Meeting Kamir...

You know, I have never considered myself much of a writer...but my chance encounter tonight has changed me. Tonight I met Kamir.

Kamir is a married man around his fifties, with at least one daughter, that I know of, and he works in the produce department of Meijer. I know...I KNOW what you are thinking...where will this story lead? And that is the exact question I intend to answer.

I had my evening planned out to the very last minute. I left the house at 5 p.m. to run a few errands. I knew I HAD to be back at 8 p.m. at the very latest because I am hopelessly addicted to The Bachelorette, and the season finale was tonight! Am I extremely proud of this fact? No. But, it's the truth friends. Okay, I am on a mission. T.J.Maxx...where I gave myself 45 min...on time...check. Christian bookstore...10 min...on time...check. Meijer...one hour MAX...on time...check...errrrrrrrr...up walks Kamir. And this, my friends, is where the story truly begins.

I had just gotten a few mangoes and was on the hunt for my last few items when a man, Kamir I would later learn, walks up to me and exclaims 'those are a really good deal miss are you sure you only want two?' Okay...in my head I am thinking 'Sir...of course I only want two...not sure if you noticed BUT I did put only two in my little ol' baggie and am now walking away from the delicious mangoes.' Instead I said 'Wow! I know! Such a great deal! So amazing!' That is when Kamir turned my cart around, grabbed that little ol' baggie right out of my hands and started filling it himself. Speechless...yes. Amused...definitely. In my agenda...definitely not!

Kamir starts filling me in about how he himself bought an entire box of mangoes because they were such an amazing deal (2 for $1...just if you are curious)! I finally got him to stop filling my bag with fruit after exclaiming there would be NO WAY I could possibly eat all of these before they would all go bad. End of the story...nope...just the beginning.

My new friend now turns his attention to my cart and starts looking through EACH item! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Who IS this guy? And why am I letting him do this?! He looks at me surprised and said, "you know...this is all really healthy except for one thing." I knew it...the guilt was setting in...I.had.been.caught. It's like the moment when someone catches you eating that ohsoyummy brownie that is NOT on your diet. I held up my one lone box of mac and cheese and said, 'I know, I know...but I had a craving.' That was NOT what Kamir had noticed. It was the Doritos bag. Hmmmm. He started going on and on about if I wanted this I should really get the baked variety because it was much healthier. A smile crept up on my face...victory...I had picked out the baked variety!!! Kamir was proud. And strangely enough, I cared.

I walked away, Kamir followed me to tell me all about bananas, kiwi fruits, figs, and dates. I kept walking. Kamir kept following. Once again, my cart was being led away! What?! I did NOT have time for this! Seriously! All my careful planning! I.needed.to.be.home.at.8.p.m! Would Jillian find love if I wasn't there to watch???

I was being lead to the dates. And, yes, I heard all about the nutritional facts about dates and why pharmaceutical companies won't tell you how amazing they are because they would rather you pop a pill instead of a date (I cannot say I disagree much...but still). I heard all about Kamir buying 31 containers of dates in one week because they were on sale or 2 for $5! He bought every last container they had in stock. And, yes, he emphatically let me know that he enjoyed every last container.

I thanked him and started walking away. He, of course, followed. He wanted to know if I worked out. I said yes. I should have known that wouldn't be good enough. He wanted specifics. After I was done with all of his questions he was satisfied. He said, 'Good! I just really want you to be healthy.' He had been a personal trainer for 15 years and personal health was his passion.

He really wanted me to get some peaches and nectarines, I said no. I kept walking. He stopped my cart at the apricots and told me to eat one. I declined. He said, 'No, seriously, you have to at least try one! They have SO many vitamins in them! It's better than all of this citrus combined! By the way, what is your name?' I introduced myself...ate one apricot...thanked him again...and walked away. That's when he called out to me and said, 'Sarah! What time of day do you work out?' SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!?!?! Enough! I took a deep breath...put my cart into reverse and answered Kamir's question. 'Kamir, I usually work out in the afternoons.' He was relieved and told me NEVER to work out in the morning...it could kill me...and why. I promised him to stick to my afternoon workouts and walked away.

He caught up to me at the cherries. I was knotting my bag when he demanded me to dump them out. Okay, Kamir, seriously I would talk to you all day long BUT I need to know if Jillian picks Ed or Kipton...I am dying here man! He wouldn't leave my side until every last cherry was out of my bag. He then proceeds to grab a few cartons of organic cherries, opens them, and dumps them out saying, 'Sarah, fill your bag with these. They are much better.' Now I don't know if that was legal or not but he was not going to take no for an answer. And he was very proud that he was keeping me healthy. I was his friend.

We parted with the promise to meet again, and if I needed to know anything about the produce that I would come and find him. I rushed to the checkout fearing that I was way behind schedule when I looked at my clock and saw I was still ahead! That's when it hit me. I cared more about a TV show than a real person. Kamir.

I have thought about Kamir all night. I had a mission tonight. I had a time frame to keep. I had no room for error. I had no room for people. I had no room for God to act. And...I have been humbled.

First, Kamir is THE BEST sales person I have EVER encountered at Meijer! I actually want to buy dates just to try them. And, I kinda wish I had bought a few apricots (the orange ones...definitely NOT the yellowish ones...Kamir was adamant about that) since they have so many vitamins and all. And figs? Never tried one except in a newton...will have to put that on my next grocery list. I wish I had asked Kamir more about him. I wish I had taken more time to appreciate him instead of just pacifying him and trying to get home. And I truly do hope my new friend is there on my next visit. God taught me a valuable lesson tonight about priorities. God first. People second. TV...not even in the running.

Kamir has left a lasting impression on me...more than he will ever know. A perfect stranger cared for me enough to follow me around and make sure I had the very BEST that he could offer. Would everyone have felt blessed by Kamir? No. But I did. And I know he was a blessing from God to open my eyes and truly see and appreciate the people He puts in my path.

Now...just if you are curious...I walked in my door at 7:59:04 p.m. Just in time. :) And, yes, I watched every addicting moment of Jillian's love adventure. She picked Ed. I was thrilled and danced around my living room. Not even kidding you. Again...not proud, but so super fun!