Tom was working as a cashier at the local Natural Grocers in Chandler, AZ. I had noticed him there a few times and had made a little bit of small talk and flirted as subtly as possible, but on Sunday May 7th, I was feeling bold. I went to the store that afternoon to grab some groceries for the week, and there he was. The store was pretty empty, so when I checked out and there was nobody in line behind me, I decided to try to make a conversation. I ended up asking him about his weekend, and he told me that he had tried to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 but they didn’t make it to the movie in time. I told him I had just seen it and highly recommended he try again, and by that time he was done scanning my groceries and handed me my receipt. Right when I walked out of the store, I whipped out my phone to Marco Polo with my sister and aunt about the cute cashier. I told them that I needed to make a move that day because I couldn’t wait another moment to do something, so my aunt and I decided I should go back in there and pretend I forgot something, and slip him my number at the register. To feel out if he had a lady, I was to ask if he had gone to see the movie with his Girlfriend. If yes, play it off and abort mission. If no, proceed. Simple, right? I went confidently back into the store, and as I’m passing through the sliding doors I TRIPPED ON THE FLOOR MAT. No, I didn’t hit the ground, but it was loud and ungraceful enough to make people look up. I didn’t even check to see if he saw me, I just kept walking. (I later found out that yes, he did indeed see me almost faceplant). For whatever reason, I decided to grab 2 cans of garbanzo beans, and when I got back up to the register I just said, “I made it almost all the way home before I realized I needed these!” Knowing full well that I had been sitting in my car for the last 15 minutes talking about him to my aunt.

Now for whatever reason, instead of saying, “did you take your girlfriend to the movie?” What I said was, “who did you see Guardians of the Galaxy with?” He said he went with a couple of friends, so I figured I was safe. As he handed me my receipt, without even looking at him, I slid the piece of paper I had written with my phone number on across the register desk and said, “this is for you.” Then all but ran out of the store. Smooth. I completely expected that that would be our final interaction; I sat in my car, filled in my Sister and aunt on what happened, had a good laugh, and figured out where the nearest Natural Grocers was to that one because I wouldn’t be able to show my face in there ever again. Well...turns out, for whatever reason, Tom decided to take a chance on that totally dorky, un-smooth redhead who tripped on her way into his view. He texted me that night and we made plans to go on a date, and as they say, the rest is history. ❤️