Speaking of Which...

Allison and I dropped into Barnes and Noble on the way home from work today. We were out and about, taking care of some miscellaneous errands before tomorrow's dental festivities. Generally speaking, our B&N trips are pretty straightforward: Allison goes one way, I go the other, and we meet up later. Usually she returns with a guilty look on her face and three books too many, and I make her put at least one back. Sometimes. That expression is one of the quirks that I love about her.

Tonight we arrived and, as per normal, scattered. I turned a corner and found myself face-to-face with the old COO. Yeah, the guy I mentioned yesterday. Wasn't expecting that one little bit. I also wasn't prepared to see him dressed down (jean shorts, a t-shirt and some beaten-up sandals). Intellectually I understand that he had to own casual attire (everybody does), but it threw me. Call me flummoxed. My brain went through a little reboot right then and there.

I recovered pretty quickly (I don't think he noticed), and we chatted for a couple minutes. Exchanged some pleasantries and I wished him the best of luck in the future. Prior to getting hired he'd spent years doing various consulting work, so I don't expect him having any issues landing on his feet.

He left to find his wife, and I beelined it back over to Allison. She and I snooped for a couple minutes, before heading over to the checkout line to be accosted by the old French lady, Elizabeth, who works the cash rep. Allison, you see, also worked at that particular store for a couple of months before landing a position at the current job. Elizabeth is the top seller of memberships at the store (easily doubling everyone else) because (1) she's an adorable tiny old French lady, (2) hard to understand, and (3) will not – repeat, will not – let you leave until you've signed or re-upped something.

It took somewhere around five minutes to purchase a a blank journal for Allison along with a pair of books and I had to sacrifice an email address to the Barnes and Noble Marketing Gods, but we made it out alive.

Then we went for sushi. Well, I had sushi and she had beef teriyaki. Allison doesn't do fish... yet.