On buying oysters

Ah, the joys of small-town life (and Stuttgart has the soul of a small town, despite its half-million-plus inhabitants).

I met G while out shopping this morning, at an upmarket food emporium where he often shops (I was buying coffee beans). We chatted a while, eventually arriving at the fresh-fish counter where the fishmongerette greeted him by name. G ordered a dozen oysters.

The fishmongerette glanced around at the manager (who was busy), looked G intensely in the eye - and shook her head. She then gave him a big phony Hollywood smile and said "Why yes, we have some oysters right over here." G gave her the Hollywood smile back and replied "Oh, no, I've changed my mind."

They exchanged real smiles and nodded, and G left, with me trying hard not to laugh.