the funny (maybe only to me) story from sunday

So Sunday was an amazingly beautiful day in Northern Virginia (or "NoVA" as we NoVAns like to say).  Being such a nice day outside, Andy and I decided to go on a walk.  Instead of heading the usual direction on the trail (West), we decided to head East so we would run into some restaurants so we could possibly grab some lunch.  I think we walked about three miles (honestly, it was a really long walk) and eventually we get to this neighborhood called Rosslyn and there are pretty slim pickin's for lunch.  But I do see this restaurant/hole-in-the-wall that's called The Italian Store that everyone in Arlington always talks about.  Andy's roommate Will used to stop there all the time to get subs, and my friend Jess makes a point to stop there on the way home every once in a while.

As you know, Andy loves food.  What's more, he loves Italian food.  So we went in to the Italian Store thinking we were going to make out like bandits.  

However, when we got inside, there were crowds.  Lots of Arlington young adults (early-to-mid-twenties) with workout clothes on and trendy sloppy side ponytails.  Me being the socially awkward one of the two of us, it wouldn't have been surprising if I had just said "Let's leave.  Now".  But I did not.  I held my tongue.  We made our way to a less crowded part of the "store", behind the lines of people.  I started reading the menu posters that were mounted on the wall behind the counter (think subway sandwich stores, but a lot more hole-in-the-wall-ish and with lots more people) and Andy started complaining about how many people were in the store.  I said "with all these people, it's gotta be good".  And then he started complaining about how he couldn't read the menu.  So I offered to read the menu aloud.  Then he said it was too loud in there and too busy, and he asked if we could leave.  I tried to make him stay because I knew he would love it, but to no avail.  We walked outside and stood on the sidewalk for about two minutes, him saying "do you want to go back in? I mean, it's just so confusing...how do you know what to order?" and me saying "it's just like going to a cafeteria or any take-out restaurant...the menu is on the wall...but I don't care, we can leave if you want to".  

So, without nourishment, we headed home.  I told Andy he was being a crabby old man and made fun of him for being scared of new things.  He kept asking questions like, "well there was no seating in there...where were we supposed to eat?  Did you want me to get on my hands and knees so you could eat off my back like it was a table?  Will you exchange the same courtesy to me?"  I was proud of myself for being so adventurous and not scared of new things.  The old Liz would've avoided that place like the plague.

We walked through Rosslyn, then Court House, then Clarendon, and finally ended up at Rocklands, the BBQ place about two minutes from our apartment.  

Before we got back home, we were talking about this kid that Andy works with who is asking intelligent questions, and Andy said "and the thing is, he's not just asking them to be a smart alec".  I just nodded and bit my tongue.  It's great dating a grandmother.

Anyway, writing this story down made me think about it more and I no longer think this is funny.  Just a stupid story, really.  Sorry for the let down.