Our Reunion

Part 10

            Saturday morning I got up and had my morning coffee. I knew I wouldn't see Marie til tonight. So I got dressed and took a ride. I wanted to go window-shopping at some small stores I knew about. They seemed to carry odd things at some of them. So it's best to look in all the crooks and crannies. You just never seem to know what you may come across.

    I remember going to the shops and finding lots of things that would work for different situations. Now I go in and I can't find anything. Oh well, that's what I get for looking at things with a different eye. Hmmm, who knew?

   I stopped at this quaint little shop with this little old lady running it. She just sat in her chair knitting. She looked at me when I came in and she said, "Hello." I had said hello back towards her and she laid her knitting on her lap and said to me, "Young man! This is my shop.  No one comes in here and just says hello. People speak to me and not to an empty space. So please, when you speak to someone, look at him or her. It's much more courteous." I was still by the door and only separated from the old woman by ten feet or so. I was looking at her and said, "Maam I'm sorry. But when I walked in, I was taken aback by all the beautiful things you have here." She smiled and said, "So you're a smoozer too. Okay young man, how may I help you?" I said to her, "Maybe a little mam, but these things are beautiful. Now, as to helping me. Well, I'm looking for a gift for a lovely young woman. For some reason I can't seem to find anything that will work." She asked me to describe her.

   "Well she's young, dark hair, sweet personality, and very lovely. And we're just friends." She studied me for a moment. Then she said, "Sounds like you're talking about a baby or a cat. Now, does she have you hooked?" I could tell we hit it off together. I told her,” No. But she admits to being a witch." Her eyes seemed to light up. "What's her name?" All I could say was "Marie" and she cut me off with a big "Ah ha. I thought as much. Okay young man. Over in the corner behind the screen there. Would you get it?" I answered, "Yes mam”. Then as I looked behind the screen, all I saw was an old broom! “ Ah mam, the only thing here is this old broom”, I said as I held it up for her to see. The old woman told me, "You just give that to Marie and tell her compliments of Zia." I asked her, "Mam, are you sure? A broom?" Zia said, "Young man, that's what she'll be happiest with. Now,   you and Marie have a nice day."

   All I could think was, what next?

12-4-08