It's almost like as shoppers we become some sort of target for a crazed baker who catches us off guard with a sneak attack: "Enemy identified and located in the produce section ... bakery smell tracker beam activated ... LOCK!" And with that, a chocolate chip cookie aroma literally grabs us and pulls us across the market to the bakery counter.

It's a battle I used to lose more often than I care to admit.

But not recently. No, I've managed to change my ways. I can get past the aisles with the pre-packaged cookies and candies. I can get past the ice cream aisle (OK, except for those 98 per cent fat free ice cream sandwiches, but they're supposed to be good for us, right?). I can even get past the sweet smells and temptations of the bakery.

But then, once a year, there's one final ambush—and it's not even located inside the store.

Nope, this one is after the checkout line, outside the store. Sure they look innocent enough, but they pack enough calories and fat grams to blow up even the best intentions of a diet.

It's the annual Girl Scout Cookie drive. And the little angels have been laying in wait outside the exit doors of supermarkets throughout the area in recent weeks.

It's really not fair. They catch us in our most vulnerable state, at least they do me. First, I'm a sucker for a cute kid ... and there's nothing cuter than a little 9-year-old girl with pigtails. And then they're offering a treat I find hard to resist ... cookies. It's a double whammy!

Now, it would be easier if they were selling something a little easier to pass up, like say, Girl Scout Celery. That I think I could resist.

"Sir, would you like buy some Girl Scout Celery?" one of the little darlings would ask with that sweet little Girl Scout voice.

"Celery?" I'd snapped. "I don't want to ... I don't even like ... OK, but only one bunch."

Or maybe if it was a fundraising drive for the Teamsters Union. I think I could say no to a bald guy named Pete, already casting his 5 o'clock shadow at about 11 a.m.

"Hey, mac, wanna buy some cookies?" he'd ask.

"No thanks," I'd reply without even turning my head.

"Yeah, well we got those chewy coconut kind!"

"OK," I'd snap, "but only one box."

But, alas, it's not Teamsters. It's cute little girls selling cookies. And they get me every time. In fact, it happened again last weekend.

"It wasn't my fault!" I blurted before I ever stepped into the house with my bags of groceries.

"What wasn't your fault?" Natalie asked.

"The Girl Scout Cookies," I explained. "They were just so darn cute, I couldn't say no."

"Well, that's fine," she said, "but did you have to buy six boxes?"

"Those girls are pretty good at what they do," I offered in my defense. "You know, I'm going to suggest to the boss that we recruit a few of them for our sales department."

Unlike me, she wasn't buying.

"Right," she said, "but six boxes?"

"Well, there were the thin mints, the peanut butter, the chewy coconut ... "

"Yeah," she interrupted, "I get the idea."

"Maybe it's a good idea if I do the shopping for you for a while," she added, "at least until the Girl Scout Cookie drive is over."

I must admit, that sounds like a good plan. It might give me a chance to work on my willpower.

And I guarantee, if when I return to the supermarket there are Teamsters out front selling celery—well, I'm not buying!

Want to talk? Call me at 408.354.3110, ext. 31, or drop me a note at dsparrer@svcn.com.