WHOLE HEARTED

It's the same thing every day.

Big sunglasses: necessary. Head scarf: optional but certainly a good idea. If only I could camuoflage my car somehow. Then perhaps they wouldn't know that it's me. Again. I do vary my routes so they won't expect to see me rounding the same corner I did yesterday. But I simply cannot help myself.

Every day, during lunch time I drive over to the Whole Foods site to circle like a vulture.

Today, the green vinyl banner said it will be open in 8 days. Yesterday it 9. The day before: 10. I know because I saw it. Day 10 was the first day they put up that banner. I'm nonchalant in saying that the only reason I know that it was the first day is due to the fact that I visit the site every day. What if they opened earlier than 8 days from now, as a secret or something? I will not be left out.

When we kissed Sin City good-bye there were many a thing I knew I would miss. Whole Foods was at the the tip-top of the list. Maybe the top. Okay, I equivocate: a warm winter was right at the top. Since our departure, whenever I found myself in Vegas for business, my expense report had two Whole Foods charges for each day I was there (sometimes three): lunch, dinner, and very often breakfast.

Happy days are here again.

I don't think the Reno Whole Foods employees and construction workers have caught on to my daily stalking, because just today they sent me a bona fide invitation to come join them in eating marvelous things in just 8 days. Seeing the return address, I couldn't stop my hands from shaking when I opened it. Come to our store, it said. They like me! I thought.

June 25. I'll be there.