Pie-ronic

It was the dawn of another fine morning in Ann Arbor. My transportation-less friend was in need of some groceries, so I swung by her apartment to pick her up, and together we headed to the grocery store (yes, that grocery store) in my trusty automobile. Happily, we arrived without slaughtering any bunnyrabbits or having any otherwise significant adventures along the way.

Once inside the store, we went our separate ways to do our shopping. As it seems I frequent the grocery store these days nearly as often as my own apartment, I wasn't in need of much, but I made my familiar beeline to the back of the store to lay claim to a gallon of milk. [Fact: I alone drink as much milk per week as an average American family.]

After walking in an aimless manner for several minutes up and down various aisles, I headed to the self check-out and was soon back in my car, awaiting my friend as she finished up her own grocery gathering. I turned the keys partway in the ignition, rolled down my window, and sat back, enjoying the faintly breezy air and the sounds of some good ol' Smash Mouth coming from the current mix CD in the CD player. As I sat, I surveyed my environment, doing some people-watching and simultaneously conducting a scientific experiment (mostly through observation, though I did verbally interact with one fellow who parked next to me, further details of which are not important at this time) as to how much more careful people are when they get out of their cars not to door-bang your car if they see you sitting inside of it vs. if they don't.

As I observed people coming and going and walking in and out of different stores, I noticed something peculiar about a particular sidewalk sign.

Unfortunately, the picture below is the best I could do from far away against the bright sun with only my phone camera, but you get the gist: above a giant, delectable-looking piece of pie, the sign was essentially soliciting passersby with the alluring question, "Wouldn't you LOVE to try a SLICE?"

Now, before you ask what made this sign so peculiar, let me show you the store in front of which the sign was placed:

Yes, the Jenny Craig diet store was trying to lure people in with a giant pie sign. Talk about cruel advertising. I mean, really.

I mean, really?

I sat puzzling over this marketing tactic for a couple of minutes, trying to come up with possible justifications for the placement of such a corrupting sign.

As I pondered, I continued to scrutinize unknowing pedestrians and keep up with my scientific observations of door-bangers.

I saw a lady in scrubs walk out of the bank next to Jenny Craig and meet up with another woman. After a brief exchange, they both turned and walked across my line of vision, past Jenny Craig, past the pie sign, and past...

Oh.

I'll get back to you about the quality of those observation skills...