No Cameras Permitted

Lucy and I went on our Saturday Night Date and finished off with a stop at the local grocery store to pick up a couple of items. We had planned to have a nice dinner with William and Bonnie home at the same time so Lucy wanted a roast. One store had them at a price that was in competition with gasoline prices and we were going to pick up some Blue Bell Ice Cream that was on sale at a different store anyway where we could check for a better price on the roast.

I happened to glance up as we walked down the meat isle and there was a sign in front of the large double swinging doors that led to the back areas, “No Cameras Permitted”. I pointed it out to Lucy and chuckled, “Darn, that takes all the fun out of grocery shopping.” That’s the first thing I always think of when I go to get a gallon of milk and some dog food, “Hun, don’t forget the camera. You know how I always like to get a shot of those guys misting down the broccoli and stacking the carrots”. We have a special photo album just on the bread and cookie isle alone. I have one of a Hostess Twinkie with an expiration date of 2135, not that anyone would notice.

We got to the check out line and there on the wall near the exit was yet another sign, “No Cameras Permitted”. I asked the young lady why there was such a sign, or a need. She had never noticed it before and had a puzzled look on her face for my having asked. I went into my stand up comedy routine; letting her have a couple of one liners, “You guys afraid of all those Japanese tourists?” and, “Got a good one of the fellow sneezing all over the lettuce.” I don’t think she believed me when I told her I was going to write a short story about the sign.

Now that they’re onto us maybe I better get one of those new cellular telephones that have the built in digital camera. I can pretend to be asking Lucy what she wanted me to pick up on the way home while snapping instant images for her to download and get off to our contact in Madrid.