Anyway, today while I passed by, I figured I should pick up some produce, since we're out of a lot of things. There was one person ahead of me, and when he'd been helped, I said my usual, "Hi, I'd just like to get—"
"You can get for yourself! You are a well-known person!" Banana Man cried jovially and handed me a plastic bag.
"Um, okay. Thank you." I cautiously put four bananas into the bag. "Great. Here's a dollar."
Banana Man grabbed a particularly large specimen and plopped it in my bag with a grin. "This from me."
If he hadn't given me the extra banana, I probably would have bought more, but I just felt too awkward. I told him to have a good rest of the day and intended to run home as fast as possible, but apparently, that wasn't an option, as a woman shoved a microphone in my face.
"Hi, can I ask you a question? How are you handling the heat?"
This is why I'm glad I don't have a TV—I sure don't wanna see my sweaty self rambling about how we turn the AC on in short bursts so it doesn't get too expensive. Good God...
I know what you mean about the awkwardness of free bananas! A few months ago I was waiting to meet someone by the Harvard T, and a (well-dressed, college-aged) guy walking by said, "do you want a banana?" and thrust one towards me. (He only had one banana; he wasn't just indiscriminately handing them out.) I declined and it was definitely weirder than if it had been some other kind of fruit.
ReplyDeleteI'd completely forgotten about this til I read this post. I remember I was also concerned that he was offering it to me because he thought I was homeless, but I really don't think I was giving that impression!
--Caitlin
Wow. That is insane! That dude sounds like a real whack-job.
ReplyDeleteHm. Maybe "whack-job" wasn't the best choice of word, given the whole banana/pallic symbol thing. But "nut-job" wasn't any better.
But wow, I wonder what could have compelled him to offer you his banana. I mean, you always look very put-together, so I"m sure he didn't think you were homeless...maybe on his planet, that's how they say hi to cute girls.
Take the free banana. In Pisa, I went to buy a banana from some place near the leaning tower and they wanted 5 euro. Mind you, this was not a bunch of bananas. And it wasn't even especially large either. It was a single banana. True story.
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