Salad

A woman buys a lot of salad.

Jennifer walked into the grocery store on a typical Friday night. It was busy with people stockpiling food for the upcoming weekend. She noticed a young couple scanning produce for imperfections while a mother tried to refrain her children from throwing bananas at each other.

With a red basket in hand, she turned to the right and stared at the section of prepackaged salads. Each of them contained mescaluna leaves, tomatoes, and cucumbers; she had her eyes on the ones with slices of red onions. Their strong, bitter taste wasn't for everyone. She liked to think it represented her wild personality.

After loading three salads into her basket, she made her way to the express lane. In front of her was a crotchety old woman haggling the poor cashier over a coupon.

'Ma'am, it's expired. I can't accept it.' The woman let out a sigh and finally let him cash her out, before giving him a dirty look and leaving.

'Hi,' he said with a smile, clearly happy to have the other woman leave his lane. 'Plastic ok?'

'Yes,' she replied.

"I see you here a lot. You always get these salads.'

'I like salads,' she said. 'Do you like salad?' He held the second salad over the scanner and looked up at her. Their eyes met with a strong intensity, as though the power from the onions pierced into their souls and brought them together.

'Yes,' he said. 'And I especially like the ones with red onions.' His soft, velvet voice gave her goosebumps.

'Not everyone likes onions in their salad,' she whispered. He scanned the third salad and hit the 'total' button.

'Well, I'm not everyone.'

'Who are you?' She said while handing him a twenty dollar bill. The register drawer popped open and he retrieved her change.

'I'm Dwight, three-time Employee of the Month here at Best Groceries in Town. And $16.42 is your change, ma'am.' She allowed his strong, masculine hands to linger on hers a few moments before putting the money away. 'Enjoy your salads.'

'I will,' she said. 'I definitely will.'