Shopping

The other day I got a new down vest from Eddie Bauer. It's from their First Ascent line. I really like that stuff. Very well thought out. Well when I got home I noticed that the vest was cut slightly differently than the coat I have. It's a little toit. So I went down there yesterday to try on a bigger one but it was way too big. So...I'm sticking with what I have. I think it's gonna be really nice during the race this year.

Moving on....I'm extremely particular about shoes and socks. I'm good to go in the shoe department but am still looking for really nice, BLACK (black is my favorite color) socks. Pearl Izumi had some that I'm sure would have worked but they are out of my size. Seeing as how I like the First Ascent stuff so much I thought I'd check out their socks while we were there. Low and behold they had FA socks in black. But...the final test is that I absolutely have to try them on. I asked (extremely nicely and with the magic word) if I could try on the socks. This same woman helped me out with the vest and was actually pushing me to get the next size bigger but then I explained what I was using it for and that I thought I'd actually be warmer and better off with the slightly smaller size. So...she knew what I was shopping for. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Ma'am...can I please try these on?

Her: Let me see if I have some over in shoes that are already open. (Completely understandable I thought).

Me: OK

Her: Well we don't have any but I'll (remove the little plastic "t" tag that keeps them together).

Me: (Well hell...I was gonna do that on my own.) OK...thank you.

Her: Here you go.

Me: Super (as I kick off one flip flop and look for a place to park my happy ass).

Her: Whoa....what are you doing?

Me: What? I'm puttin' on these socks.

Her: You can put your hands in them and feel the fabric.

Me: I can rub em on my bald head and feel the fabric but I'm gonna be pedaling with my feet.

Her: We can't allow that.

Me: I can get a good look at a T bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass too but I'd rather take my butchers word for it.

Her:.......................crickets.........................

Heather: (who just walked upon the scene) Can I try on these shorts please?

Me: They don't allow that but you CAN slip your arms through them and then bury your face in the crotch and get a good feel for how they're gonna work out.