Date: Wed, 03 May 2006 01:33:03 +0000
From: Eros434759@comcast.net
Subject: Grocery Boy part 1

It all started innocently enough; I needed groceries and had been putting
off shopping because I hate crowds.  I headed out to the supermarket that I
always shopped at.  I liked it because it was open 24 hours.  And as it was
11:30 I figured I'd pretty much have the place to myself and be able to
shop at my leisure.  I went through the mandatory items, milk, eggs, juice
and the like.  I like to get my produce at the end so I do not crush the
vegetables.  Anyway, I was coming around the corner to the produce section
and there he was.  He must have been new, because I would remember him.  He
was bent over unloading a box filled with heads of lettuce.  The first
things I noticed were his powerful legs.  I've always found guys calves and
thighs to be their most attractive features.  Well, besides their eyes, but
thankfully, he had his back to me and I couldn't see his face.  Well, never
one to be forward, I thought "Dream on, pal.  He is WAY out of your league"
So, I headed over to check out fruit, and let him finish his job before I
picked out some salad ingredients.  I was too engrossed in checking out
some oranges when I realized he was standing next to me.

"I'll be bringing out some fresh fruit shortly," he began "I notice you
like melons."  I must've visibly jumped, because he chuckled and apologized
for startling me.

"I'm sorry" I stammered, trying to recompose myself.  I had been caught.  I
looked into the biggest, softest brown eyes I had ever seen.  I decided to
slowly drink this guy in.  Now that he was not bent over, I realized he was
tall.  Very tall, at least 6 inches taller than my 6'1".  He had a light
complexion the color of a faded balsa wood.  He may well have passed for
white.  He was much lighter than my fairly dark skin. His hair was dark and
wavy, it made me think it may have been permed, but, it suited him.  Don't
get me wrong, I generally don't go for pretty boys, as they seem to be
completely absorbed in them selves.  This guy seemed oblivious to his good
looks.  He was dressed in faded jeans and a white dress shirt, over which
he wore a green apron.  Probably the required uniform, I reasoned.  As, I
had not planned on meeting anyone I knew and it was 11:30 at night, I just
slid into a pair of faded jeans and a sweatshirt.

"I noticed you checking out the melons earlier" he replied.  Realizing,
that I had not even gone near the melons, I quickly picked up on his
meaning.

"Uh, yes, they seem quite, uh, firm" I answered.

"We try to give our customers our very best" he answered.

Well, yes, I'm sure you do." I replied, not sure why we were still talking
like this.  The nearest customer was probably on the other side of the
store.

"The management does request that you refrain from squeezing the fruit,
though."  He said, gesturing to the overhead concealed cameras.  I got the
message.

"Well, thanks, uh, Chris."  I said, noticing his nameplate for the first
time. "I'm Parker."

"Hi, Parker.  It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, extending his hand.

"Likewise" I said grasping it firmly.  "I'll get those melons for you" he
said smiling, revealing amazingly white teeth.  As he walked away, I
thought, they wouldn't be nearly as nice as the ones you've already got.  I
tried to busy myself in the produce section, while not seeming overly
obvious.  He hadn't even determined that he was gay.  I thought, "Okay big
guy, get a grip.  He's probably just a friendly guy, doing his job." Lost
in thought, I didn't even notice him return, until he was next to me.

"What do you think of these?" he asked.

Completely forgetting what he was talking about, I asked, "What?"

"These melons" he replied.

"Oh, us, yes.  These will do nicely" I say and accept the honeydew he is
holding.  As I do, I feel a piece of paper as well.  He smiles again
showing those dazzling teeth again and I realize he's got dimples.

"Well, I have to get back to work" he says and turns and starts back to
several other crates that he has hauled out.

I stand there for a second wondering what has just transpired, then I start
to put the melons in my cart, suddenly remembering the paper that was with
them.  I look down at my hands and I see a small piece of paper carefully
folded.  I casually drop it into my pocket and decide I've got all the
groceries that I need and head for the check out.  As I reach the checkout
stand, I am reminded why I like shopping at night.  There's no one in line
and the matronly woman behind the cash register looks relieved to have
someone there to keep her from falling asleep.  I unload the cart and she
effortlessly scans each item, casually making small talk as she goes.
Suddenly, she stops.

"I don't have honeydew on my list" she explains.  Next she is calling for a
price check and my friendly giant is approaching.  If he looked good
standing, he looked like heaven moving.

"Hi Gwen, what's up?" he inquires.  "I don't have a price for honeydew?"
she replies.

"69 cents a pound" he offers looking directly at me as he says sixty-nine.
Now, Gwen may be older, but she's not clueless.  She throws me a knowing
smile and proceeds to finish ringing me up.

"I'll help you bag" Chris says and starts to sack my groceries.  I watch as
his powerful arms flex as he starts to bag the groceries.  Gwen tallies me
up and asks if I have a membership card.  Snapping back from my reverie, I
start to fish around in my pockets until I find the card.  As I pull it
out, the piece of paper falls out as well.

"You dropped something." Gwen says.  I hand the card to Gwen and bend over
to pick up the paper, offering Chris an unobstructed view of my ass.  I
don't carry a wallet for just that reason.

"Like what you see?" I hear Gwen ask.  As I come back up I can see poor
Chris start to turn crimson.  Damn, he is light, I think to myself and
smile.  "Hurry up, Chris, you're done at midnight, aren't you?" She asks.

"I can't give you a ride home tonight, I volunteered to work overtime.
Need the cash" She continues without giving him a chance to respond.

"Look at you, Little Miss Matchmaker," I think to myself.  He looks
quizzically at her, and they exchange knowing glances.  I offer up the
money to pay for my purchases and look for the exit.

"You wouldn't be headed for the South side of town, would you?" Gwen asks.
I look apprehensively at Chris, "Actually, yes." I reply.  "If you're not a
mass murderer, I wouldn't mind giving you a lift." I continue.  He smiles,
blushes and graciously accepts.

Later, I sit in my car waiting anxiously as I try to anticipate how I'm
going to handle myself, on this drive with my giant.  I look up to see
Chris striding across the parking lot.  I jump out of my Maxima and wave to
him.  He kind of gallops over and makes the attempt to squeeze into the
car.  I tell him to let the seat back until he can fit.  He gets as
comfortable as possible and we begin our journey.  He makes the usual small
talk, as we head down the road toward the south side of town.

I ask him about his family and what he's doing with his life he fills in on
what he's doing and why he's working at night.  He goes to school and does
this to pay rent.

I offer back that I work in an office, quite near his college.  Then the
song on the CD ends and some bubbly dance tune comes on.

"I love this song" Chris says, and begins to sing along.

"He's even got a great voice," I think to myself.  Sort of a cross between
Barry White and Luther Van Dross.  Hating to break up his little serenade,
I say "Okay, you're gonna have to help me here.  I don't know this
particular area."

"Oh, it's just there on your right, the cruddy duplex" he replies.  I
swallow the urge to say something.  The place really was a dump, but, not
much different than what I'd grown up in.

"Um, thanks for the ride.  You did get that paper you dropped, didn't you?"
he asks.

"Oh, uh, yes." I reply.  Remembering the carefully folded paper he had
given me.  I reach into my shirt pocket and take it out.

As I am unfolding it, he says "It's my phone number, I hope you'll call"

Hope I call, Those nine digits were burning themselves into my memory.  I
may whip out my cell before I get to the end of the block!  I try to remain
cool and just smile.

He picks up his bag from the back seat and heads toward the duplex.

"Good night" he says turning to flash that dazzling smile.  I hit the horn
and drive off, completely forgetting I have no idea where I'm going.
That's okay.  I've just had the most incredible stroke of luck.  It's too
early and I'm to jaded, but could this be love?

(To be continued.)