this morning started as they all have the last two weeks.. a new time schedule and routine to accommodate SuperBoy starting the first grade (insert applause here) at a new school and also starting childcare at a new facility. it’s a bit of the same mixed with a lot of different. a time of adjustment, and an adjustment of time.

after running down the list of morning to-do’s, it was off to childcare and to the grocery store for me. as a pregnant woman, i seem to have limited control over my stomach. i eat and though i may feel that i haven’t room for any additional items, a not-so-subtle alert comes from the room addition known as “the belly” and i have to find something more. this morning, we wanted fruit. so after the check-in, high-five, hug and kiss, i left SuperBoy to his four-foot-friends and trotted off to the local grocery.

i entered the store, knowing exactly what i was looking for, searching for and prepared to purchase. i stopped in front of the refrigerated wall of pre-washed, pre-cut, pre-packaged fruits, vegetables and assorted salads. fruit for breakfast and salad for lunch! my mouth was already watering. as i stood there in my pregnant woman stance (that’s leaning back a little so as not to fall forward) an older gentleman entered my peripheral vision. as i looked up he stated gingerly “good morning” with a very heavy accent. i’d love to describe it to you, but my guess is that he was greek. 🙂 to follow is the short, but entertaining, conversation between the two of us. mind you, his accent was heavy and was accompanied by large hand motions and gestures to assist in our conversation (it was really very charming):

gentleman: good morning!

me: morning

gentleman: you working here?

me: no, i’m shopping.

gentleman: oh, i thought you >>motioning towards the wheely cart with prepackaged food stuffs on it<<

me: oh, no, that was here.

gentleman: you going working?

me: yes.

gentleman: >>turning his head twice and looking at my protruding belly<< you, uhhh, you have baby there?

me: yes. i have two.

gentleman: eh?

me: i’m going to have twins. two babies. >>holding up my two-fingered peace sign<<

gentleman: oh my goodness! twins? twins! wonderful! >>pointing his index finger towards the sky and thrusting his arm upward<< wonderful!

me: yes. thank you.

gentleman: you having, uhhh, boys? guhrrrrls?

me: one of each. one boy and one girl.

gentleman: oh! this perfect! this whonnderfull. verrrry nice.

me: thank you so much.

gentleman: you eating good?

me: yes, of course. >>smiling as i motion to the wheely cart full of packaged food stuffs<<

~ we both chuckle ~

gentleman: this is so good. whonnderfull! i wishing you, uhh, wishing you… >>hands in front of him, moving in circles as if he wanted to tell himself “get on with it”<< i wishing you good, uhhh, easy, uhhh… i wishing you…

me: thank you, i wishing me too.

gentleman: so wonderful. you know i’m thinking. i wish you. >>hands still motioning<< good. good.

me: thank you, very much. have a good day.

gentleman: you too, darling. you beautiful!

we walked our opposite directions, both smiling. i left the store with my fruit. my salad. and a renewed sense of loveliness. this little conversation had made my day. my day actually got considerably uglier (as days tend to do), but back crept thoughts of my shopping friend and all i could do was smile. i felt that “glow” that everyone talks about when they see an exuberant pregnant woman. i felt warm and beautiful.

sometimes, just saying what’s on your mind can be exactly what someone else needs to hear. i can’t say that i’d never seen him before, perhaps i had — and we just didn’t interact or i didn’t remember him. but now, now i will never forget him. i hope to run into him after i’ve birthed my little darlings, so i can thank him again for “wishing me”. i wish him too.