Right, this could probably seem very Mundane and Pointless to everyone else (not me), but I Must Share, because it put a smile on my face, and validated an important change in my life and life’s direction.
This just happened…
I woke up early for a Saturday morning, and wanted some coffee (as opposed to beer). No milk in the fridge. So I figured I’d bring back some of the empties that are still scattered about the kitchen area, and use the refund to get, well, a free carton of milk.
So I loaded some empty tallboys into my knapsack, pocketed a bit of change (it’s been a long time since I’ve bought a carton of milk and I don’t know how much one costs nowadays), and headed off to my corner store. I was wearing my usual Saturday morning “off-to-buy-more-beer” ensemble: my ugly glasses, a baseball cap, ripped jeans.
I go into the store, and the man (let’s call him Apu) is there, on the phone. I deposit the empties in the little crate near the cash, then head towards the back where the beer, wine, and milk are located. Nothing new for him; me showing up in the morning on a weekend to buy beer is nothing unusual.
Now, I haven’t been to said store since I stopped drinking. I’ve been buying my cigarettes from other stores on purpose. This was the first time I’ve been back to my regular corner store.
I return to the cash with a carton of milk. Apu rings up 50 cents, since I had brought back a dollar’s worth of empties. I look down and fumble through my pocket for some change.
Apu: “Are you alright?”
{{scott evil thinks he’s still nattering on the phone, then looks up, to pay.}}
scott evil: “Hmm?”
Apu: “Are you alright?”
scott evil: “Oh, I’m great, thanks.” {{smiles}}
Apu: "OK. I just haven’t seen you in days.
{{scott evil shrugs.}}
I pay Apu, put the carton of milk in my knapsack, and leave wearing a goofy grin. I walk back home, giggling.
The man was asking me if I was alright because I WASN’T buying beer at 10 AM on a Saturday morning!
Quite amusing. 
