Pork Chops and Cosmopolitans

I had the strangest experience the other weekend at my part time retail job. I was helping an older gentleman and his significantly younger wife (he looked about seventy and she looked about mid-forties). At least I think it was his wife… it could have been his daughter.

Maybe I need to restart the story. I was doing a terrible job helping an older gentleman and his significantly younger wife. I couldn’t seem to help them with anything. I kept joking and the old man seemed to appreciate it. He finally asked me, "It’s obvious that you don’t work here full time." (My lack of knowledge regarding the particular products probably clued him off.) "What do you do full time?"

I laughed, but was reluctant to say. "Um, I don't think you want to know."

Within two guesses, he had figured it out. I was in shock! Then he asked, "Did you graduate from (Undisclosed) University?"

My eyes got big and I stood there surprised and a little freaked out. I said, "Do I know you? How did you guess my occupation and my college?"

He grinned and said, "Jane, you’re an easy read. You’re probably wondering how I know your name… don’t worry… it’s because you’re wearing a name tag!" He was enjoying this.

I shot him a skeptical look. "Seriously, do I know you? What do you do for a living… run a psychic phone network?" He laughed and again said… "Jane, you’re an easy read!" (I’m still not sure what that means.)

We chatted a bit longer. It ended up that he was a restauranteur. He owns three popular places in downtown Minneapolis. I told him I’d always wanted to try one of his restaurants. He asked for my address and I gave it to him.

To my delight (four days later), I received $60 in gift certificates to all three of his restaurants. (I guess it’s true, I do have a way with older men!)

Dutch and I went to the Monte Carlo last Saturday. We had a riot! I drank cosmopolitans and ate pork chops and Dutch drank gin & tonic and ate shrimp. (I would have asked Junior, but he still hasn’t apologized for blaspheming the Pistons.)

After the Monte Carlo we headed over to the Newsroom and grabbed a table on their patio. We drank and drank and watched people walk by on Nicollet Avenue. (Well… I drank and drank. Apparently Dutch only had a Summit.) But anyway, it was a beautiful night. There was a warm breeze blowing through the city and the drinks were cold. Dutch ended up driving me home. The cosmopolitans hit me harder than expected. (Oops!)

I know I said I was going to avoid Minneapolis for a while, (at least until I got my mind off 40 Year Old) but free food will entice me anywhere… heck… it could even entice me back to Las Vegas. (But, that’s another story!)

On a side note: I made sure to send a 'thank you' note addressed to both the older gentleman and his significantly younger wife/daughter.