37th Ave. اپنا بازار expansion (5261–63). Chocolate‐frosted mini‐doughnuts and puffed‐rice treats from DR (02:02). That may have been S’leen’s back I saw as he was entering an employee room. سجاد (898) was suddenly friendly and conversational, starting from his looking at me as I entered. Because two unrelated sweets, doughnuts and rice treats, were coincidentally on sale at the same discount (two for five dollars), I asked him, more as an excuse to talk with him, if I would receive the discount by buying one of each. He began to lightly shake his head no, but then said I should bring the items to him and try. He pushed the scanner towards me so I could scan my own card, and then when I indeed received the discount, he said “Today is your lucky day.” He started to reach for a disposable plastic shopping bag but said “I keep forgetting you bring your own bag,” a clear indication he remembers me beyond mere facial recognition.
Two girls dancing quite vigorously and singing “Bubble Pop!,” 74th St., not well documented (5264–65).
Northern Blvd. (5266–67, 6986–90). Frozen Hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and fruit/nut and magic trail mixes from W’greens. While I was on line to pay, the adorable S. Asian cashier (6986–89) (عالم؟) somehow became aware a departing black customer was stealing something and began to call out to him. Sure enough, the alarm went off as this customer passed the detector, and the cashier left his register to briefly follow the thief outside but returned to make a telephone call and then walk to the rear, presumably to report the incident. Black John (201) wound up being my cashier instead.