Tuesday 8 September 2009

It's ILLEGAL!!!

Two glasses of champagne and please note the rosy cheeks!

Cocktail making ingredients above, and below, making mojitos...



Just a few tame photos of the drunken celebrations from our first birthday party! Much champagne was consumed, giggling was done and 'remember when' conversations took place.
None of us can quite believe how quickly the last year has flown by. We have been lucky to have had so much support from all of our lovely customers, and fabulous staff. We have a great team surrounding us who all work so hard, and it is down to their help as well that No.9 has been such a success. Rest assured they were rewarded!
I thought I would share a conversation with you from my (very) early morning visit to the supermarket today. I had to go and buy a few provisions on the way to work and decided at the last minute to add a couple of bottles of pear cider to the basket for when I got home tonight.
At that time of morning, and being a very small supermarket, you have to pay at the cigarette kiosk. So I wandered over to the kiosk and stood there for a couple of minutes whilst waiting to be served. One of the shop assistants stood feet away from me with her back to me, piling up the newspapers onto a stand. Eventually another assistant from further down the shop saw me with hand on hip and raised eyebrow, and called to the girl
"There's someone at the counter Chelsea!" she turned, saw me and replied,
"Yeah, I know, I'm nearly done now"
By now there were two more people behind me int he queue, sighing and impatient as well, waiting to pay. Chelsea then finished doing the newspapers and decided to wheel her now empty cart to the front of the store before coming to serve us. On the way she clocked the pear cider by now on the counter.
"Is that ALCOHOL?" she practically shouted from the front of the store. I looked around to make sure she was definitely talking to me.
"Um, yes, it is alcohol" I replied.
"Well you can't buy it, it's ILLEGAL!" she shouted. The woman in the queue behind me started giggling and I was ready to sink into the floor.
"Well believe me I'm more than old enough, unfortunately" I said, thinking Chelsea must have thought I was under age.
"No, it's illegal to buy it, the law SAYS SO. It's ILLEGAL to buy alcohol before 8am. MIKE! MIKE! I was just saying, It's ILLEGAL to buy alcohol at this time of morning, isn't it?!"
Mike nodded in agreement.
Good grief. I wanted to die. Everyone that was coming into the store was looking at me whilst she continued yelling.
"You'll have to go and put it back Madam, it's illegal. Or wait fifteen minutes and buy it then instead" I stood and stared at her, as she was by now in front of me and positioned at the till. I took a deep breath, and counted to five.
"I don't really have time to wait fifteen minutes because I'm late for work. And if I can't buy the cider because it's illegal, well then I'll have to have something else for breakfast, won't I?"
Woman behind me was crying with laughter and mortification on my behalf.
I passed the cider to Chelsea and suggsted gently that she would probably be able to put it back on my behalf and handed her some money. She didn't say A WORD.

20 comments:

The List Writer said...

Didn't you know? Its ILLEGAL!!

Lisa said...

Love the polka dot balloon!
Many, many congrats on your first year. I sure hope the party went with a swing.
I bet you won't be making too many more early morning, or otherwise, trips to that supermarket again!
Lisa x

Ali said...

ILLEGAL! Happy first birthday - looks like a fun time was had by all.

dottycookie said...

Oh, you lawbreaker you!

When we were on holiday I was amused by the sign in the bakery that read 'No scrumpy can be sold before 10am'. It would have to be a very bad day indeed to warrant breakfast scrumpy ...

Curlew Country said...

Inspired! Good for you - uncouth woman indeed (sorry her not you!)

Many congratulations on your first anniversary. All the best for lots more success to come.

Stephx (thansk for the lovely comment on my new dress, its getting its second outing in a week tomorrow night!)

The Girl said...

Congratulations on your first birthday! Glad you let your hair down and celebrated.

Note to self: don't buy pear cider early in the morning!!

Thank you for stopping by - glad to know I'm not alone!

The Curious Cat said...

Hee hee good grief! Very amusing! I like how you dealt with it! xxx

julie said...

Congratulations on your first birthday. Sometimes you do have to wonder about the "customer Service" element. Really bugs me in shops when you are made to stand and wait, particularly if it's just for two people at work to finish a private conversation - have often felt like pointing out that although customers are an inconvenience, without us they'd be out of a job!!

Janette said...

happy anniversary you lawbreaking lush you!!

tee hee
xx

Carol said...

lol.... good on you girl.
If its is illegal, arn't they supposed to cover the shelf it is on with a roll of plastic? that is what they do round here.
Madness, the country is going to the dogs I sware! it will soon be ILLEGAL to drive other peoples children to ballet or cubs soon...imagine!you will have to be police checked first, otherwise you will be fined upto £5,000 and get a police record.
God give us strength!
Cx
OOPs forgot to say Congratulationsxxxx

Anonymous said...

ILLEGAL! My My Miss Anna what will you do next hee hee?

Must keep my beady eyes open for young Chelsea next time I'm in our little superstore.

Congratulations on the 1st Anniversary! Very well deserved success in my view. The cafe is a haven of all that is perfect in cafe-world and has been my saving grace when a cuppa and your lovely smile have saved me from impaling myself on the broom/washing machine/cooker of domesticity boredom ;-)

lots of love
V xxxxx

Linen and Roses Boutique said...

Goodness, I didn't know it's ILLEGAL! What a funny story. I love the fact she was called Chelsea! Good for you for coming back with such a fab reply. I think I commented on your last post but incase I didn't, congratulations on your first year!

Sue @ Smiffy's Blog said...

Oh dear poor you, I would have died if that had happened to me...I would have loved to have been stood behind you though. Sue x

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Do you think Chelsea had staff training to come to that conclusion!!??
In all honesty Anna.. don't you think you could have waited a little longer to start your habit for the day?
Did they not sell meths?
Hello Dearie.. before I get lynched by the blogging community.. you know I am only joking..
Happy Happy Belated 1st Birthday.. it seems like only yesterday that you were telling me of your dream to open a cafe...
Well done you for all your hard work and dedication..it has paid off big time.
Love
Custardo XXX

Ticking stripes said...

Loved this post! Maybe it should be illegal forpeople to yawp across the supermarket at any time!

driftwood said...

happy birthday no. 9! loving the illegal idea! note to self, buy my breakfast champagne the night before. nxx

Summer by the sea said...

Thats hilarious! - Well Done on your first year - you're right its flown by, but I've been reading your posts and you've worked very hard - I wish you many more happy years at No. 9 - Natalie x

Julia said...

Oh bless you! What a wonderful story you tell, I was crying laughing reading it, and like you - I too was ignorant on the laws of buying alcohol, until now! thank you for the funniest post Ive read today!

Love Julia xx

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Sorry , that's very funny . I particularly like the way you may slide into hiccuping oblivion at 8.16 !

Wendster said...

Did it happen to be Sunday??? And did you happen to be in Montana? jk!
That WAS a funny story. Thanks for sharing it.

Congratulations on your 1 yr anniversary. Did you make that chocolate cake, by the way? Were the "veggies" on Grandpa's cake made out of marzipan?

Glad you got to take a bit of a vacation.

:)