Blueberry Rage

Mmmmmm, fresh blueberries

As per my usual Saturday morning routine, today I headed off to the Guelph Farmers’ Market. Normally I head down shortly after breakfast but today was different. Elliot insisted I rub his belly. And who am I to deny the fuzzball a little belly rub?

Once Elliot was sufficiently belly-rubbed, I made breakfast, showered, and then headed out the door. Despite arriving slightly later my normal time, the atmosphere at the market was still pretty much the same. A lot of people in a small area, chatting with friends they’ve bumped into, chatting with strangers they’ve tripped over, or just simply exchanging a friendly Guelph smile.

Today, however, I had one thing in mind. I was a man with a purpose. Driven you might say. So while I shared smiles as I passed strangers, and while I apologized for accidentally bumping into someone, the smiles and apologies were simply knee-jerk reactions – things I knew I should do or say so as not to be a complete jerk. But, truth be told, on the inside all I could think was Get out of my way! Why won’t you get out of my way? For the love of sweet baby Jesus, why won’t you get out of my way? 

Let me be clear though, so that I don’t inadvertently make myself out to be a big jerk. I wasn’t actually getting annoyed with anyone. I find that getting annoyed is next to impossible on a Saturday morning. Especially a Saturday morning spent at the market. The atmosphere is just too fantastic. The smells, the sounds, the food! It’s all too good to be anything but happy. So really, when I was thinking in my head Get out of my way! it was simply an internal dialogue – almost a song that I was singing as I worked my way through the crowd. And for whatever reason, that entertained me greatly, and was ultimately the source of the smile that strangers clearly mistook as a greeting to them.

But what was I after? Why the need for a song? What had my focus?

Well, dear readers, I wanted – nay – I needed fresh wild blueberries. I was stoked last week when I had arrived at the market to learn that wild blueberries were available. Unfortunately, all they had were half pints – which of course I nabbed without a second thought. And they were so good – so freaking good – that they didn’t last very long. So when I discovered that the market was also open on Wednesday (a summer thing), I made my way after work. My Wednesday visit, however, was met with disappointment. No blueberries.

Perhaps I’ve eaten too many blueberries? Nah.

Sad Dan was sad.

Not one to be down for long, I was bound and determined to get blueberries today. And given how good they were, I was convinced that they’d sell out quickly. Clearly this meant that I had to get to them first. Clearly this explains my song. Clearly this explains my drive. In truth, I think it would have been a very bad thing if I missed out on the blueberries. I imagine that if I left empty-handed, I might have ended up in some sort of blueberry rage.

Fortunately, dear readers, that was not the case. The beast known as Blueberry Rage Dan was not unleashed on the unwitting public, because I found blueberries. And not a half pint like last week. I bought all the blueberries. Okay, maybe not all of them, but enough to freeze half and satisfy the Blueberry Beast inside. And ZOMG they are good. I’ve been eating them constantly since I got home.

I’m going to be very sad when they are all gone. But perhaps I shouldn’t think about that – I think I feel the Blueberry Beast beginning to rage.

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