Tuesday, November 22, 2005

I threw up in Trader Joe's

Monday morning I ordered my standard breakfast off the catering truck - an egg white and spinach omelet with a side of turkey bacon.

Three hours later, I was slightly nauseous and by lunch I was really nauseous, had stomach cramps, and was apparently pretty green around the gills. Despite my protestations that I could tough it out, my boss sent me home.

Good thing too. It got worse as soon as I got home (at least I made it home - I had visions of me pulled over on the side of the freeway, being sick into oncoming traffic). I called the doctor who told me I probably had salmonella and that I should try to drink fluids if I could.

The only problem was a complete lack of fluids in my house (I had a half bottle of wine, some coffee creamer and an expired can of Red Bull); so I went to Trader Joe's to get some ginger ale and sparkling water. I figured there wasn't anything left in my stomach, so I'd be safe as long as I got in and out quickly.

I'd forgotten about Thanksgiving.

Trader Joe's was jammed - the lines stretched halfway across the store, and by the time I got to the checkstand I wasn't feeling so hot. I managed to pay for my groceries, but I couldn't quite make it out the door.

They were very nice about the whole thing, but I'm not sure I can go back in there.

Since I'm feeling better, I'm back to work tomorrow - when I talked to my boss on the phone, he said they'd been having generator problems and we're going to have to swap out all the cable - I missed all the excitement.

13 comments:

josh williams said...

I coveat your experience! I have always wanted to vomit at Trader Joes! why? Dunno, cause I love the store's but you know, we all have our quirks. Fix your stomach and get to work and posting. Thankee JW

Anonymous said...

How come you don't think that you can go back? Do they post your photo on the wall or something? I thought they only did that for people who write bad checks and stuff. It's not like it's your fault that you were sick... or did you accidentally steal some bran flakes before you hurled?

Oh well. Feel better. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hmm. I'll bet all of that hot sauce talk isn't sounding so good about now.

celia said...

I threw up at a Wal-Mart at 1am. I was trying to make it to the restroom, which is near the entrance to the store. I didn't make it and I stood there next to the store greeter, projectile vomiting. I haven't been back.

Anonymous said...

Best blog entry title ever! LOL!

Hope you feel better.

Norman said...

Hope you're feeling better but, to be honest, I've never been in Trader Joe's when it's "in and out." It's mostly "in and wait and wait and wait and wait and wait on line and wait and wait and out."

By the way, were you really getting spam comments and that's why you had to add the Word Verification hoo-hah?

CHARLI said...

Whoa, of all stores, Trader Joes. Why couldn't it have been K-Mart (have you seen how messy their aisles are of late?) or Kroger (I hate the Kroger I go to). The Trader Joes here in town is great. I would never think of throwing up inside, though I am sure you weren't thinking, though I'm sure they were thinking, "whoa, what's she thinking?"

Colorful Stationery said...

I hope you are feeling better now.

I am sure they have had people in the store who have done much worse things than throw up.

Also, keep some Gatorade in the back of the fridge. It takes forever to expire.

Merujo said...

Oh, you poor thing - I seriously feel for you. To be wretchedly sick is one thing. To be wretchedly sick and stuck in a Turkey Day grocery frenzy line? Well, that just sucks rocks.

I hope you feel much, much better by now.

Peggy Archer said...

Thanks everybody!

I'm feeling much better!

Anonymous said...

God I hate it when catering throws a curve ball.

8 people on our crew got sick Thursday. Thankfully we weren't throwing up, but when 8 people are 10-2 then it is a problem (I actually told a PA I was 10-3 and really really NOT available for last looks...) Luckily we were shooting at St. Lukes in pasadena so many many available bathrooms. Still, I felt really bad for the honeywagon driver.

It sucked just the same though.

Glad you're better!

Anonymous said...

I know this is very un-L.A. of me to say, but don't you have a water faucet at your apartment?

Anonymous said...

Ha! Great point about the water faucets!
Here in Austin, I never use my water either. I usually schlub over to the new Whole Foods for water and a couple packets of Emergen-C.
Im not sure if an intestinally challenged customer has christened the shiny new store yet.
Good luck with future catering truck lunches!