Tuesday, June 6, 2017

I Hear The Veggies Singing

What the bleep is Gelson's? 
A nice market in Sherman Oaks and other places in SoCal.

Why the bleep do you talk about it so much?
Why? I'll tell you why. Because I love it like no other market I've ever been to in my entire life. Actually, that's not true. For many years, I was deeply in love with Westwood Ho on Westwood Boulevard. I loved it so much I called it the Ho. As in, "I'm going to the Ho." Then it burned down. Then they rebuilt it. Back then, when I was still a Westsider, Westwood Ho was my Gelson's. I wrote about it so much in the newspaper I worked for, I got invited to the reopening. Then I moved to the Valley and at some point, Westwood Ho closed. That's how much it missed me.

Have you ever talked to someone about your weird obsession with markets?
I'm talking to you right now, aren't I?

Touche. So what is it about Gelson's that makes you so bleeping happy?
Where to begin. Well, it's friendly in there. People who work there smile for no reason. There's no anger in Gelson's. There's only joy and camaraderie and overpriced food. And singing.

Singing? 
You heard me. The people who work there often sing.

Can you give me an example?
I thought you'd never ask. Just yesterday, I was over in Produce, picking out a nice bunch of bananas, when I heard singing. "Dance! Dance! Dance!" It was coming from Vegetables.

You heard the veggies singing?
Really? Didn't your mother teach you it was rude to interrupt?

Maybe. Go on. 
As I moved toward the source of mirth, fetching some red onion, rosemary and thyme along the way, I spotted the produce man, stacking the cukes, the zucchini, the bell peppers, and singing "Dance! Dance! Dance!" at the top of his lungs. I went right up to him, because in Gelson's, I'll talk to anyone. In Gelson's, I'm free to be me. "Ah ha! You're the one singing!" "Dance! Dance! Dance!" he sang back. "You first," I said. But he just kept singing. "Dance! Dance! Dance!"

Dear God in heaven, did you start to dance?
In the market? Even I have my limits.

I find that hard to believe.
How dare you?

2 comments:

  1. Thank God for you Carol. I always thought I was nuts, when I heard the vegetables sing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Next time I see you, we'll sing a Veggie melody! "Hello, green beans, well hello, mushrooms...."

    ReplyDelete