jeff yen

Fox pass

Okay, let me ask you something. Is it weird to go to the supermarket to do some grocery shopping right after you've gone to the gym? The local supermarket is right on my way home from the gym, so I often stop in and buy a few things I need.

Every time I go in there, every time I get to the head of the checkout line, the checkout person goes, "Hey, you just come from the gym?"

Hm.

Workout towel, check.
Grody sweat stains all over, check.
Water bottle, check.

I always reply with a grin, and a tell-me-about-it chuckle. "Yep," I say.

"Oh," and a slightly furrowed brow. "Where's the gym around here?"

"Up at U.T.C., the 24-hour over there." Invariably. It's like there's a conversational black hole at the head of lane 7 that keeps sending me back to this bizarro-world.

Slight nod of recognition, and "I should get down to the gym more often."

Smile, swipe, beep, scribble, done.

It's just weird, is all. I've even gone through this same routine with the same person two or three times in one week.

It kind of reminds me of my favorite (and only) joke:

A girl walks up to a supermarket checkout lane, and starts placing items on the conveyer belt. The items are as follows:

1 tube of toothpaste
1 toothbrush
1 bar of soap
1 frozen dinner

The guy manning the checkout counter scans the items through, and gives the girl a friendly smile.

"So, you're single, are you?" He nods at the neat pile of goods.

The girl's face twists in scorn as she slaps a credit card on the counter. She says acidly, "How'd you figure that one out, Sherlock?"

The checkout guy replies without missing a beat. "Because you're fucking ugly."