Authored by Vince Russell on 28 January 2006 at 03:55PM
Current rating:
Filed under: Vince Goes Ape

Shopping for bananas

One of the first things I wanted to do when I got my gorilla suit was to head to the supermarket. Luckily for me, there’s a massive Tesco’s just down the road.

After Lucy’s retirement from everything gorilla, Dan Taylor kindly agreed to be the photographer (thanks Dan!). I was a bit hungover in the morning and nearly considered not bothering but when Dan texted me to confirm that I was coming over to collect him, I decided that I should just do it! I’m glad I did.

When we arrived at Tesco’s, I found a little corner of the car park, away from everything, and got changed into the suit. Twickenham Tesco has security guards on the entrance, and as we made our way through the car park I was convinced that they would not let me in. So after posing for a photo outside the supermarket, I tried to time my stroll through the front doors so the security guard wouldn’t see me. This was no stealth manoeuvre from Tom Clancy thriller though, it was just me in a gorilla suit walking into a supermarket, but it worked and I was in!

When I first thought of heading to Tesco’s, I hoped to do a full weeks shopping dressed as a gorilla, but there’s no way I’d convince Lucy so instead, I decided that I should just head in there and buy banana’s. I know the layout of the store quite well, so was able to go pretty much directly to the banana’s. When I got there though, they were surrounded by hundred’s of old ladies and I couldn’t get at them. At first, I was polite and waited until someone moved on, but nobody moved on! So I tried to go round them, but that didn’t work at all and I seemed to be getting further away from them. I think one of he old ladies must have realised this because she turned to her husband and in a voice full of pity said, “awww, he’s trying to get to the bananas”. After hearing that I decided just to dive in and grab some banana’s. I managed to make it out alive and clutching two big bunches, I headed to the checkout happy and relieved.

The guy behind the checkout greeted me with a “Hello mate”, it was as if I was the tenth gorilla he’d seen that morning and the novelty was kind of wearing thin, but I handed over my money, took my banana’s and made my way out, satisfied that my mission was a success.

The funniest comment of the day was the final one I received, a woman and her three little girls were waiting with their shopping to be picked up, one of the little girls, who was probably about eight years old, asked if I was taking the mick out of Pete (as in Pete Burns, recent house mate on celebrity big brother), everyone had a good laugh, however I thought she said was I taking the mick out of her mother and thought that this was hilarious! Especially as her mother was stood right beside her!

So now I’m planning my next gorilla moment, I think a trip the local barbers would be pretty good but I’m open to suggestions! Until then, I’ve got some banana’s to get through so I better get cracking!

Photo's from my shopping trip

Authored by Vince Russell on 28 January 2006 at 03:55PM
Current rating:
Filed under: Vince Goes Ape