In Hollywood they call it the cute-meet...
Ritsu shuffled around the supermarket, pushing his trolley carefully in front of him, careful not to bump anyone on his way around. He stopped occasionally to check the long shopping list in his hand and collect the required items from the shelves. He’d been doing the house’s shopping for the past few weeks, usually Kirin did it but his condition had deteriorated to the point that Ditto and Ian had both forbidden him from doing anything more strenuous than watching the television. Ritsu didn’t mind shopping, in fact he quite liked it. He liked having an excuse to get out of the house and he enjoyed being helpful, getting out of everyone’s way and doing something constructive. He paused in cooked meats, realising how hungry he was, and wondered whether to get himself something. In the end he decided to pick up a sausage roll just to see him through until dinner. As he reached for the item a hand touched the back of his. He looked up in surprise and found himself face to face with a middle-aged, blonde haired man.
“Oops, sorry hunny. You take it,” he said, pulling his hand away and blushing. He had a southern American accent, from Georgia or Alabama or one of those states.
“Oh no, I’m sorry, you take it,” said Ritsu hurriedly, also pulling his hand away.
“You got it first, I insist,” the man insisted.
“Oh no, it’s the last one and I don’t really need it,” Ritsu tittered.
“I can get somethin’ else, I swear, I was jus’ gonna get it for some lunch but I can get a sandwich or somethin’.”
“Well, so was I. Please go ahead, I wouldn‘t want you to miss out on your lunch of choice on my account.”
“It’s a pack of two an’ I’d only eat one, it’d be a waste if I had it.”
“Oh, I’d only eat one as well, so that doesn’t really matter.”
“Well, I suppose I could buy it an’ we could have one each, seems the simplest solution. I mean… if you wanted that was…”
“That’s a wonderful idea, how intelligent. I never would have thought of that, I’m not smart,” Ritsu smiled, bowing his head self consciously.
“Aw, I’m sure that’s not true,” the man chuckled.
They wandered to the checkout together and paid at adjoining desks. Ritsu was just finishing packing when there was a commotion beside him. The man had dropped his wallet and coins had scattered and were rolling all over the shop floor.
“Oh my goodness! I am so sorry… gee, I am such a klutz, I’m so sorry!” he was apologising quickly to the bored looking checkout assistant. He got on his hands and knees and fumbled to retrieve the coins, in such a hurry he was missing more than he was picking up. He’d flushed bright red, and Ritsu decided to give him a hand. He bent down just as the man was standing up and they bashed heads, Ritsu stumbled backwards and the man stood up, rubbing his head.
“I am so sorry!” they both said, in perfect unison.
“It was my fault, I should have been watchin’ what I was doin’!” the man gasped.
“No, it was my fault, I was in the way!” Ritsu insisted.
“It was both of you, now that’s £37.75,” the shop assistant on the man’s desk said, grouchily.
“Oh! Sorry!” the man nodded and handed the girl his handful of coins and pulled a few scrappy looking notes from his pocket.
Ritsu paid for his shopping and he and the man pushed their trolleys out of shop and out into the car park.
“Oh, here,” the blonde said, rummaging in his bag. He came out with the packet of sausage rolls and took one of them out, handing it to Ritsu and looking away from him apologetically.
“… let me just…” Ritsu prodded around in his purse for some money.
“Oh no, please take it, it’s on me,” the man said, quickly.
“Oh I couldn’t possibly…”
“Please, I want you to have it.”
“Well, if you insist. That’s very kind of you,” Ritsu grinned. He took the food, then tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, nervously. “Well, it was nice to meet you Mr…. erm…”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m so rude,” said the man, biting his lip. “My name is Phillip, Phillip Morris.”
“I didn’t introduce myself either, don’t worry,” Ritsu laughed, “My name is Ritsu Sohma.”
“It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Phillip Morris grinned. “Your car isn’t too far is it? I can give you a hand if you’d like?”
“Oh… I don’t have a car, I’m taking the bus,” Ritsu replied.
“The bus? With all that?” Phillip said, his eyebrows raised as he glanced at the mountain of bags in Ritsu’s trolley.
Ritsu just nodded, shyly, his ears turning pink.
“Well… I could give you a ride?” Phillip offered.
“Oh no… I couldn’t possibly put you to all that trouble!” Ritsu gasped.
“It’s no trouble, I don’t mind.” Phillip replied. “I wouldn’t feel right thinking’ of you havin’ to haul that lot around on a bus.”
“Oh… I don’t know… I’d feel awful…”
“Please, don’t worry, I’d really like to see you’re home safely…It‘s the least I can do after bashin‘ your head.”
“No, that was fine, that wasn’t your fault at all! But… I suppose… if you don’t mind… I suppose… well there is a lot this week and… are you really sure you don’t mind?”
“I’m positive. But I have to apologise, my car is a little dirty an’ it’s a bit of a rundown ol’ thing…”
“Oh no that’s fine! I don’t even have a car.”
The two pushed their trolleys through the car park until Phillip stopped at a bashed up, navy blue mini metro. He and Ritsu emptied their bags out of the trolley and put them on the back seat, then Phillip climbed into the car and Ritsu got into the passenger’s seat a little hesitantly.
“I hope I’m not taking you too far out of your way,” Ritsu said. They’d been in the car about fifteen minutes and were a little less tense then when they’d started the journey.
“Aw no, you’re alright,” Phillip smiled.
“So where do you live?” Ritsu asked, curiously.
“Well, I’m jus’ holed up in a hostel at the moment,” Phillip said, biting his lip, looking ashamed. “It’s jus’ until I find somethin’ more permanent, I’m jus’ tryin’ to find a job an’ get some money together right now…”
“Oh… “ Ritsu nodded, unsure how to respond to that.
“So, how about you? Livin’ with a girlfriend or…” Phillip began, “Oh sorry, that’s not really any of my business.”
“Oh it’s alright,” Ritsu said, quickly. “Actually I live in a big house with lots of my friends. I’m not really with anyone like that though…”
“Me neither… well, no that’s a lie. Well I am with someone… I think… I don’t exactly know…” Phillip struggled.
Ritsu just looked at him curiously.
Phillip sighed.
“I have a boyfriend, but he’s been in prison for a real long time, an’ he’s not gettin’ out, an’ I don’t see him very much anymore…”
“I’m sorry,” Ritsu said, quietly.
“But you don’t wanna sit there listenin’ to my bleedin’ heart stories, do you?” Phillip chuckled.
“Oh no, it’s alright, honestly,” Ritsu said, quickly.
“I jus’ don’t have any friends here… so I talk a lot when I get some company,” Phillip said, apologetically.
“I like to listen to you talk,” Ritsu smiled. “I’m lonely… but that’s because I’m such a bother to everyone…”
“Now I’m sure that jus’ isn’t true, hunny,” Phillip said, solemnly. “You seem like a very sweet sort to me, an’ I’m a good judge of character. Take my first boyfriend for example, I met him when he got chucked out of a bar in Florida, he couldn’t pay for his drinks. I knew there must be some misunderstandin’ he looked like a nice sort, an’ he told me he was a detective, workin‘ under cover! He was stalkin’ some couple in Alabama. He’d left his wallet in his other clothes, forgotten to put them in his disguise so I offered to pay his drinks for him an’ that’s how we met. We went on a mini break to Georgia together the very next day!”
“… but what about the couple he was stalking in Alabama?” Ritsu asked, intrigued.
“…hmm…” Phillip pondered this. “… You know I never asked…”
“So what happened to him?”
“I woke up two weeks later an’ he was gone, he’d had to move off for some case or other. He borrowed some money from me for the travel expenses, left me his number so I could call and he could get the money back to me… he must have missed a digit or somethin’ in his hurry cos the number didn’t work… bless him. I always wondered if we mightn’t of had somethin’ real special…”
“Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be,” Ritsu sighed, sadly.