The young man in front of me seemed completely baffled by the self-checkout computer thingy. Having finally mastered the obnoxious device myself, albeit over a long time and with great difficulty and frustration, I felt compelled to step forward and assist the poor lad. I guess I wasn't being altogether altruistic since the store clerk assigned to the cluster of self-checkout stations was, as usual, nowhere to be found. So, if I wanted to get out of the discount store during my lifetime, I needed to help the young man.
"Here, let me help ... I've fought with these damn things before." I said as I stepped forward to offer assistance. I couldn't help but notice how cute the boy was.
"Oh thank you ... they don't have these things back home." The young man said. He was blushing slightly, probably embarrassed at having to be helped by a woman, and one probably older than his mother, at that.
I quickly cleared the problem by removing the offending item from the bagging area and guided him through scanning his last few items which, for the most part, looked like things one would purchase when setting up house for the first. I showed him how to pay for his purchases and where to collect his receipt. Then I bid him good bye with a friendly "have a nice day" as he pushed his cart towards the exit.
Finally, I was able to scan the few items I had, paid with my credit card, and was out the door in a flash.
As I walked to my car, I saw the young man again. He was parked two cars closer to the store than me and in the same row as my car. I smiled as I saw him; he was having great difficulty loading his purchases into his little VW bug β one of the new ones ... not one of the original cars like the old used VW beetle that was the first car I ever owned when I was eighteen.
It appeared to me as I approached, that every available inch of space in his VW was taken up by what appeared to have been all his worldly possessions. As I walked past, I watched him vainly attempt to stuff a large twelve pack of paper towels in through the passenger side door. The paper towels were too much and the whole unstable mass of stuff in his car collapsed - much of it cascading out of the car to land on the asphalt at his feet. A can of peaches rolled away from the car and stopped when it encountered my left foot.
I stopped and picked up the can. I walked over to the completely flustered boy and did my best to keep from laughing; but I'm sure he could tell from my expression that I was certainly amused.
"We meet again." I said, holding out the can of peaches to return to him.
He was stooped over; frantically doing his best to stuff everything back into his small vehicle. As he bent over to retrieve various items I could not help but observe that he had a really hot butt. When he heard me speak, he stood and turned to me.
His face was beet red. "Oh ... ah ... thanks, I ah ... was just ..." He stuttered. He had been a little embarrassed in the store, but now he was now mortified.
"Can I help?"
"Oh no ... it's OK ... I'll just get all this into ..."
"It's not going to fit." I observed.
"Oh yeah ... I'll get it all ..." The boy continued trying to re-pack his car as he spoke.
"Never happen. Simple physics ... two objects can't occupy the space at the same time ... I'd say you've got far more that just two objects in there competing for the same space. Where are you heading with all that stuff?"
"Oh ah ... I'm a student ... at the college." He said. I had already come to that conclusion; you don't live in a college town for as long as I have without learning to spot the returning students.
"I have an idea. I live near campus and my car has plenty of space. Why don't we put some of this stuff in my car and I'll take it wherever you're going?"
"Oh no ... really, it's OK ... but thanks any..."
"No, no. I insist. You'll never get all that in that tiny little car." I said. Without waiting for him to agree β kids can be so damned stubborn - I picked up the big pack of paper towels and a couple shopping bags filled with kitchen utensils, and other sundry items, and I took them over to my car, just two cars away.
"Bring that sleeping bag over here." I shouted back to the kid as I pressed the electronic key fob to open my SUV. "It's taking up way too much room in your car."
As I put his things in the back of my car, he handed me the sleeping bag.
"Geez thanks lady, you really don't have to ..."
"It's alright. I am happy to help. Hey, I was coed once ... I remember how it was when I went off to school." I told him.
Plus, he had a sweet face β he reminded me very much of a guy I had dated when I was in college. The resemblance was almost uncanny and my mind drifted briefly back to those far off days when I had been so much in love with someone who looked so like the kid standing next to me.
I insisted the kid transfer a few more bulky items to my car and then I locked it by pressing a button β the car did it's little beep-beep thing.
"OK. Before we go, I'd like a coffee; there's a book store at the other end of this strip mall that has a very nice coffee shop." I said. His somewhat pained expression hinted that I'd better add one more detail. "My treat."
"Oh ... yeah ... sure."
We walked in the warm fall sunshine to the coffee shop. Some of the leaves on the trees lining the street were just starting to hint at the glorious colors to be expected in the next month or so.
In the coffee shop, I asked the young man what he'd like and I ordered for both of us. As we waited, I suggested he pick out a table for us. I collected the coffees and joined him. He had chosen two stuffed chairs situated around a small coffee table.
"So, tell me, what's your name?" I said as I handed his coffee to him.
"Jake"
"I'm Joan. Please to meet you." I said, offering my hand as if we'd just that second met. He took it and squeezed it gently; for some odd reason his touch sent a thrill through my entire being. I was reluctant to let go of his hand. As I held it, I took him in β his eyes, his smile, his long hair pulled back in a pony tail. I suppose it was starting to get a bit awkward for him since he pulled his hand from mine and picked up his coffee.