Text 2025, 54 rader
Skriven 2006-06-10 07:26:36 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
Ärende: Lobsters
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Manager's Special at Stop & Shop last week:  Lobsters, $6.99/lb.  

I often stop at the stores on my way TO work in the morning; if there
are any fresh markdowns, I buy them then and put them in the fridge
in my office. Also, if there's something special one of us wants for
dinner, I can save time in the evening by getting it on the inbound
trip and then just come straight home to start prep for supper.

Last Tuesday, there was a big sign on the lobster tank at Stop & Shop
advertising lobsters at $6.99/lb "While They Last!!"  There were a 
couple already cooked in the seafood gondola as well, so I bought 
one of those for lunch. To my surprise, it turned out to be a hardshell (
that means it's been a long time since that individual's last moult, 
and the exoskeletons are packed tightly with meat.)  Generally, most
lobsters moult at around the same time, so the rest of the bugs in the
tanks were likely to be hardshells, too. I decided to stop again 
on my way home and buy a bunch for supper.

I picked up Lynn at school and we headed to Stop & Shop.  The usual
fishdude wasn't there - Seafood was being covered by a huge burly
meatcutter from, well, Meat.  He gingerly plucked four nice pound-
and-a-halfers from the tank, bagged them. and weighed it for me, but
couldn't get the label machine to print a properly barcoded label,
so he took the bag over to the Meat Department and weighed it there.
Then he crossed out the barcode, labeled "MEAT", with a marker and
hand-lettered "FISH" on it.  "Here," he said handing me the bag, "Just
have the cashier ring it on the Fish Key.  Tell her I had to weigh it
in the Meat Department because Seafood's isn't working."  I also had
him pack up a pair of fresh softshell crabs ($1.99 each -  good price)
and Lynn got a tray of sushi to bring to lunch the next day.  On
our way to the checkout, we picked up a couple other small items.

I got to the checkout and the only one without a line had a n00b on
duty.  He rang up my purchases and told me the total was $18.40.  I
paid and we headed for the door.

Lynn looked puzzled.  I handed her the receipt and said, "Shtoom
until we get to the truck, got it?"  She nodded.

The n00b had seen the crossed-out bar code and handwritten "FISH"
and knew he needed to ring the sale manually.  So he did, but he 
read the rest of the label wrong.  Instead of charging me the proper
amount for the lobsters - $48 plus - he rang up the "per pound" price
as the selling price - $6.99!!!  WOOT!!

Supper was excellent, BTW.  I sauteed the softshell crabs in butter
after rolling them lightly in seasoned flour, and they were awesome.
The lobbies were splendid, and the next morning I had tomalley on
toasted English muffins for breakkies.

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minutus carborata descendum pantorum
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