Don't you love a good mystery? If so, I've got one for you. On Thursday I needed to stop at a Post Office to mail a package. Mr. G. and I were on our way to meet friends for lunch, I asked him to stop at a local hardware store along our route that has a Post Office located at a counter in the back part of the store. This particular hardware store stocks a treasure trove of merchandise, it's always fun to stroll around in there and peruse their shelves for items one doesn't normally see on a routine basis. Thursday's schedule didn't allow for any leisurely shopping, I barely had time to post my parcel and get to our lunch date on time. I had to wait in line, of course, for the postal clerk; there were two customers ahead of me. As I waited I glanced around the stocked shelves in the "Housewares" department, right next to where I was standing. My eyes fell on Pyrex baking dishes, the much sought after (by me), and practically impossible to find, 15" X 10" size! I posted
here a while ago about needing one for a specific Coffee Cake recipe. There were three of the these pans, stacked neatly on the bottom shelf. Judging by the depth of dust on them it appeared that they'd been there for a good, long while. By that time it was my turn with the postal clerk, I mailed my package and left the store. After lunch I asked Mr. G. of we could stop back by the hardware store for me to pick up one of the baking dishes. He pulled up to the front and dropped me off. I ran inside to the back of the store, straight to that bottom shelf, they were GONE! I was completely shocked, I couldn't believe it. I looked around, in that same general vicinity, and found one; placed up on a higher shelf alongside some unrelated items. The dust had been knocked off the sides where it had recently been handled and moved, but the other two were no longer there. Now, owning one of these hard-to-find dishes became
all the more important! I had to have it. I checked it over carefully to assure myself that there were no chips or cracks (knowing that it was the one that had been rejected), there weren't; other than being dirty, it was in perfect condition. I carried it, victoriously, to the check out. The man that waited on me scanned the bar code and said: "there's been a run on these today; someone just bought two like this one." I still can't believe my good fortune. I found something that I hadn't even been looking for on that particular day, in a location that I never would have even dreamed to search for it; and I
almost lost my chance altogether! How long had they been sitting in that store? Why did I just happen to stop at
that Post Office,
that day? I have no idea, but I'm thankful that all the stars aligned for a happy ending. Timing is everything. My new baking dish has been washed and occupies its rightful a place in the cabinet alongside all the 8"x 8"s and 9" X 13"s. Now, with nothing to stop me, I need to pull out that
coffee cake recipe again and get busy!
