Slice of Baguette

Lisa: Good news, everyone! You don't have to eat meat! I've got enough gazpacho for everyone. It's tomato soup, served ice cold!
Barney: Go back to Russia!

I was waiting for a ham and cheddar panino to be grilled today at a neighborhood deli when a guy wearing glasses walked in and ordered some gazpacho and a seltzer water. After the counterwoman poured him a cup of gazpacho, she reached for a ciabatta to put in the bag along with his soup. Glasses Guy asked her "Is it possible to get a baguette instead of a ciabatta?" The counterwoman obliged.

As Glasses Guy was counting out the money to pay for his gazpacho and seltzer, a woman walked into the deli wearing a light-colored sundress. Glasses Guy exchanged greetings with Sundress, and asked her when she was moving.

"This weekend," she replied.

"By 'this weekend', you mean today?" he asked.

"Well, I'm packing today."

"Ah." Glasses Guy, expecting some further reply, realized none was forthcoming and walked to the back of the store to retrieve the bottle of seltzer water he had paid for. When he returned to the counter, he stood silently for a moment.

"Are you going to eat in the park?" he asked Sundress, referring to the park just outside the deli.

"I guess," she responded.

"Uh oh," he laughed a nervous little laugh, but she did not respond to his joke. He stood there awkwardly for another few moments. "Well, I'll be in the park if you want to talk," he finally said. "If not, that's fine too." Then he walked out.

By this point, the counterwoman was ready to serve Sundress. "I'd like a cup of gazpacho," Sundress said. "Oh, and is it possible to get a baguette instead of a ciabatta?"

I was unable to repress a chuckle, which drew the attention of Sundress. "He just ordered the same thing," I explained, jerking a thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the now-departed Glasses Guy.

"We used to... we're exes," Sundress replied. The counterwoman handed Sundress a bag with her gazpacho and baguette.

"I got that sense. It's just funny -- he ordered the *exact* same thing, right down to asking for a baguette instead of a ciabatta."

Sundress looked up at me, but her gaze was directed inward. "Really? How sad," she murmured, before ambling out the door.