From Golden State to Georgia Peach; Part Two

Have you ever gone to a party and saw a distant acquaintance or family member? Going to the store in Georgia is like that. My Iowa friends and family will know why this is necessary, but my California people will be highly confused. People casually walk over to you and grasp at anything they see or can vaguely remember about you to start up a conversation. Next thing you know, you just told this person why you went to the doctor last week or why your Aunt May left your Uncle Bob after 20 years. (This really didn't happen in my family).

The point is you run into the nicest, but nosiest people at the store. In California, you walk into the store, do what you need to do and walk out. In Georgia, you walk into the store, discuss which fruits or veggies are best in what season down one aisle, and in the next aisle you share your grandma's secret cookie recipe with the old gal looking at sugar and the following talk about which sweet tea brand is the best. And oh, don't forget about that last aisle when you see the first person you talked to and are than obligated to see which brand of apples they went with.

THIS REALLY HAPPENED on multiple occasions. I went with my niece to the grocery store and was shopping for heavy whipping cream. We were talking about it and I'm not kidding you, a lady walked over from two aisles and asked me if I found it and which brand I liked and why she used the powder version instead of the liquid.

That wasn't as bad as the last visit to the store. Now for those of you who read my first post know that I have a six-month-old. She's super cute and I always put bigger than life bows on her head which draws attention to her. When my oldest was young, I always got compliments on her beauty because she was tan like her dad with a head full of hair and light hazel eyes. But we also lived in California. It's not customary to ask a lot of questions to a stranger or take up more than thirty seconds of their time. However, in Georgia, they see a baby with a big bow on their head and it's open season.

"OH MY GOSH! Look at you, pretty baby."

"How old is she?"

"Where's she going to kindergarten?"

"What's her social security number?"

Just kidding on that last part but you get the idea.

So, I'm in the grocery store with my mom and a sweet old lady stops us and starts asking these questions. Now I'm a little way away and trying to keep my distance because I know where this is headed. But my mom not wanting to get roped in either says "Thank you." but then proceeds to say "I'm just the grandma though. The moms down there. She did most of the work." Really??? Why? I'm trying to get this shopping done and now I have to be part of this?

I make my way back to the now-taking-up-the-whole-aisle meetup. She proceeds to ask me questions about where were from, why June was wearing an Iowa onesie if I'm from California and so on. By the time were done forty-five minutes later, I know:

- where she lives

- that there are sixes houses on her street that just sold,

- how much they sold for

- what the acreage of each one is.

I also know her friend for twenty years has Alzheimer's, which friends of hers whose husbands just passed away and what the kids are going to do with the estates.

You might think that at the end of this forty minutes of talking that we were done. Nope. Another customer comes by, and she somehow corrals her into the conversation. Come to find out this new "victim" is from Placentia, California (small world!). She's been in Georgia for twenty years. That opened a whole new topic but luckily this new stranger could read social cues and didn't keep us much longer.

The conversation finally ended with the sweet lady telling us about a better grocery store off some random highway and we went our separate ways. I know that this is the new norm for me, but it will be an adjustment.

I've learned something though with each experience. I need to be open to strangers. Be more polite and gracious. Some of these people look forward to these connections with fellow patrons. They want to leave a store with more than their grocery list.

So be willing to earmark three hours of your time for the grocery store. You might make someone's day and connect with new people.