New Beginning 991

On the morning of the day before the first day of her life, she yawned and stretched. If it was raining, it didn’t matter. She stretched her long legs and found her robe on the floor. Not good. These things happen. “Hurry, you’ll be late!” The voice was firm, not from a harmless woman, but an understanding one. Unless, of course, she was late.

“How much?”

“Two kilos … and a loaf. Now, run!”

The young woman grabbed a light sweater, a canvas bag and bolted for the door. Yes, she would run. Another twenty minutes might be too late. No time for chatter today.

“Acknowledge me!” the acrid voice snapped, plowing through the misty morning.

The girl stopped and curtsied. “Sorry, sir. I was in a hurry. It won’t happen again.”

“I’ll speak to your mistress about your insolence.”

“Yes sir. May I be forgiven?”

He waved her along.

Down the broken sidewalk, around the corner and into the market, the girl stopped, out of breath. “Two kilos of sausage, sir. And a loaf.”

The storekeeper peered down over his glasses. “Cheese today, 75?”

She caught her breath. Cheese? The mistress did not say anything about cheese.

“I … I wasn’t told. Yes, no … oh, darn.” If she didn’t bring cheese and was supposed to bring cheese, that would be bad. If she brought cheese and wasn’t supposed to, that might be worse.

“Cheese? Yes, no … what do you think?” Her frustration showed. She looked at the sausages that hung from the hooks. Not many left. Not much cheese, either.

The storekeeper sliced the sausage. “You always take cheese, 75.”

“I … I know." She puckered up her face and tried to think. She stomped her foot. “I suppose so. Maybe not. I won’t be here tomorrow. Maybe she didn’t want me to bring it.”

The girl took the load from the storekeeper. She left with her faith renewed. It was the first time, when offering his sausage, a man had actually warned her about the cheese.


Opening: John C. Updike.....Continuation: Anon.