Food for thought
@asfarasiknow (3341)
Bournemouth, England
August 14, 2017 7:54pm CST
I was in my local Lidl supermarket recently (I'm not proud of that but I needed some shopping). Three police officers came in, well, actually it was two police officers and a PCSO. For anyone outside the UK, this stands for 'Police Community Support Officer'. These are people who do much of the same work as fully-fledged police officers but for a much lower salary, thus allowing for cost cutting while claiming that there are still high numbers of police being deployed on the streets.
But these weren't on the streets, they were in the supermarket aisles and I heard one of them, a rather grim-looking young man, say 'I'll get the samosas!'
Now, it's a good job that I know enough about food to realise that he was referring to what they were having for their dinner because otherwise I might have assumed that the 'Samosas' were some local crime family who were more about dodgy sidelines than tasty side dishes. And this would pose all sorts of questions:
Were they being arrested for a breach of the 'peas?'
Would they 'fold' under questioning?
And would they be released but have their details kept on 'filo?'
Or will they 'fry?'
I plainly have too much time on my hands. You have to admit, though, that the idea of young British cops with their supermarket samosas is a far cry from all those American cop shows where hard-bitten veterans abandon their supersized coffees, shakes and burgers on the dashboard to go off on a car chase.
Have you overheard anything recently that took you off on a flight of fancy?
13 people like this
14 responses
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Aug 17
Thank you. I hope to be cleared for take-off for another one soon.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
16 Aug 17
Interesting way to look at things and actually makes you wonder why they allow junk food so much on television instead of trying to encourage better eating habits
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
3 Dec 17
@asfarasiknow thanks for spilling the beans on the Samosas, (a sequel to The Sopranos for sure), things could get saucy but they'll end up doing Porridge in the end - at least one of them could be a cereal killer
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
30 Mar 18
@asfarasiknow As-far-as-I-know (I don't shop there), the secret of low prices is that there is no service. So it's not an argument against them.
2 people like this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
30 Mar 18
They are great for many items but I now avoid electrical gadgets from there because so many have packed up on me so quickly. The food is cheap and mostly good but the atmosphere and service in our local branch often leaves a lot to be desired.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
30 Mar 18
@MALUSE Maybe it's just a problem with our local branch but I have never been in any other supermarket where a carer with a severely disabled person in a wheelchair was refused service by the cashier on the only working checkout and told to go to the self service machines (where there would be no room for the wheelchair - even small trolleys are not allowed). In the end he just stood there and I think she sensed the bad vibes from the rest of us in the queue and meekly served him.
Lidl and Aldi actually pay their UK checkout staff a higher rate per hour than our other supermarkets and probably expect more from them, hence the constant closing of checkouts while they go back to ripping up boxes or whatever.
Items are frequently out of stock (often there is not one kitchen roll on sale in the entire store) and not everything a household might need is available (what other supermarket doesn't sell lightbulbs?)
Having said that, I am currently watching the birds in the garden enjoying the very cheap feeders I bought at Lidl last Sunday and, not being electrical, they might just last for a bit.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Aug 17
I see a trio out walking in the morning sometimes when I am. They are two men and a woman. One of them is pushing a stroller with a baby in it. It is past time for most people to be at work, so I begin to wonder about them. I may write a story, they are a live together family, not sure who the child's father was. How are their lives? Is there resentment? So many other things.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
16 Aug 17
@asfarasiknow I resemble that remark!
2 people like this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Aug 17
I wonder how often unconventional people realise that others are looking at them (not necessarily in a judgemental way) and wondering what their story is.
2 people like this
@paigea (35691)
• Canada
15 Aug 17
There is this restaurant in town that closed suddenly. Now it has been closed for months and months. But everything is still in there. So, when I drive by I imagine all sorts of things. Like rats have taken over inside. Or I imagine the family went somewhere to visit family and ended up refugees somewhere.
2 people like this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
16 Aug 17
Maybe they called Gordon Ramsay in and he said 'No, not even I can save this one. Give up immediately!'
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
23 Aug 17
@paigea I imagine that must vary a bit in quality from place to place. I have only ever had it cold in packs from supermarkets, which I am guessing, is not the best way to enjoy falafel.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35691)
• Canada
16 Aug 17
@asfarasiknow 
perhaps. It was the only place any where near us to get reasonable falafel.
perhaps. It was the only place any where near us to get reasonable falafel.2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
8 Jan 18
oh i do it all the time. just don't know how to make it funny. very witty of you and thanks for the laugh
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
10 Apr 18
I don't know about flight of fancy but I have just been told that a trip to London that I might be taking to see a show with my granddaughter will cost £200 each just for the train fare. I thought I was dreaming when I saw the cost
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
10 Apr 18
Wow! Is that first class? If not then it sounds way over. Have you checked the rail company website for special offers? They don't always publicise them a lot. Have you considered split ticketing, railcards or advance tickets?
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
10 Apr 18
@asfarasiknow These are advance but a woman who is coming with us text me the cost, it is a return fare but even so it seems an awful lot so I will be looking to see of I can find a cheaper deal.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
10 Apr 18
@sprite1950 Unless you are setting off really early, an off-peak standard day return from your part of the West Country to London (including Tube) should be less than a third of that each, possibly cheaper with advance, railcards or split tickets).
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
24 Aug 17
The Samosas got off by offering bribes or 'currying favours' with the cops.
1 person likes this
@Ceerios (4698)
• Goodfellow, Texas
13 Sep 17
@asfarasiknow - Brother Nick - One time I, too, was in a supermarket, buying some Samosas. I paid for them at the checkout counter and asked for a receipt. The clerk gave me a printed receipt that detailed how to bake a loaf if brown bread. 
-Gus-
-Gus-
@JudyEv (325758)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Oct 17
I have but I can't think what it was. If I remember it, I'll post about it and mention you! 
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Aug 17
This is going to make me look like an idiot, but what the heck are samosas?
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Aug 17
I'm sure it must vary in different parts of the world but small, triangular, folded, filled filo pastries containing spiced vegetables like chick peas. A side dish with Indian meals.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
16 Aug 17
@asfarasiknow - Ah. Thanks, got it.
2 people like this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
16 Aug 17
@teamfreak16 I was expected a flood of posts correcting me from members in parts of the world where this dish originates. It would have been quite profitable.
2 people like this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
23 Apr 18
Thank you. Sometimes the mere mention of a good makes you want it.
1 person likes this
