a surprise meeting in a supermarket (m)

My friend, M, is the person responsible for getting me to join Weight Watchers.  She has struggled with her weight her whole life even though she almost went pro on the women's tennis circuit and worked out hours every day.  I've never seen a person's weight fluctuate so much....she can gain or lose 50 pounds in a matter of months.

When M is successful at losing weight, she does it with Weight Watchers.  She is as disciplined as it gets.

Today, I was driving home from a meeting and realized she and I hadn't spoken in a few days.  I call her on my cell phone and she says she's headed to the grocery store.

So am I, I say.  Where are you?

Route 30 she says.  She's going to "my" grocery store even though she lives a distance from it.

We meet in the parking lot and I'm surprised by what I see.  She's down about 45 pounds since March.  She looks great in a pair of black linen slacks and a coral knit top.  No make up but she never wears make up.

We head to the fish counter where I buy a lobster (steamed) for dinner and she buys salmon.  We go up and down each aisle together.  She doesn't bother to get a cart as she dumps her stuff into mine.

Each of us is complimenting the other on how we look and our choice of groceries which are on plan.

By aisle 8, my friend grabs a box of Snyder's pretzels and tears into the box.  Carbs are her weakness.  Pretzels are her nemesis.

By the time we get to the register, she's eaten 3 large pretzels.

As I head into my car, I cross my fingers and hope she can control her demons this time.