[insert clever title here]

If you are Mormon, you may recognize the man in the background:

This man happens to be a customer at my work.  He also happens to think I'm nuts.

Charly is one of my favorite movies.  So three years ago, when a coworker told me the actor who plays Sam was shopping in our store I was a little excited.  I stood at my register hoping he would come through my line.  I tried to make eye contact with him to show him I was the friendliest cashier.  Just as he began to approach my line, a little old lady stepped in front of him and began to load the belt with bulk oatmeal.  He looked over to the next available register and my heart sunk.  Missed my opportunity.  But I knew he'd come in again-- I just didn't know when.

In a manner of weeks I was trained on dairy and no longer checking out customers.  On a fateful fall morning as I filled the cheese cooler You-Know-Who walked in.  (Not Voldemort.)  "Sam".

As he tried to squeeze past me and my cheese mess, I attempted to move as well.  My little fanny shimmed into a stack of chip cases which proceeded to topple in slow-motion on top of "Sam".  I was mortified and apologized profusely.  He, of course, was gracious and forgiving.  But the damage was done; I decided to give him wide birth in the future to avoid further embarrassment.

But a few months later he took me by surprise while I was filling milk in the dairy.  I saw him walk into the aisle and I tried to look as busy as possible.  "Hello?" I heard him say.  I started to panic.  I was going to have to talk to him, and flashbacks of the chip casestack fiasco flooded my mind.  I turned to face him and hollered, "HELLO!" rather loudly and dorkily.  He had been studying the sodas, but he turned to look at me and I realized he was actually on the phone.

As you can imagine, I've been avoiding him more since then.

Last Wednesday he came though my line.  I felt trapped, and my nerves kicked in.  He handed me his preferred customer card and I noticed he real name is Jeremy.  So, what do I say to him?  "My car's name is Jeremy."  He gave me a worried look and I realized he thought I'd named the car after him.  Great.  I began to stutter and explain the story behind acquiring my Corolla, but he left looking unsure of my sanity.

I have a couple of months left to embarrass myself in front of "famous" people, but hopefully I'll never have to run into "Sam"/Jeremy again.  I don't know if he could take anymore of my nervous antics.