Non-corner shop obs {f].

[count tiszula]

I went into a "local" shop today, the kind that would be a corner shop except it's not on a corner, and ran into a young black lady, very tall, perhaps six foot, slim but with traditional protuberant parts, hair pulled back, not elegant enough to be Nigerian, but striking, pullover and jeans, plastic shopping basket on her left arm, little straight nose with big, square nostrils [a bit like Madison if you're a fan].

We danced round each other saying "sorry " and "excuse me" and I looked at the Polish food, wondering whether to buy a jar of pickled garlic salad. She was about three feet from me looking at sardine-tins. Suddenly "Aaaaah- TCHOOOOMP!!" rings out through the shop, and with my sneeze-reflexes at full blast I glance over in time to catch her still with her face jerked forward and her fist placed in sneeze-catching position, at about silly mid on. It was a very loud sneeze in fact, fully vocalised throughout. At once I realised how much I needed sardines. But why didn't I bless her? I'd even spoken to her already!

Anyway, I took up obsing position for any follow-up, but of course there wasn't even a noserub. I followed her up and down the one aisle, and she even came past me again and apologized again; not for sneezing sadly, till we ended up at the counter together.

And all I've got as a souvenir is one tin of John West's sardines in BBQ sauce, whatever that is.

[Vetinari]

OK I've stopped laughing now enough to type. How thoughtless of her to provide no follow up! Dancing around shops? Garlic salad with barbequed sardines? Whatever next.

[Trillium]

So you were so flustered you bought sardines in BBQ sauce, instead of the pickled garlic salad?

(I'm not sure which foodstuff would be worse. )

[(hippo)]

In... BBQ SAUCE?! EEWWW!! You MUST have been REALLY distracted

Very nicely written obs, and lucky you!

DOnt worry, it's John West fish. Becuase John West is The Best

[Mr Sneezy]

In... BBQ SAUCE?! EEWWW!! You MUST have been REALLY distracted

Very nicely written obs, and lucky you!

DOnt worry, it's John West fish. Becuase John West is The Best

It's all good as long as you're not the fisherman John West rejected.

Sorry.....Australian joke.

[shy guy]

You're the best, Count; that's the first time I've cracked a smile in over a week!

Although I'm something of a compulsive blesser, I can imagine myself being so awe-struck by the moment as to have missed the opportunity. Good work; now go stick those sardines into the back of a cupboard so you can

relive this obs when you find them in five years!