My GNC Story
I used to frequent GNC. Actually, I used to frequent Starbuck’s- twice daily, to be exact- and GNC is right next door. Also anyone who knows me tends to call me a “health freak” or a “workout freak” or a “vitamin freak”, etc…whatever…I’m some kind of freak to the rest of the world, I guess. Nonetheless, the freakishness of my nature has caused me to love visiting health food and health oriented establishments ever since I can remember. My very first memories of browsing wellness-related products was when I was around 6 or 7 and we shopped at Vim and Vigor. There was this new, amazing chewable vitamin C tablet with rosehips! Oh, how innovative! GASP!
Anyway, getting back to my story about frequenting GNC, there was this very fit young male salesman, maybe two or three years younger than I, who would strike up conversations with me while I would browse. I thought, oh, he’s being friendly, how nice of him to help me out. There were other days when I’d choose not to patron GNC, but passed it on my way to and from Starbuck’s, returning smiles and waves with the nice, sweet, friendly, helpful salesman. Sometimes when I was training in the local gym, he’d approach me and say hi and we’d exchange small talk. Harmless.
Then I moved out of that town and into the adjacent suburb, and I frequented a different Starbuck’s. Well months passed before I visited my hometown Starbuck’s-- hehe, hometown Starbuck’s-- sounds kinda yuppie, eh? I visited the old GNC. The manager was operating the cash register. I asked him about my GNC acquaintance…he told me he was no longer with GNC. Then the manager asked me, “You’re his stripper friend, right?”
Wait a minute. STRIPPER FRIEND? “Stripper friend? Where did you hear that from?” “Oh him, everytime you’d wave at him, he’d tell me 'there’s my stripper friend Michelle again!”
Ok, the disclaimer. I’m not against strippers in any way, shape or form. I’m far from innocent myself, so I’d be calling the kettle black if I were to judge a stripper.
But the fact of the matter is that this guy knew that I was an ER Nurse, and HE LIED! “I’ll have you know I’m an ER Nurse and NOT a stripper.” The manager giggled.
The moral of the story: Beware of overly friendly vitamin salesmen!!! (Not reallly the moral of the story- there is no moral, but I didn’t know how to end this one, I just wanted to tell the story because it’s weird!)