My best friend Jessie and I went to Cameron Village today to hang out. Amongst all the window-shopping, I allowed Jess to lead me into an art gallery. After all, I had just kept her browsing over jewelry for an hour.
Admittedly, I’m an art geek, so I actually enjoyed the drop-in. It didn’t hurt that this adorable old lady ran the shop either. In the back by the bathroom was a row of paintings by renowned artists, including the Mona Lisa. Instead of the original face however, the elderly owner’s smiled out.
Upon making our exit, I expressed my admiration for the remixed paintings. The woman’s name was Ruth. Apparently for her 85th birthday, (which made my brain shout to ask how old she was now), her grandkids threw her a surprise party at the gallery, and instead of the original art on the walls, they’d replaced it with the photo shopped works instead. She kept her favorites.
We laughed and were on our way to leave… for real this time, but then I saw something that commanded my attention. I had to ask. There’s this wonderful little man, mid-40’s, slight paunch, and the most beautiful moustache in the entire world, right within reach from behind the counter. It. Has. Knobs. Like elegant French man style.
I turned to him; “Perchance sir, do you happen to work at Trader Joe’s?”
He cocks his head in curiosity, and Ruth behind him shouts excitedly, “yes! Yes he does! He’s the manager at Trader Joe’s!” Of course in the most proud little old lady sort of tone.
“I recognized your moustache.”
His moustache is a serious art. He described how some days he wears it turned down, others cock eyed, one up and one down. For Halloween he goes all out and decks it up with jewelry to go as a pirate.
We ended up talking for a half an hour, me, Ruth, moustache man, and Jessie. We swapped veggie Trader Joe’s recipes. I admitted that meeting him and talking to him in the flesh was like meeting a celebrity. I told him he was a total Renaissance man, selling groceries and art by day, and I bet he’s a superhero by night. I knighted him as The Super ‘Stache. His spandex onesie would feature a printed knobs ‘stache, akin to the one he wears atop his upper lip. Super power? Twirling the tips and giving an intimidating stare at perpetrators that would cause them to freeze in the middle of the act. I was clearly excited to meet my hero. I cannot wait for the next grocery run.
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