a nice, leisurely lunch, followed by some witty banter

the best...

Ok, so here's what happened to me today. I LOVED this interaction that i just had...mainly because it was so funny to me.

Work, work, work, and now its 12:30p. Hunger pains. What to do? Go to lunch w/ Niki!

Swing by the bank, withdraw my money for the next few weeks (clothes, food and gas...thanks Dave Ramsey) and as i get back in the car, we have to decide where we are going to go to lunch.

Niki's previous idea about Jamba Juice didn't sound particularily appetizing so i suggested Great Harvest...the best bakery in the world. I love going there early in the morning, smelling the bread, drinking a nice peet's iced latte and getting a free slice of bread.

Well, as we walked in there today, i was bowled over by this amazing pastry that they had on the counter. Come to find out, it was freshly-baked marionberry pie, of which was broken up into little cups of heaven, free for the tasting.

I was offered a sample by a guy who worked there. (inner dialogue: "who is that? I don't recognize him? he's outgoing...he just offered me pie.")

I accept with a enthusiastic "shut up! i love marionberry pie!"

homeboy is silent. He took me literally.

(inner dialogue: ok, he's got a sense of humor. i like that...finally someone comes out to play with me...i love sass.)

i tell him i didn't mean it, have my little sliver of marionberry heaven. niki orders her sandwich, i order mine, banter, banter, pleasantries, pleasantries.

Homeboy walks away to get our tea and water, and as he's vacated his position behind the counter, one of the older guys who works there comes up to usand asks us if we had tried their marionberry pie. I tell him no, we weren't offered any. He walks away, and me and Niki just laugh about the whole exchange up until now.

Older guy comes back out with forks and more pie, and says, "you have to try this pie." And, now, i get apologetic, and explain that really, i was given pie, and it was so very delicious. The best i've ever had. He offers me another sample, and being a girl who loves a little pie, i accept.

As out sandwiches are being artistically created, we go out and find a seat. I choose a half-sun exposed beauty of a table and we sit down to sun ourselves and lunch.

Here's where things get interesting...we get our sandwiches, eat and as niki's finished her sandwich, cute (oh, did i mention he was cute?) guy comes back out and, while taking niki's tray away asks how things were, if we needed anything else, and then looked at me and asked me if i wanted more pie.

(inner dialogue: "again with the sass! can i just please have a guy who teases me in a fun way? that attribute so attractive.")

I told him if he wanted to give me a whole pie for free, i'd gladly take it. He smiled, told me he'd work on it and walked back inside.

I finish my sandwich, and as i'm done with my sandwich, he comes out again to tell me that he checked with his manager and that they are playing a softball game tonight at big league dreams and that if i show up at the game tonight, he can give me 10% off. I take a second to clarify: 10% off on the entrance fee to Big League Dreams or on the pie? Cause that is a big difference. Its $2 to get into the park and the pie is probably around $10...so really i w as being given either .20 or $1...its a big difference that deserves a little clarification (thanks again Dave Ramsey). Nope, not the entrance fee...i'm by myself on that one. I could get 10% off on the pie..

I ask him what time and which field. "7pm, Wrigley". I ask him how i'm going to get my 10% off and he tells me that I'll have to find him after they are done. How am I going to find him if i don't know who he is, so I ask his name, he tells me, and i tell him mine and that i'll be there. He walks in, Niki has a good laugh and i do as well, as this is probably the most random lunch experience i've ever had.

We continue drinking our teas and waters, enjoying the sun and just basking.

After about a good 20 minutes, cute-counter boy comes back, asks us if we need refills on anything. I decline. (too much water is bad for the skin, i've heard.) Niki does get some more iced tea.

He comes back out with her tea and tells us that he talked with his manager further, and they made the decree that i can only have the 10% off if i get the pie now, and that essentially absolves me of having to go tonight. I tell him that I really was planning to go to the softball game, and that, unfortunately, i can't take the pie with me back to the office.

He doesn't beleive that i'll come and i tell him that i really do love live sporting events, and he says they play really poorly. I tell him i'll probably spend the time laughing at them, and i really laugh when people get hit by balls. He tells me he'll get hit by a ball on purpose.

I laugh, and niki and i get up to go, and as we are walking out, we acutally run into one of the other guys who works there and he asks us if we are coming tonight. Affirmative, Great Harvest, we will be there. No need to wonder...this is a fact.

We laugh as we go out to the car...its the most funny lunch encounter i've had. (Its my theory of pherimones in action.)

And, really, despite what Great Harvest thinks, I really will be going. Because really, i do love Big League Dreams softball, and i love being stubborn, and heck, a girl's gotta have some fun.

So, come out to Big League Dreams tonight, 7pm at Wrigley Field if you want to see at least one cute guy get hit by a ball. It should be good times.