I’m in Milton Keynes shopping centre (this was when I lived there a couple of years back), doing the usual wander-around, when I spot a little stall with “Gluten-Free Cakes” written all over it. As a coeliac, this was like finding treasure. I practically zoomed over to see what delights awaited me without looking at the stall carefully enough.
The woman behind the stall was super friendly, and we started chatting about her gluten-free cakes. There were all sorts—chocolate cakes, cupcakes, even slices of cake that looked too good to be true. I was in heaven. I felt like I’d found my new favourite stall, and I was ready to dive in and try some of her creations.
We were having a great conversation about gluten-free living, and I was fully invested. Everything was going smoothly… until she hit me with the question: “So, what dog do you have?”
Now, I don’t have a dog. But, in that moment, it completely threw me off. I froze. What’s she talking about? I thought. Was she trying to tell me she had some dog-themed treats on offer? I had no idea.
Then it hit me like a tonne of bricks… Wait. These aren’t cakes for people. They’re for dogs.
I panicked. In a split second, I decided I had to cover this up. “Oh, I’ve got a little Cocker Spaniel,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “Just found out he needs to eat gluten-free food, so I’m always on the lookout for good treats for him.”
I could tell she didn’t buy it, but she nodded along anyway, probably thinking I was just another dog owner with a confusing gluten-free dilemma.
I left the stall quickly, promising to “look around” and “come back soon,” but inside, I was absolutely cringing. I had been this close to buying gluten-free dog treats for myself—because, well, they looked so good! I felt like such an idiot, pretending to have a dog just to avoid looking silly.
So, here’s the lesson: Always double-check what you’re buying at a gluten-free stall, like potentially buying dog food especially when you don’t even have a dog!
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