A strange meating

Sunday is cleaning day. Or better known as pretend to clean and at the very least throw-out-all-the-old-food-from-the-fridge-day. Inevitably, I am left with a dilemma, "Do I throw this plastic container of food out? Or do I dare open it and throw away its contents to use for another day?"

In effort to be environmentally friendly, I decide to wash the containers. My reward, the garbage disposal freaks out and I am left with a sink full of water and tofu stir fry. This combination is possible the most barf inducing site, so I speedily go into action.

I grab my keys and go to the drug store. Walgreens is 7 blocks away from my house: 6 going east and one going north. I decide to drive, the 5 minute walk would be grueling.

In the parking lot, I see a mob of people. They all seem to know each other. I think to myself how strange it is to see a sea of flannel. Did I time warp to 1992? Inside I find Draino and Liquid Plumber. I can't decide so I buy both. I will use the Draino first. It is 40 cents more expensive, and it is called "max gel." I think it must be better.

The lady working the front desk, rings up my items. "Here you go ma'am," she says as she hands me my change and two drain cleaners. I thank her. It drives me a little nuts that everyone in Baltimore always use miss and ma'am, but after a month and a half, it is getting better.

Outside the crowd has thinned out. I can finally see what everyone was gathered around to see. A black and brown van that read "Capitol meats" in white letters surrounds by flames. A man in blue and white trucker hat is sitting on the edge of the van. When he sees me he opens the back door to his van. Gulp. I see steam coming out of it. It is the cold air from a refrigerator that is hitting the wet air.

"Hello, there," he says. "I have some nice porter houses still left. And I'll give you a discount since it is the end of the day."

"Oh no thank you." I reply. "I just came for the Draino."

"I see ma'am. Well, I am here every Sunday and if you have anything special in mind I can put it aside for you next week," he says.

"Ummmm. great. I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I reply. "Have a good day."

"You too ma'am," he says.

Summary: there is a man that sells meat out of a van in the Walgreens parking lot by my house. Baltimore, you are living up to all my stereotypes.