Grocery Shopping

"Manager to isle four, manager to isle four." With a crackle, the intercom turned off.

Liz shook her head and pushed her purse further on her shoulder. Her eyes searched for the items on her list, her mind elsewhere. She never saw it coming.

The giant jar of tomato sauce, lying on its side, on the top shelf of isle two, rolled across to isle three and allowed gravity to dump it on the head of an unfortunate brunette.

The sound of shattering glass brought Max Evans running to the scene. "Are you alright?"

There was no response.

"Miss?" Was there blood? He couldn't tell, gingerly he brought the woman to a sitting position, leaned her against the canned peas for eighty-nine cents and called the manager.

The manager wasn't happy. "This is the fifth kamikaze tomato sauce jar incident this week."

The manager had taken to carrying smelling salts with him to work, now he pulled one out and waved it beneath the brunette's nose. "Now, darling, are you alright?"

Liz's eyes fluttered open. "Where am I?" she asked bewildered. Then, "Why did I dye my hair red?"

With the grace of a drunk she stumbled to her feet. The manager cringed and Max knew he would be pulling an extra shift as the woman knocked off the canned peas "whoops!" carrots "I hate vegetables!" and…there goes the green beans, Max thought. "Ewww!" He gripped her arm before she made it to the glass encased beets.

"Here, why don't we go sit down?" The woman didn't answer, so Max steered her towards the managers office. Right then, the intercom buzzed on "Manager to checkout, Manager to checkout."

Rolling his eyes. "I swear Max, this place is possessed." Max grinned. "Take care of her. Michael," the manager motioned to Michael Guerrin. "Clean this up. Max, give her free…"

"Manager to checkout and manager to deli, manager to checkout, manager to deli"

Max laughed at the manager ran off.

"Why'd he go away?" Liz asked, her head hurt, her hair was sticky. What am I doing here? She looked up into deep blue eyes. "Who are you? Why am I here?"

"You're grocery shopping." Max said patiently as he opened the door to the office.

"Why would I go out like this?" Liz pointed to her tomato sauce splattered clothes.

"I don't think you left looking like that." Max pulled up a chair, sat her in it, then plopped down across from her. "Do you feel okay?" The woman looked up at him, and he finally took notice of the stunning creature in front of him.

Cataloguing the hurts, Liz concluded she'd live. "I'm fine, I think. Nothing that bottle of aspirin I picked up won't cure." That made the man across from her laugh, "Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"No, no. Not at all. Now that your lucid, I assure you that Mike's Mart will pay for your groceries that you wish to purchase today, and that we are extremely sorry about what happened. We have been having a problem with the tomato sauce on the top shelf." Max explained. The brunette nodded.

"Very well. Lets shop." Liz hopped to her feet and made for the door.

"Not so fast!" Max said, laughter bubbling inside him. "Maybe you should clean up a bit first."

Liz emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, feeling a lot less sticky. "Thanks." She smiled at the man who's nametag read 'Max E.'.

Max carried the shopping basket as Liz went from isle to isle picking this and that out, comparing prices, changing her mind. Max was enthralled, he'd never met someone who had such a strange shopping routine. When they got to isle three, he was happy to see that Michael had cleaned it up.

"What hit me?" Liz asked.

Max pointed to the top shelf. "The Alien Tomato Sauce."

"The Alien Tomato Sauce?" Liz's eyebrows rose, questioning.

Max shrugged with a grin. "Hey, its Roswell."

Liz nodded and continued down the isle. Max took the time to admire her long dark brown hair, trim figure, and nice butt.

"Are you from around here?" he asked.

Liz turned around with a smile. "No, I just moved into the neighborhood, but I won't be here long, I start college in two weeks." She contemplated a box of rice, before deciding it wasn't worth it.

"Oh really." Max pointed to a better deal, "That rice there, is good, price and taste." Liz picked it up. She had long artist fingers; her nails were short and unpainted. "Where are you going to college?"

Liz placed the rice into the cart, her hand grazing his on accident. "Oh, I'm going to NMU."

"I go there too." Max stated as he tried to find his brain. He had never before experienced anything like what had just happened. Not from just one touch, anyway.

"Hey man, you gonna be off soon?" Michael hit Max's shoulder. "Wake up. You wanna go to my house, or are you gonna go home?"

Annoyed, Max glanced at Michael. "I don't know yet. Let me think about it."

Michael looked from Max to Liz, back to Max. "Ohhh, I see." He turned to Liz. "Hey. I'm Michael Guerrin," he offered his hand. "And whenever there is a damsel in distress, I never get to be the hero. Why is that Max?"

Truly annoyed now, Max rolled his eyes. "I can only imagine."

Liz laughed. "Liz Parker." Shaking Michael's hand she smiled. "Nice to meet you, and to be truthful, girls don't like to be saved."

"Ah, you're a compulsive liar. Nice to meet someone just like me!" Michael put his arm over Liz's shoulder and faced Max. "Don't we make a cute couple?" He asked. Liz laughed.

"And you wonder why you're single." Max shook his head as Michael laughed and released Liz. "I just haven't met anyone as charming as myself…yet."

"I'm sure there's someone out there." Liz said kindly.

"Or in here." Michael said with a wink.

"Oh boy."

"Ok, Michael. I think it's time to let Ms. Parker get her shopping done." The manager popped into the isle. "Restock the candy bars upfront won't you."

"Whatever you say." Michael bowed. "Why does Max always get to escort the girls around?" he complained as he and the manager walked away.

"Because he actually gets them to buy the merchandise, not just get their number."

Liz laughed and grinned more than she had since moving to this little town.

"Sorry about him, he's always been a bit…"

"Horny?" suggested Liz.

Max nodded. "So, are you finished shopping or do you need anything else." Liz looked at the basket.

"I think I got it all. Thanks.

As Max bagged her free groceries, he asked her about herself.

"What do you mean?" Liz asked.

Max put applesauce into the bag. "Where'd you move from?"

"Oh, well, we used to live in New York, my dad, he's… well we moved because of him. Anyway."

"Do you like it here?"

Liz leaned against the counter. "I haven't really met anybody."

From the candy rack, Michael's head popped up. "Come to the party tonight, some college girl's having one at the old Carleton place. It's gonna be a blast." His head disappeared behind a big snickers box.

"The old Carleton place?" Liz asked, her smile bright.

"Yeah, it's a party spot." Liz nodded and Max hesitated. "I could pick you up, if you wanted to go, that is."

Liz thought for a second. Parties weren't her thing. But… "Sure. Um, here, let me write down my address." She handed him the slip of paper. "What time?"

"Around seven."

"Ok. Well, I guess I'll see you then." Liz picked up her grocery bags, and walked out.

"Smooth, real smooth." Michael said between bites.

"Oh shut up."