Dear Dotty,

Hmmm... Where to begin? It all started a few months ago. I started my new job at a local grocery store. If you want help finding the perfect kumquat, then I'm your girl. It is an average job at best. Nothing exciting ever happens. Well except for that one time the bag boy tripped over a stray Granny Smith apple, but that is another story. Anyway, one day this dazzling man came into the store. My heart literally stopped. I was just minding my own business, putting away bags of organic spinach and then... BAM! Sucker punch to the stomach. All I could do was stare. How could I even concentrate on produce at a time like this? Seriously, I was going coconuts. Thankfully, I managed to turn away before he caught me checking him out. He walked around a little (I tell myself he was admiring the brand new banana display I had just completed) but after a few minutes he left. My life was complete. I had seen the most handsome man. I spent the rest of my shift daydreaming about his beauty. The next day I went in still thinking about the spectacular specimen. Not even two hours into my shift guess who shows up? Yep, the Beauty. It gets better. He has come in almost everyday for like a month. He hangs out in my department and then leaves. He has even started talking to me. We have full on convos like all the time. I think he kind of likes me and wants to ask me out, but I'm not sure. What should I do, Dotty? Should I just take the lead and ask him out? I can only tell him about our different brands of potatoes so many times. I would also like for him to see me in something other than my uniform. Baggy pants and an old man button up shirt look good on no one. Please... tell me what to do.

Sincerely,

Produce Puppy Love



PPL,

Isn't this cute? Who knew fruit could be so romantic? I love a good Asian pear as much as the next girl, but it never helped me fall in love. I don't even know what to bring attention to first. There is your references to multiple fresh produce items. I'm curious to know more about this banana display. However, now is not the time. Something like this kind of happened to me one time. Well, except for the boy never talked to me. Now that I think of it, he only came into the store once. Oh, and the grocery store was a shoe emporium and now that I mention it... I didn't actually work there. So I guess my situation is nothing like yours. The point is I saw a beautiful man inside of a store. The End. But enough about me... You have a real chance here. He is making an effort to come to you. Since he doesn't know where you live (and shouldn't if you haven't told him...creepy) this is the next best thing. Obviously your dazzling face and admirable knowledge about guavas has won his heart so he doesn't even notice that you're dressed like Mr. Rogers. Now it is time for you to make a little move of your own. Invite him to do something outside of the grocery store...heck, even out of the produce section would be an upgrade. Have a picnic in the cereal aisle for all I care. Oooh! Idea... you work with fruit. Fruit is a key ingredient in smoothies. Offer to make smoothies! Have you ever heard of anyone turning down a delightfully, refreshing fruit drink? I think not PPL... I think not. I feel pretty good about you and this fella and trust me... my feelings are pretty spot on. Take J.Lo and Ben Affleck. I knew they were over before they even started. Goodnight and good luck!

Dotty Mae