The Lady at Publix

Do you ever make a big fuss over the food that the demo ladies (and gents) are hawking, even if you don't like it? I do. More than once I've even felt obligated to put whatever they are demonstrating into my basket, only to come to my senses and ditch it somewhere else in the store. Why do I think it's personal to them if I don't like what the store has decided to highlight for the day? Seriously, I have issues! There is this precious lady at our Publix, an older lady, who stands right in the yummy cheeses section. I take a hard right coming in the door just to avoid her because I don't want to turn down whatever she might be demonstrating for the day. I grew up in a town that's claim to fame was a Banana Festival with a ONE TON banana pudding. Ewwww! I used to like Banana Pudding... what's not to like? So, every year, we would have the Banana Festival and cap off the fun week with a parade (what's better than a small town parade?) Anyway, the crowning glory of this parade was the Turner Dairy one ton banana pudding. It was in a huge clear vat, atop a flat bed trailer, rolled through the middle of town, down Lake Street, and finally came to a rest in the park, where I would stand for several minutes in line for a small styrofoam bowl of the stuff. Then at about age 10, I realized that this pudding had been sitting out in the heat, on a trailer, and there were people serving it who had to basically lean into the huge bowl to scoop out my serving. Of course, there was no way to entirely keep the flies and things out of it.... so, now to this day, I cannot eat anything that seems like it might be made in a vat. My friends make fun of me for this. They are constantly trying to point out stuff that I eat that they insist must be made in a vat. They even tried to convince me that wine and beer are made in vats.... maybe, but there is something about anything pudding-ish that seems like it's probably mass produced like that (pre-made pimento cheese, for example) that I just can't stomach.

Sorry, just some random thoughts spurred by the demo lady at Publix.... wonder if she notices I avoid her..... wonder if I should explain my vat phobia.... wonder if that would make her feel less rejected by me.... wonder if I am totally losing it?　:)

Random question of the day... if you leave your laundry in the washer for three days (not really saying it was an accident, not really saying it wasn't) how many drier sheets does it take to freshen it IF you decided not to re-rinse? Answer? I don't know, but I can tell you it's more than five!