I experienced what my Hell would be today, if I were in Dante’s Inferno.

I went to the supermarket today to pick up my second carton of Coca Cola Light. ‘Supermarket’ is a stretch. It is about the size of an American sized kitchen with 3 aisles and 2 refrigerators sparsely stocked. However, on a good day they might have Coca Cola Light and some days even Snickers bars. As I passed one of the fridges (that I’ve passed about a dozen times since I arrived and scrutinily eyed) I saw it, stopped, blinked twice, gasped, and frantically opened the door. There it was…..cheese.

I have not had cheese since I arrived a month ago. It is my crack. There were 6 bricks of it vacuum packed in the fridge, and after I checked its expiration date (Dec 2008) I snatched up 3 and hurried up to the register. Upon checking out the cashier says, “Sorry, mdme, but we haven’t determined yet the selling price of the cheese so we cannot sell it to you.”

WTF?

I would have spent $10 per brick, even $20. She could have made up a price and I would have given it to her.

I asked for the manager.

He came to the front and very politely explained that I would have to come back later tonight or tomorrow to purchase the cheese. You should have seen the look of anguish in my eyes. He clearly thought I was nuts.

Knowing very well that there are other toubobs (white/western people) that want cheese in the town, I did what I had to do. I put a deposit on 3 bricks of cheese.

So now I am sitting here like a junkie, wishing I could bite into the brick like a burger. I could mentally already taste it. I could see it. It’s near. But I can’t have it…yet.