Bodega Boys

Another blog so soon? Lucky you! haha

Well, for those who don't know (because I didn't when I first cam here...)

bodega [boh-dey-guh]
1. (esp. among Spanish-speaking Americans) a grocery store.

Now, this definition is misleading. It leaves out the delicious cheap sandwiches, the interesting environment, and the wonderful workers who really give me my "neighborhood feel".

I have loved many a bodega in my short time here, but the one I love most of all is the one caddy corner to my school. I went there twice during training, and didn't return until a few weeks later at which point both the sandwich man and the checkout man said "Hey mami! We haven't seen you in - whats it been - 2.5, 3 weeks? Where you been? Vacation?" haha I was amazed they even remembered me!

One day it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella. I said "Oh no! I'll just run." One of them was so concerned that running with heels on would be disaster - I'd slip - I'd fall - my sandwich would get ruined. "No, no, mami - you gotta take the umbrella for today. You can bring back tomorrow" "Eh - she's a big girl - she knows what she's doing, don't you mami?" haha

And Yesterday: "Hey, mami - come here - I want you to meet someone - this is my sister and my brother-in-law!" (you know you're in when you get introduced to the family haha and only after a handful of sandwiches!)

And they always leave me with "Have a gorgeous day... even if the weather 'aint so nice"

I love those bodega boys. They brighten my lunch time.

And PS... because I also didn't know why they kept calling me "mami"
Mami is "an endearing term for a lady from a man"... or "is Spanish slang for baby or sexy" - courtesy of urban dictionary