The Encounter

I opened up a cupboard in my clean, white, old-fashioned kitchen and grabbed a plastic Ziplock bag. I proceeded on to raid the rest of the cupboards. I shoved all the cookies, candy and chips I could fit into the bag. Quickly, I ran out the door into the fresh, night air, before my mom had a chance to tell me to go comb my brown hair, straighten my glasses, clean my room or to 'stop eating so much!' If I had a penny for all the times I heard THAT phrase before...I was skinny though, and eating did not seem to affect me.

I walked out onto the lamp lit street in front of my house. The road was empty - everyone must have been asleep. So I decided to walk down the middle of the street.

I opened up the Ziplock bag I had brought with me and searched for my favourite chocolate chip cookies. My head was down as I continued the search.
WHAM!
"What the fu-?" I yelled as I fell to the ground and landed hard on my butt. My snacks had flown every which way out of the bag.
There was a blinding light which forced me to cover my eyes with my arm.
"Your lucky I wasn't a car young man!" It was a males voice. "You had better watch where you're walki-wait a second! Is that a Ziplock bag I see?" I felt the plastic bag get snatched out of my grasp.
"Please sir," I stammered. "Let me see you and please give me back my snacks!"

The light dimmed, and I could now see a tall, handsome, white haired man standing in front of me. He was wearing a white suit, white dress pants and a white pair of shoes as well. 'Wait a second,' I thought. 'I know this man!'
It was none other than the face and the man from -

"Glad is the number one brand of plastic storage devices, and lucky for you," he smiled, showing his blinding white teeth, "I have a free sample for you! Take this new bag -" He handed me a Glad plastic bag, "and take it home to your family. Spread the good news and tell them to use Glad! While you do that, I will dispose of this Ziplock piece of garbage!"
He held up my old bag in front of his face and furrowed his white eyebrows.
Pulling out a sharp, silver needle from his front suit pocket, he poked a hole in the Ziplock bag.
"See?" he said. "It even has a hole in it! You would do best to use Glad - the number one brand of plastic storage devices I might add - from now on!" He smiled down at me again, almost mockingly, as if he thought I was a two year old child. I just sat in awe - well, angry awe - from my spot on the street.

Finally, I found strength to stand up. Despite the distracting and bright glow that surrounded the man, I stared my opponent down.
"Our family does not like Glad," I said, holding back a sob. "My dog choked on one of your evil bags and died a few years back. Ever since, we have used Ziplock as our preferred brand for plastic storage devices."

The man from Glad was at a loss for words for a few moments, but regained his composure quickly.
"A few years back I was not the Glad representative my son," he chided. "Our product has become 100% more reliable, safe and affordable since I have taken over!" When he saw I had no interest in his lies, he spoke again.
"Anyways, it's past your bedtime isn't it son?" He placed his hands on my shoulders, turned me 180 degrees and patted my bum as he urged me on home.
"Take that Glad bag home now," he called as I started walking, "and remember to stay off the road! Or else you could get hit by a c-"
THUD.

On hearing the noise, I spun back around. A red Chrysler had driven by and in it's trail it had left a crumpled white suit and dress pants on the ground. There was no body in that suit and the man from Glad had seemingly disappeared! The clothes on the road no longer glowed and the street was dark once again, lit only by the streetlights, which periodically flickered on and off.

I came to the conclusion that he had been hit by the red Chrysler and turned back around towards home. I threw the Glad bag over my shoulder, onto the empty street behind me without a second thought.
"Don't preach something if you don't know it yourself," I muttered under my breath, as I continued walking home, wondering what-on-Earth had just happened.