thursday october 30

today i went grocery shopping. i was in the vegetable section, having just picked out a couple of tomatoes, when my foot knocked up against a tomato that had previously fallen on the floor, sending it skidding a few feet away. the only other person in the area was an elderly lady, so i shot her a "tomatoes on the floor! what are you gonna do!" look, and went to pass her by, when she said "you should put that back." confused at what exactly she meant, i replied "pardon?" and she gestured towards the bin of tomatoes and repeated: "you should put it back in there." half-horrified and half-amused by the notion that i should put a tomato that had been sitting on the floor, kicked around by shoppers, back into the bin for someone else to buy it, i responded, "i don't think anyone will.... want it now...." before she interrupted grouchily: "well you're the one who knocked it over!" i started to explain that it had already been on the ground, but realizing this wouldn't do any good, i gave up and inched away from her and the vegetable section, while i heard her muttering something about people who don't pick up after themselves.