When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 22, one of the hardest moments was when I walked into a grocery store for the first time after getting out of the hospital. Suddenly there were entire sections of the store that were completely off-limits to me. Standing there in front of the displays of hot chocolate, bagels and cereal, I realized that I’d never look at a grocery store the same way again.
It’s been almost 9 years since then, and I’m over it — like Belynda, I just graze around the periphery (and it’s never like I was a person who bought donuts). But I just saw a video that makes me think I might be going to the wrong grocery store. It’s by a group called Improv Everywhere, and I highly recommend checking out some of their other work, like “Spontaneous Musical in a Food Court.” Also, I’m pretty sure I once ran into these people myself at the Union Square subway stop in NYC on a frigid January afternoon during one of their annual “No-Pants Subway Rides.” 
I walked into a 6 train, looked around, and noticed that — despite the 23-degree weather — about 15 people in the car weren’t wearing any bottoms. We passed by a few more stops, and were joined at each by several more pants-less commuters, some of whom struck up conversations with the shocked people next to them. (Sample comment: “In the morning, I have a routine: I get up, have my coffee and then put on my pants. And this morning, I guess I forgot to have my coffee.”) Just when I thought it couldn’t get any weirder, a woman entered the car with a big plastic bag and started loudly saying, “Pants! Pants! Anyone need pants!” and selling back their jeans for a dollar a pair.
Anyway, apparently they’re at it again, this time in grocery stores. I’m not sure what this says about me, but when I watched this, I got a little teary.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnY59mDJ1gg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
