The Co-op

by Tarah DeWitt

I look over at the same employee that confiscated my pie behind the register, just as he takes a hearty bite of it. He nods in solidarity. “Buddy, I work here and so am I,” he says around a mouthful.

“When you have a bad day, ma fille, think about it from beginning to end. Walk your way through it. Was it really a bad day, or was it a few bad moments? What part of your day would you like to hold on to before you close your eyes? Find that good bit, and let it be the thing you fall asleep to.”

I made a noise akin to a pirate suffering a surprise anal probe.

“Don’t be!” Sally replies brightly. “She was ninety-eight and ready—quite literally begging to go. And that hag won every time she came to the hall anyway.”

“Oooh, I bet you’ll have grandbabies in no time!” Mrs. Gold prattles on, shoulders bouncing in glee.

“Before we caught you stripping over the fabric softener, that is.”

She’s only grown more stunning, and it’s even more overwhelming because I get to know her soul.

Such is life.