I...I..I... Have Become Comfortably Numb

I wanted this week to be all about the vegetable dishes.  Mainly because there were no meat deals.  But I wanted to focus on and fully utilize the winter produce. I tried to find something incredible looking. Ehhh.  Nothing really jumped out at me to be honest but fresh vegetables really isn't PathMark's strong point truth be told.
I think the story is all in how you prepare the vegetables anyway.  The winter stuff can somewhat lack the curb appeal of say the bold summer colors and shapes.  But the flavors just burst in all their glory with a little prodding with steam or roasting.
Last night I whipped up a Food Network recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cauliflower-with-tomatoes-recipe/index.html).  The cauliflower and plum tomatoes were tossed in olive oil, tumeric, cumin seeds and a pinch of cayenne and then roasted for 25 minutes in a 450 degree oven.  I threw in a can of chick peas since they are so meaty when roasted and they really played well with these flavors.

I think I've mentioned that I work in retail which can be rewarding and it can be very hard on the nerves. Yesterday on a super busy Sunday someone had sold some old goat the wrong color cabinet in my department.  Now returning something at a retail store on a Sunday can be brutal.  So normally, I'm all ears and all compassion. I was in the 'host' role, so we're supposed to be like the cheerleader, all smiles and ready to help. This man needed to yell at someone and the heffahs girls downstairs at the customer service desk prefer to be more on the givin' end of the abuse.  So, he yelled at me.  He didn't let me talk, he didn't let me make it right, he just yelled and accused and yelled some more.  He started say 'you' did this and 'you' did that.  Then for his Oscar moment he decided to rip up his order in my face and throw it at me. 


Somehow these things tend to happen in slow motion in your mind.  I saw the papers flying past my head like snow flakes and I felt myself losing the ability to move or talk. There were people in line to ask me questions but they just fade away.  I saw him walking away, still spewing his 'yous' and anger, pointing and shouting.  I turn and see my boss one foot away from me mind you, not hearing any of this. No help, as usual. Now in a movie or on a TV show something dramatic would have happened but in reality I just sucked it up, worked my next half hour and then rode home in the cold on my bike.  Then I spent most of the night fantasizing about what I could have said. 
I have no anger at the grouch because after what he went through and how busy and chaotic and horrible that store can in on a Sunday, he probably needed to vent.  I didn't deserve it but I certainly can take it.  Maybe not without any repercussions but I can take it.

A good plate of food prepared with love featuring roasted cauliflower and a hour of Stupid Home Videos helped.