Blueberries, Redux

So, Friday after work, I ambled over to the grocery store that's next to my office building, believing that I had seen blueberries therein when I was there to get a salad the other day at lunch. As I walked to the entrance, I eyed their gorgeous display of teeny, yellow, happy-faced mums and pumpkins and winter cabbages (oh my!) with something bordering on envy. Scanning the flowers, I considered whether I needed (yes, needed) to purchase said mums to bring a little bit of fall sunshine to my office or home. There was one pot in particular that caught my attention, and so caught up in the general happy mumminess of the flowers was I that I didn't see, let alone hear, the youngish man who walked past and said, "Hi, how are you doing today?" Thus it was that I didn't respond and, with a slight sigh, persuaded myself to attend to the task of blueberry gathering and leave the mums for another day.

Inside, I found the fruit and scanned the pricetags at the top of the display to see what 24oz of blueberries was going to run me. With a roll of my eyes, I realized three things:
1) They had only 4.4 oz containers also
2) Grocery stores apparently consider 4.4 oz to be a half-pint (I need to try and figure that one out.)
3) The price for a half-pint? $3.99

But at least these were labeled appropriately.

Resigned, I began to gather six containers when someone sidles a bit too close and says, "Why do you look so sad?"

Taken aback a bit, I glanced up and looked at the young black man standing next to me and raised a brow, "Excuse me?"

"Why do you look so sad? You didn't even say hi back to me when I passed you."

At this, I'll admit, I laughed, "It's not sad, it's in a hurry." I reached for another half-pint of blueberries, with my left hand, trying to angle it so my anniversary band would catch the light and maybe he'd take a hint.

"I'm Devon, by the way."
"Ah."
"Do you have someone in your life? A boyfriend?"

At this moment, several things flitted through my head. First and foremost was the startled revelation that this guy was trying to pick me up. Second was near-hysterical hillarity at the situation in general. Third was general irritation that I was actually going to spend $25 on blueberries in October (though I'm not sure when else you'd spend $25 on blueberries as during blueberry season that would be an enormous quanitity of berries.) Finally was a question of exactly how persistent this guy was going to be, cause I just didn't have time.

"I've been married to the most wonderful man on the planet for 11 years, actually. He makes me smile plenty."
"Oh." And at that, he wandered off.

I sighed, relieved, and gathered up my berries, waited on line and considered what cashiers must think about during their days. First on line? Woman buying $25 worth of blueberries. Second on line? Older gentleman with a card, a package of sliced mozzerella, and dental floss.

Still clearly a bit rattled, I took my bag and walked out the in door. And there was Tim, waiting for me in the parking lot. And that gave me something to smile about.