Roasted duck legs, tomato salad

"Excuse me. Does this store sell sugar?"

"Sure. Follow me." 

"You can just point and I'll go ther…

Ping ping ping pingping pingping ping, disappears to farthest corner.

For every bear that ever there was 

Will gather there for certain because

Today's the day

The Teddy Bears have their pi-i-i-i-c -- nic

"You outpaced me with your superior speed."

"Oh, Sorry 'bout that, Mate. Will this work?" 

"Perfect."

That was fast. A nice walk to the store. Collect the things I have in mind and at the counter in no time at all. It is mostly about the walk. Three city blocks. And there are always reliably pleasant attractive young women there at Tony's. Always such a pleasure.

"Can you believe these duck legs are only $1.50? They went straight into the basket. How can I go wrong? I should have bought the whole cabinet."

"Yeah, I now. That's weird." 

"The duck breasts are $26.00 for a similar package." 

"Wow." Turning to the man.  Is this right?"  The same guy again, back already. He's very fast. 

The girl, to me, "What are these things?

"Turnips. And they're a lot better than carrots too." 

The man says, "That IS a low price for these duck legs. Those are parsnips and they are a lot better than carrots."  He corrected my vegetable misidentification but eased the awkwardness of correcting a customer in the same sentence by agreeing they're better than carrots and went on to say how, by roasting. 

"You are right. Parsnips. You have surpassed  me with your superior vegetable-knowledge." Looking at the girl, "Apologies for contributing to the delinquency of a youngster." 

That's two surpassings in two minutes. 

But, who's counting?

The man, looking directly at me. "Hello. My name is Stewart. What is your name, Mate?" Extends hand across counter. Shorter than myself but big clamping scratchy hands. 

We're mates.