A Turkey Checked Me Out Today

It really doesn’t matter what time of day I go to Trader Joes’s. Whether it is at the height of the weekend rush, the middle of the week, or in the peaceful early Sunday morning hours, the experience is guaranteed to put a smile on my face.

How many times has a turkey checked you out when you were grocery shopping? That’s right. Never…… Unless you were at Trader Joe’s, the happy, whimsical land of grocery frolicking. I hesitate to even lump my friend TJ into the category of shopping, because I find grocery shopping a chore. The TJ experience is more like a social event centered around affordable organic food, hosted by the merriest of people. I notice them. Even when they don’t know I’m watching, I catch them singing along to the nostalgic tunes ringing throughout the store while unloading the cases of produce. They’re wearing their hip little tee shirts and working like busy bees. And they are the most accommodating of hosts. They don’t leave you crying when they have to gently inform you that they no longer carry your favorite hummus.   They tell you what their favorite hummus is and why, and then they reassure you that the Mediterranean variety will make you forget you were ever hooked on the Edamame kind. That’s how much they care. They are there for you during your darkest of hours.

And then they feed you. That counter where the tasty little samples of their seasonal favorites are being served draws quite a crowd. Some people take two or three of those samples. I would never do that! During that ninety seconds while I’m testing out the sample(s) and washing it/them down with a little two ounce coffee, I inevitably seem to make a friend. There is something about food sampling at TJ’s that causes people to want to share. They tell me about their favorite coffee, how they like it, and what other TJ products I should try. I love it. I’ve chatted with so many different types of people next to the sampling counter. I think if I worked there, I would want to be the sample lady because that counter seems to be its own little melting pot of consumers.

This morning while I shopped at a really early hour, there were no cow bells to be heard up front. Not even one dong. It wasn’t busy enough to ring for another cashier and I was almost a little disappointed. The cow bell is the designated TJ party instrument. But even though there were no bells this morning, I did have a turkey check me out. Her name was Alicia. She was the friendliest turkey I’ve ever chatted with. Seriously….do you even think you’d have the opportunity to chat with a turkey at Safeway? That’s not going to happen. Those other places are where you have to shop…… and where the produce people appear to be a little depressed. TJ’s is where you go to party with the fun employees and leave with some really cool food.

But back to Alicia the turkey. We really didn’t talk about a whole lot other than her cute little turkey suit, but why would we have to? Talking with a turkey is enough. It was enough of something a little out of the ordinary to put a smile on my face and set me up for a good Sunday. All of the check out people at TJ’s are always friendly, whether they’re in a turkey suit or not.

Why do I go on and on about my TJ experiences?…. Because you may remember, I’ve written about my friend TJ before. I’m not really sure why he has this effect on me. Maybe it’s just because I loathe any other grocery shopping experience, and my time at TJ’s actually energizes me. That’s some kind of miracle. I don’t know what kind of feng shui they have going on there, but they’re doing something right to meet the needs of the formerly depressed Safeway shopper.

So today I am thankful for a cute little turkey name Alicia that checked me out. I especially enjoyed it when she said, “Oops, I almost lost my head.” I knew I wouldn’t hear that sentence again today, or maybe even ever. And I’d just like to thank TJ for keeping it real and keeping it fun.

I’ll be back in a few weeks TJ. Don’t forget me. I’ll be the one frolicking in the produce area and sneaking maybe one extra sample at the coffee counter.  : )

 

Alicia – Friendly TJ Turkey Cashier