#246 When you’re looking for the friend you lost at the grocery store and suddenly spot them at the end of an aisle after running all over the place

Sounds easy enough.

You grab the meat, I’ll grab the veggies, meet you at the front.

But after completing your Mushroom Mission and racing to the checkouts you suddenly find yourself all alone in Lineup Paradise. You can’t hang onto the awkward armload of plastic baggies for long so you trek out on a classic grocery store Hide And Seek Hunt.

Now you’re running around the store peeking your hopeful head down every aisle — hoping to spy your friend agonizing over salsa choices or sampling cold cuts way down the distant lane. You scramble forwards and back again before the big moment finally comes.

It’s your friend way, way down at the other end of the store.

And they’re waving.

AWESOME!

Wow! The Book of Awesome was just named a New York Times bestseller! Thank you everyone! Our awesome movement rages on.

— Email message —

” While at the cottage reading the original book of awesome things I happened across this page and couldn’t help but sigh and think of how awesome life was at that moment. Enjoy the attached picture. :)” – Olivia from Ottawa

Photo from: here

25 thoughts to “#246 When you’re looking for the friend you lost at the grocery store and suddenly spot them at the end of an aisle after running all over the place”

  1. *When you’re looking for the parent you lost at the grocery store and suddenly spot them at the end of an aisle after running all over the place

    ^ NIGHTMARES

    But this is awesome.

    1. Getting lost in the supermarket as a child was one of the scariest things ever!

      Sadly, I was a dumb child who seemed to never learn from past experiences, and got lost. Every. Single. Time.

      So I agree – the lone, waving figure at the end of the aisle is undoubtedly AWESOME!

      1. I always used to get lost in the grocery store! It is so terrifying. Wandering off always started out being really exciting and fun, and then I would realize that my mother was no where to be seen and I would panic. I would think up all these awful scenarios that involved my mother going home without me and leaving me to live at the grocery store. The feeling of relief you feel when you finally spot your mom’s familiar face at the end of an aisle is unmatched.

      2. As was I! It would always take a few empty aisles before I started to REALLY panic and almost always ended in me literally running from aisle to aisle calling her lol.

        But you know, supermarkets being safe enough to not worry when your child wanders off says a whole lot about the difference between now and 20 years ago! If my niece wandered away from me at one today I would totally freak out!

  2. I do this with hubby ALL the time. He is a slow shopper and I’m a fast shopper. I’ll go get stuff while he browses and when I’m done its difficult to find him. I hunt everywhere and most of the time he is right where I left him, even though I’ve already looked there. And I’ll ask, “Where have you been?” And no matter where he was or where I left him or if I’ve looked there before he always answers, “I’ve been right here the whole time.”
    It is a nice little workout, running around the store looking for the person you’re with while dodging the other shoppers and the displays in the middle of the isles.

  3. It’s even better when you reunite with them, and their shopping trolly is full of cookies. Nothing like a panic buy.

  4. First and foremost I feel the need to comment on the news about making the New York Times bestseller list! Holy awesome! That’s a really big deal! I mean, looking for a friend you lost at the grocery store and suddenly spotting them is really awesome, but if I had to rank them, making the NYT bestseller list would definitely rank higher.

    But I do love today’s thing … as usual, you’ve captured it perfectly. Thank goodness the need for a customer page has been eliminated ;)

    UNRELATED: Guys, one of my friends baked me belated birthday cake … and it was … a NUTELLA CAKE. That is all.

    1. Let me address the awesomeness of each of the things you mentioned in order of relative importance:

      1) NUTELLA CAKE!!!!!!!

      That is all.

    2. WOAH! Nutella cake!!! That is AWESOME! Completely jealous, even though I don’t like cake. I’d eat a Nutella cake though.
      Oh, yeah and congrats to Neil!

        1. Hmmm. I may have to bake a cake just to test this out. Actually, I think I’ll make a Nutella cheesecake. That sounds better!

          1. Nutella Cake…. I’ve been waiting all mylife to try some…. Can anyone post the recipe.

          2. Update: I made Nutella-orange cheesecake. It was fantastic. Just use your favorite cheesecake recipe, cut out some of the cream cheese to make room for the Nutella, springle in some orange zest, and you’ve got tasty cheesecake heaven!

  5. Neil – big round of ‘gratz on making the NYT Bestseller list. That is really and truly awesome.. It’s been great watching all the success you’ve achieved from down here in the comment sections all these days/weeks/months/years, and this is just another example of an amazing person succeeding based on doing something that they love!

    Keep it up – you deserve all the wonderful success you’ve achieved!

  6. This is undoubtedly AWESOME.
    It just happened to me the other day, and the wave of relief & satisfaction that comes when you finally find your buddy is pretty great.
    Why do we even split up at grocery stores? With all the time spent on unintentional hide & seek that comes along with going seperate ways for effiency’s sake, it would be faster to stay together.

  7. Now, as much as I LOVE this “SUPER-market” tapestry woven tale, and at times participate in all the fun and games, especially hide and seek, And it’s usually the start of a great happy ending at the aisle to see a wave and a smile…”Oh, there you are mate!” Even as a grown up I get vulnerable scared…so in those times I head off to see “the Wizard”, who calls out over the mic, not once but twice, and I am found again. Amazing Grace.
    Thanks for sharing the serenity, Olivia
    **Outstanding, Neil!* Congratulations!**

  8. sometimes, when i know someone is looking for me in a grocery store, i will purposefully extend the game of “hide & seek” a bit longer, by skillfully dodging them as the run from aisle to aisle :)

  9. This happens too often to me, lol. Invariably, I will have walked the perimeter of the store — sometimes twice — to find my shopping companion in the one place I hadn’t yet searched or in cases when I’ve combed through the store twice, in some place that was mysteriously hidden the first time. Almost like the emerged out of the wardrobe from (The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe). :-)

    With Love and Gratitude,

    Jeremiah

  10. So I’m a little late to the game with your site but had to leave an addition to this….

    I have a friend who whenever we get lost from each other play “Marco/Polo” and I get enjoyment when we find each other with this game.

  11. Hello! I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give
    you a shout out from Houston Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent
    work!

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