Page 35 - San Diego Woman Anna Adams

“Here you go, ma’am,” he says to annoy me till I scream at you, that’s what! “Would you pipe down?!” says the
Marianne, “watercress and sauerkraut to You have to remind us of every nut case psychiatrist to the kid.
sweeten the deal, as you said.” we’ve ever run across!” “Calm down,” says his mother to the
“Oh, thank you!” Marianne smiles, Marianne overhears the sumo wres- psychiatrist.
satisfied. tler. “Oh, thank you! I almost forgot to “That’s easy enough for you to
“Are you ready to finish checking get ice cream. And nuts! My favorite is say,” says the psychiatrist. “You’ve only
out?” Alix asks, biting her nails as she pistachio, so please get me a package. And been waiting five minutes, Mrs. John-
carefully avoids the glares of the blue- vanilla ice cream should do the trick,” she ny-come-lately to the checkout line!”
haired lady and the sumo wrestler. says to Oscar. “Don’t you worry what that ridiculous
“Just one more thing,” says Marianne. “No problem, ma’am,” says Oscar, man says, honey,” says the mother to the
“If I’m going to have sauerkraut anyway, I taking off with a flying broad jump. little boy.
really should make sweet-and-sour meat- “You know, you’re really sick. You “Honey! That’s exactly what I need to
balls to go with it. Please be a dear and get need help,” the psychiatrist says to the go with my tea!” announces Marianne. “I
me ten pounds of ground beef.” sumo wrestler, handing him his business must thank all you nice people behind me.
Oscar takes off instantly, imagining card. I never could have remembered all these
how good he’s going to look for the girls “I don’t want your stupid card, pops,” important items without your help.”
the next time he goes to the beach. retorts the sumo wrestler. Suddenly, all of the people waiting
“I thought you were going on a diet!” Oscar returns with the vanilla ice behind Marianne, including the little boy,
objects the blue-haired lady, glaring at cream and a package of pistachio nuts. fall silent.
Marianne. “Oh, thank you,” says Marianne. Oscar bounds over to the sweets aisle
“That’s not very nice,” says the sumo “Okay, ready to check out now?” begs and returns in record-breaking time with
wrestler, looking menacingly at the blue- Alix. the honey.
haired woman. “You know, that nice big man back “Would you like some help out?” says
Now the bespectacled man with the there reminded me of the popsicles I just Oscar to Marianne.
anniversary roses speaks up. “As a psychi- must have on hand when my twin grand- “Oh, thank you. I certainly would.”
atrist, I must ask you to tone it down here. sons come visit.” Marianne pays and walks out of the
Your strident approach could send the old Oscar takes off for the popsicles. supermarket, accompanied by Oscar, who
lady into a panic attack!” A young mother is now waiting is pushing her full cart.
“Mind your own business,” snaps behind the psychiatrist. Her three-year-old Meanwhile, back inside the super-
the blue-haired lady as the sumo wrestler has heard Marianne’s request. “Popsicles! market, the psychiatrist is hosting a group
gives her a thumbs-up. I want popsicles!” he screams, over and therapy session for the blue-haired lady,
“I’ll tell you what I think of psychia- over. the sumo wrestler, the young mother, the
trists,” says the irate sumo wrestler. “You little boy, Alix, and himself.

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