great!
- He has two glasses each night with his dinner and then takes a nap.
- There are little teeny, tiny, white, round headphones that fit right inside your ears.
- You can get 9 batteries for 99 cents.
- If you have the hard alcohol left over from your younger days, you can give it away as gifts.
- He gives his old alcohol to the doctors who are keeping him alive.
- He is 85.
He looked a lot like a skinny Ansel Adams. It was 80 degrees and he was wearing gold and green houndstooth print pants, a long sleeve shirt with a cardigan vest and a fedora-type hat. Everything matched beautifully (especially if it were 1972.)
I thought he was fabulous and am going to shop at that store, on the same day and time each week, hoping I see him again.
I LOVE CUTE OLD PEOPLE. Not the crabby old people, tho. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I hope you get a chance to talk to him again!