A&P

It is a typical day at the A&P, Sammy explains, just ringing up the purchases of the customers, one after another, with no real excitement to speak of. That all changes, however, the moment three bikini-clad girls walk through the doors, immediately gaining the notice of all of the A&P workers. Sammy’s narrative goes into minute detail about the girls’ physical appearance as he sizes them up in a hormone-driven teenage boy way.Sammy not only takes in the physical traits of the girls, though. He notices their demeanor, as well, paying attention to the girl he calls “Queenie,” who seems to be the leader. He notices her command over the other girls, not to mention the confidence and audacity he believes it takes to walk half-naked into the A&P.

While Sammy seems to have no problem ogling the girls, he is disturbed when he realized the other men who work in the A&P are doing the same, despite the fact that they are older than Sammy. Sammy starts to sympathize with the girls a bit, saying “Poor kids, I began to feel sorry for them, they couldn’t help it”.The story’s climax occurs when Lengel, the store manager confronts the girls about not being properly dressed, resulting in the girls’ embarrassment. Sammy is so bothered by Lengel’s actions that he quits his job, hoping to get some glory for his gesture, but is left disappointed when the girls do not notice what he’s done.