Surprise in Store

(All the brown dialogues enclosed in brackets are me speaking to myself.he..he…he…..)

See, the other day I was at our local grocery store, gaping at hair care products, when all of a sudden, a man in white(t-shirt) appeared right beside me.

"Are you done shopping?" asked he with his eyes firmly affixed on my shopping cart. Like you, I was outraged and puzzled.

I stared at him and said "NO" ("Who the hell are you?") and walked past him.

At the next aisle, I was scanning the breakfast cereals, when another man in white popped out and asked the same question.

"Are you done shopping?" . His eyes were right on my cart.

I shook my head "NO"("What is the matter with you guys in white?") and scurried to the next aisle. I was so bugged that I wanted to leave the shop immediately. I came to the front end of the aisle, made sure that there were no "white" in vicinity and proceeded to the checkout counter without any further delay. Lo and behold! I bumped into another tall man in white.

"There you are," said he.

("OMG!Not again")

"Could you please go to counter no. 12?" said he.

"I'm good here, " said me. ("Counter 12?Are you crazy?It's an express checkout counter and I have more than 15 items")

"Mam, we are running a special promotion today and you will be in for a special surprise if you go to counter 12, " said he.

I grinned, shaking my head from left to right.

"With your permission," said he and steered my shopping cart towards counter 12.

I was totally perplexed, confused, annoyed…..

"What's happening?" asked me as I followed him reluctantly . ("Hey,Hey!I didn't give you permission, stop the cart right now".)

"Don't go anywhere! Stay right here till I come back. Take my words,"said he parking my cart just three steps away from the counter.

"O.K. Fine, " said me ("Why should I take your words?You are out of your mind".)

There I was, standing in an express counter with a cart full of goods. The shoppers that passed me stared at me as if I've escaped from pre-historic era. That too one lady from my country, she scanned me from top to bottom. ("என்ன look, mind your own business")

Out of nowhere came the tall man again and said "You can proceed to the counter," and he vanished into thin air.

"Finally" said me and took two steps, only to be surrounded by swarm of people in white. Before I could realize what was happening, one men among white ,handed me a bouquet and said "Congratulations!"

I looked at him blankly. ("என்ன நடக்குது இங்க?")

"How was your shopping experience today ?" asked another woman in white.

"Awesome" said me. ("ரொம்ப மோசம்.")

"I see your cart is full of our store brand. How do you feel buying our store products?" asked she.

"I always like to buy your store brand," said me ("உங்க கடைல store brandஎ விலை ஜாஸ்தி , இதுல எங்கேந்து நான் branded வாங்கறது".)

Did I tell you another woman in white was capturing all these repartee in iPad2?

As I was about to unload my cart, the very first man in white that I saw came to my help. Rather he unloaded everything with me simply watching. As I was about to swipe my card, that tall man in white appeared all of a sudden, outstretched the store gift cards,(ten numbers)like an accordion and said, "This is for you."

"I don't want to buy any gift card today," said me. ("அடடா , ஒரு gift card வாங்கவா கோழி அமுக்கறா மாதிரி என்னை அம்முகுணிங்க")

"No Mam. These 10 cards worth $50 is all for you," said he.

Really!!! For the record, I have never won any lucky prizes before. Therefore I could not believe that I've gotten lucky all of a sudden. As I stood there gloating within and now knowing what to do, the first man in white swiped all the 10 gift cards one by one. And the lady behind the counter said "Your total amount is $2.86¢". Wow!!

"What?" grinned me.

"Yes Mam. I told you will be in for special surprise and this is it," said the tall man. I swiped my credit card, thanking all the people in white for making my day. They didn't take my thanks very seriously though. I came out of the store feeling head and shoulders above the rest!!!. There, I saw that lady who scanned me from top to bottom. I went near that lady with my cart, scanned her from top to bottom. (" hey lady, இதோ பார், இப்புடு சூடு, இதர் தேகோ, look here, a cart full of groceries only $2.86¢. and did you see this boquet, it's free of cost!!! haa..haaa.")Before even I finished my villainous smile, she left that place. Sigh!!!

As I was loading "$2.86¢" into the trunk of my car, I heard some noises behind. Again the people in white.

"Why did you video record?" asked me that nagging question.

"Oh!!That's for our store purpose and for our commercial," said that woman who captured the repartee.

"What!!You mean, Me on T.V.?" asked the elated me.

"You bet," said that woman.

Wha…….t??I'm going to be on T.V.? Did I dress properly?Did I talk fluently?Did I stand nice ant tall?OMG!!I should tell this to somebody. I frantically searched my handbag to find my cellphone, only I left my cell phone at home. Too bad. I closed the trunk, got behind the wheel.

As I pulled my seat belt I went into my dreamland where all my family and friends were raving about my appearance on T.V. Suddenly another Sujatha bobbed up hazily and said "ஹே, லூசு, who will give $50 just like that?You have become a guinea pig for something. Don't day dream and be on the look out."

"Shut up you. You are jealous of me," I pooh-poohed her.

I went into my dreamland again enjoying all those nice comments, "Sujatha, you looked beautiful on T.V., Sujatha, you talked with such an ease, ……" In sheer ecstasy, I fired up my car. Along came the song through my car speakers,

தேடும் ஓடங்கள்,

கனவு காணும் வாழ்க்கை யாவும் கலைந்து போகும் கோலங்கள்!!!

(All dream of life becomes de shelved attire - Google Translate)