18
No. I don’t think that’s fair to Tesco Express.
What really strikes me is how cheap everything is, when comparing it to what a city grocery store or convenience store would be back home. Hell, compared to Stop & Shop this place is a steal.
I walk down the fresh meat and seafood aisle, noting that the beef and chicken are on sale three for ten euros. Doing some quick math, on jet lagged brain, I think that means the steak is less than four dollars a pound. Like a no brainer, I throw three packs in my basket.
I realize I’m going to run into space problems when I hit the cheese cooler. I have six different cheeses in my basket, so logically I’ll need things like crackers and tortillas to round out quick snacks and meals.
Something I’m pretty pumped about is the selection of curries and other Indian sauces. But that is nothing compared to when I hit the Cadbury aisle.
Holy shit.
There are so many things I’ve never heard of before. We just really have, other than Easter, Dairy Milk and Caramello at home. Well, also Fruit & Nut but who’s really reaching for that. Crunchie, Twirl, Wispa, Starbar, Flake, and the assortment of flavored Dairy Milk. Mint Crisp!
There’s an embarrassing amount of Cadbury in my basket, which I keep having to stop and pick up things that tumble out on the floor. And, as much as I know I can come back here whenever I want, I can’t bring myself to put any of it back on the shelf.
“Let me guess. American?” An older woman reaches over my shoulder, grabbing a standard Dairy Milk.
“That obvious, huh?”
She laughs. “I’ve loved Cadbury chocolate since I was a little girl. I spent some time in New York in my thirties, and one of the things I noticed was your chocolate is quite shit. So, I understand,” she motions to the basket, “that. Just make sure you get a Clubcard to get the sale prices.”
“Where…”
“There’s an app. I think you can only join if you live here.” The woman waves to a man across the store, leaving me searching for the app on my phone.
After a lengthy battle with the app, and adding a few more items of nutrition into my basket, I escape Tesco and pop back onto the street.
It’s still relatively quiet, but then again, it’s fairly early on a Saturday.
I take my time walking the Temple Bar area, getting my bearings.
I take note of the many, many pubs. The McDonald’s that I will likely frequent and always be slightly disappointed by the lack of real Diet Coke.
The really awesome looking crepe and ice cream shop.
There was so much I missed yesterday when I was in a sleep deprived daze.
It’s not long before I find myself outside Niall’s shop, which is crazy busy. There’s a line snaked inside, almost to the door, of people waiting to buy items from his bakery case.
I dip in, skirting the line to go peruse the bookshop part of the building.
What I find is, well, a few things. One is that Niall could use some constructive feedback on the layout and displays in his store.
They are quite the mishmash of titles, with some overstocked in spots and some titles of opposite genres paired together.
I legit find a Taylor Jenkins Reid next to a stack of Matt Dinniman, which is flanked by Richard Osman and Grant Ginder. It’s utter chaos.
The other is that Niall has curated a wonderful selection of books. I recognize a number of titles I personally recommended he carry as I walk from shelf to shelf.
Wait, does that sign say A Danny Diamond?
The sign hangs under a copy of Jennifer Niven’s Holding Up the Universe. I find similar signs under several of the Heartstopper titles and the full collection of Jeff Zentner. Each gives a brief description of the book, a quote, and if it has won any awards.
I find the signs sprinkled around the store, and it dawns on me that he created them for either all the books I’m covering this semester, or other recommendations I’ve given him over FaceTime.
It’s kinda sweet.
I’m moving some books around when I feel a presence looming over me. “I didn’t realize I hired new staff.” I look up to find Niall smiling at me, holding out a coffee.
I take it from him, smelling the aroma of hazelnut. “I need you to explain this table over here.” I pick up my bags and bring him back to the chaos table.
“This is the table where I put my recommendations. Like the owner’s reads of the month, something like that.”
I point to one of the A Danny Diamond signs. “So, you took the time to hang all of those, but you didn’t think to have a sign to explain this table?”
“Hasn’t stopped anyone from buying them before,” Niall murmurs under his breath, shuffling the books around. He takes a look at my bags. “Did you push the whole shelf of Cadbury into your bag? Literally deprive all of Dublin’s many children?”
“Keep it up and I won’t share any.” I slowly take out bar by bar to show him what I got. His eyes light up as I pull out my Mint Crisp and he snags it out of my hand. “Cheers!” He darts back to the register, to help a few people having queued since he came over.
I walk behind the line and check out his bakery case. The case is mostly picked over, but I notice some of the items we’ve discussed in the case. Cherry lemon poppyseed cake, Toblerone cookies, barmbrack, An assortment of scones and your other typical bakery fare.
“What do you fancy?” Niall lingers behind the bakery case, his gloved hand pointing to the top row. His eyes run over the options, stopping at the poppyseed cake. “I’m guessing this.”
It’s exactly what I would have chosen.
When I take a bite of it, I realize two things. That cherry and lemon are an underrated combination. The second is that this is, by far, the best poppyseed anything I’ve ever had in my life.
“Niall. What the fuck.”
The woman to my left looks at me, then at the case. “I’ll take the last two of those.”
* * *
Later on, I’m sitting down to a steak and cheese sand—no, toastie, when my phone buzzes.
One Direction: All ready for your first day of school tomorrow?
One Direction: You have all your notebooks and pens
One Direction: What do you call it? Brown bagged lunch?
One Direction: I could walk you over so you don’t get lost.
I smile at the sentiment, and how ridiculous it is.
Daniel: I think I should manage. Or at least attempt it
Daniel: I’ll call you if I end up in London or something accidentally
One Direction: Make it a text, yeah? Bit early for a call
One Direction: Also that’s literally impossible to just end up in London
One Direction: They sure dodged a bullet not putting you in the Geography department
One Direction: Let me know how it goes though. Maybe we can meet up for a pint after
I take a bite of my toastie, which will be likely one of many over the coming days given the plate of leftover steak on the counter.
Daniel: Sounds like a plan.