So I’m out of the office from the day job, on my way to pick up lunch. (For anyone on a low-carb diet, by the way, Burger King will make any of their sandwiches on a low-carb option — it’s basically the meat part and a salad in a bowl. But I digress….)
On my way there, I saw a storefront I’d never seen before, with a Chinese sign that said 大麻 — “great something” , “麻” being a character that looked familiar but I couldn’t remember. Along with the Chinese were signs in English for massage, reiki, Chinese herbs, and so forth. Always curious, I dropped in. At the counter was a pleasant and attractive young woman, and about six bottles of Chinese herbs one might buy in an natural foods store.
I’m sure I looked puzzled. When she asked me if she could help I said something about seeing the sign. She smiled and said “are you a medical marijuana patient?”
“Um, no. Is this a medical marijuana store?”
“Oh yes.” Then it clicked: “大麻” is “great hemp” — dope.
Ten minutes later, I left with a half-dozen cards and brochures for doctors who do medical marijuana exams, along with local chiropractors, massage therapists and so forth. I somehow never did get across to her that I really didn’t want any marijuana — she kept taking my cluelessness for embarrassment.
