the awesome ensued

[misterx]

Yesterday I was running the Althaea Soaps booth at the Blue Plum Festival. I was hanging back in the shade of a doorway, talking to fellow photographer Susan (I'll link her LJ when I know it) and keeping an eye on the booth. I had just gotten some ribbon fries (spiral cut potato fries), and they were sitting on the table, along with my camera, and all the soaps.

A stooped old woman with tan skin and slightly wild hair shuffles up. She's wearing a long, sleeveless pink polyester dress. She looks a bit left, a bit right... I thought she was looking at the soaps. But no. She reaches out, and grabs a huge handful of my potato fries. She holds the plate and sops up every bit of the ketchup, and then takes a huge bite of the handful, like she's eating an apple. Susan and I both turned to each other with our mouths agape. Did that just happen? We look back, and the old woman is chewing with slow, exaggerated chomps. I look at Susan, and we both say "That is AWESOME". And so it was.

The woman then starts poking through the soaps, and given her somewhat liberal view of personal property I stepped up and helpfully let her know these were all handmade soaps, etc. She inquired how much, I told her, and she said okay and walked to the next booth. Still clutching my fries.

It was truly the best thing I've seen in a long time.


A distant second but still fairly awesome was the guy with the "can't grow hair" genetic condition that came up to the free face painting booth, and had them paint eyebrows on him.


All in all, I had a great time at the festival. And many thanks to nonspecific who helped out manning the store in the morning, and Sandra and her boyfriend/hubby (?) who helped out the rest of the day. You guys are lifesavers!

Comments

[cuntishness.livejournal.com]

Me being speechless is rare.

[misterx.livejournal.com]

heh. it was truly rockin.

[helenvictory.livejournal.com]

WOW!
i love your LJ!
it's like i see every word you are saying! oh...writting =)

[roaming.livejournal.com]

What's awesome is that you didn't get annoyed/angry with her for just taking the fries. Maybe she was hungry. Maybe she's not in her right mind. Maybe she thought the fries were there on the table as a free handout to lure people to the booth with. :-) Still, a lot of people would have been angry, so it's you that are awesome and compassionate.

[dtrnburke.livejournal.com]

I would agree, that is an awesome story. I never would have expected it either. That tops what happened to me last week:

I went to lunch with a coworker on a business lunch and was surprised when he grabbed some fries off my plate, dipped them in my ketchup, and munched down on them. I don't like people touching my food unless they are close friends or family, and I don't really care for this guy to begin with.

[misterx.livejournal.com]

after I told everyone what happened, they made a point of coming by and grabbing bits of what little was left.

and that was fine. after seeing the old lady, i didn't want those fries anymore. :)

[natf.livejournal.com]

Alopecia? Some people with that get eyebrows and lashes tattooed. Face painting is a novel alternative.

[natf.livejournal.com]

P.S. At least she did not think that your camera was free for the taking - then again, at least you were close by in case she had!