jadanzzy

At the Doraville H-Mart last Friday, while Amy went to go pay for an umbrella she was really excited about (it reverse collapses, like this), I happen to spot four mildly hipstery looking folks standing together chatting away.

My very first thought was that they had a “we're in a band”-type of aura. I'm bad at remembering names, but I'm really good at remembering and recognizing faces. More than that, and maybe it's my life's priorities, but I know both the names and faces of bands I really like. So I decided to give a closer look, in case they were a band I recognized.

“Wait...” I thought to myself.

“Is that...” as I inched closer to one man in particular.

I was moving closer and closer to him, my eyes fixated on his face as my certainty increased with every step. At the critical distance, he noticed this Asian guy creepily stepping closer to him. First, a quick peripheral peek to determine if there was a creeper, and then the intentional stare to confirm that there was.

Our eyes met.

”...Robin Pecknold??” I asked, hoping I was right.

His confusion turned to pleasantly surprised, as his face grew red with embarrassment.

“Yeah, hey man.” he said, with a wide, friendly grin. “How would someone at a Korean supermarket recognize me?” is what I guessed he'd be thinking.

“Holy shit. What are you doing here? Wait, are you touring? Is Fleet Foxes touring?”

My hands stretched out to shake his, and I looked at the others.

They started backing away, motioning in denial with two hands shaking side to side in front of them, heads shaking “no, no”. They were saying with their body movements, 'We're not in Fleet Foxes. Robin's the star, not us. We're just with him right now.'

Makes sense, I don't recognize the others, I thought. Or do I? Isn't the one with the baseball cap also in the band? Looks familiar...

“Oh, no. We're not touring.” Robin said.

I look over at the cashiers line to see where Amy is. She spots me, unaware of my serendipitous exchange.

“Dan! I'm gonna get this umbrella! Come here!” she shouts enthusiastically.

Gah, come here and meet Robin, I think to myself.

“Amy, come here!” I said quietly. Whatever, it's not worth more time for this embarrassing exchange.

“Hey,” I turned back to Robin, “can I get a picture with you?”

“Of course!”

One of the others he was with looked at me saying, “I can take it for you.”

“Oh, thanks!” I told her.

“One, two, three...”

“Thanks, Robin! I really love your music.” I said, to his appreciation, and nervously walked towards Amy and her new umbrella.

“Look what it can do! I'll show you how it works when we get to the car.”

“Okay okay, but that's Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes right there! Look at this picture!”

“What?? Really? Whoa.”

We had to walk past Robin and his friends. Rather than saying bye again, I looked down at the umbrella, feigning inspection. I should've just said, “Great meeting you!” or something.

Amy laughed at me, walking out. “I like how you were looking at the umbrella instead of saying bye to him again.”

At our car, she starts to demo the umbrella's main feature with great enthusiasm.

“Okay check it out. It's raining, I have to get in the car, and I'm carrying an umbrella! But wait, this umbrella collapses the other way! No more awkward getting in the car, while getting wet!”

At that moment an Indian man with his shopping cart looks over at Amy with this, “what the hell is she doing?” look.

We laugh.

Rihanna.