Bachelor Nation is not over Grocery Store Joe, and I get it

All it took was a few minutes on last Monday's premiere of The Bachelorette for the entire nation to decide that "Joe the Grocer" is, in a word, perfect. We fell into the Bachelor trap. We fell fast and we fell hard. 

After Bachelorette Becca eliminated the boy-next-door with the big smile during last week's rose ceremony, fans quickly took to Twitter to express their intense disapproval.

Some called for watermelon-selling Joe Amabile, 32, to be named the next Bachelor. Some raged against Becca. Some even pledged to leave the franchise but I know they'll be back. They always come back. 

It's week two now, and the Bachelor Nation love for Joe isn't showing any signs of loosening. Some of us spent the entire episode tweeting about how much they missed him. Others raged against Becca, her choices and intentions.

In a consistently tweeted refrain, others pointed to the grocer from Chicago as a representation of all that's right in this world. And all that's wrong with some of the remaining contestants. (I'm looking at you, Jordan.) Read one tweet: "You know who wouldn't be wearing a pink blanket at the final rose ceremony? #joethegrocer"  Read another: "You know who wouldn't be colluding with Russia or needing to pardon himself? #AmIDoingThisRight #TheBachelorette #NotMyPresident #JoeTheGrocer "

But let's talk about why everyone loves Joe so much. After watching the premiere and the folksy intro of him and his thick Chicago accent carefully examining produce for bruises, I know Joe is the epitome of a truly wonderful man. And now, after everything that happened during episode 2 (oh Colton and Lincoln, I'm so disappointed in you two), we all need a good man more than ever. And I'm not the only one pining for Joe after the disaster we got from episode 2.   

Some tweets Monday night really got what it was like to be a part of Bachelor Nation. I felt this one on a really deep level because this franchise has been tearing me apart for six long years. And Joe's departure is just another example of disappointment I've had to deal with. 

Oh Peter. Peter was the runner-up on the last season of The Bachelorette with Rachel Lindsey, who dumped him because he wasn't sure if he was ready to propose. I get that the entire premise of this show is to get engaged, but Peter was so wonderful, Rachel should've just caved. And I still get upset about this. I will never get over it. Just like how I might not get over Joe leaving on week one. END RANT. 

Back to Grocer Joe's departure. The worst thing about him leaving so early was when Becca decided to keep that awful model Jordan for another week and all of that picture frame drama went down between Connor and Lincoln. But as Queen Kaitlyn Bristowe (ex-Bachelorette) notes, the model boy makes good TV. And we're in season 1,000, so I'm going to trust the producers on this one. 

Also because the world is a cruel, cruel place, this weekend, Joe the Grocer and Becca reunited in Chicago. AND THEY LOOKED SO PRECIOUS. He wore watermelon shorts (SWOON!), she looked happy and cute, and the world mourned for the relationship that could've been. But look at his (so beautiful) face. He's clearly not upset about how things shook out.

And even as Bachelorette Twitter mourns the loss of Grocer Joe, I have a strong feeling he'll be heading for warmer climates and getting to know some Bachelor alums on the beaches of Mexico soon enough.

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