Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 (12 page)

“
I
’
ll have a banana for you in no time.
Do you like them still slightly green, very yellow, or a little overripe?
”

She stared at him dumbstruck.
“
How am I supposed to know?
I can count on one hand the number of times I
’
ve had a banana.
We didn
’
t grow them.
As far as I know, they don
’
t grow very well here
.”

He laughed.
“Sarcasm. You’re back.” Her indignant snort prompted him to add,
“
Do you remember if they had green on them or spots?
”

“
I remember they existed.
They were good.
Sweet but not too sweet like some things
.”

“
I
’
ll get you a basic ripe banana.
And rice.
White or brown- never mind, I think I remember mom telling Cheri to do white back when we were in high school.
Something about not as nutritious but easier on the stomach
.”

Willow waited in the truck as Chad crossed the street
,
waving at nearly everyone and disappeared into the market.
A memory flashed through her mind of the first time she remembered coming to town.
Based upon her dress, Willow assumed she
’
d been around four or five years old.
She saw the way her mother kept her hat pulled so that it hid most of her face and wondered what others had thought of the strange woman and child that came to town once or twice a year.

“
Mother, why are the houses so close together?
”

The ever-patient voice of her mother answered as she wove through the streets
,
avoiding the eyes of those who tried to be friendly.
“
Because some people like to live on top of each other
.”

“
But there
’
s no room for gardens or animals.
How do they eat?
”

“
See that store?
”
Her mother paused and stooped down to the child
’
s level.
“
See where the lady in the purple shirt is going in?
That
’
s a grocery store.
People buy all the food they need in there
.”

“
That store isn
’
t big enough to grow enough food for all of these people!
Our garden is almost as big as that store and where do they keep the animals?
These cars would kill chickens
.”

Familiar chuckles made the child feel secure and foolish at the same time.
She knew what those chuckles meant.
It meant that she
’
d said something silly and that her mother didn
’
t see how smart she really was for thinking of these things.
The child thought her mother didn
’
t always appreciate her intelligence.

“
Willow, the store only keeps enough food for a
few days or a
week or so.
They have food brought from everywhere.
By bringing it so often, they ensure that everything is fresh.
People just go get what they need for a week or two and then come back
.”

Willow
’
s next words surprised the mother.
“
How sad.
I
’
m sorry for them
.”

“
Why sorry?
”

“
They don
’
t get to see things grow.
They don
’
t get to know that the tomato they
’
re eating is the one they picked
‘
specially for them.
They have to take whatever someone else gives them
.”

Mother laughed.
“
Want to know a secret?
”
she whispered in the child
’
s ear.
“
The food isn
’
t as good either.
They have to pick it too soon so that it doesn
’
t spoil before they get it to the stores
.”

“
I will pray for them.
Those poor, poor people.
Someone should tell them
—”

“
They know, Willow.
They know
.”

“
That
’
s just foolish
.”
The emphatic tone of the child
’
s voice amused a passer-by.

“
They would say that working so hard for enough to eat and a way to stay warm and dry is foolish.
Everyone makes their choices
.”

“
But some people make foolish ones,
”
Willow added with finality.
“
I
’
m glad God gave me to a Mother who makes smart choices for us
.”

“
Oh
,
Willow
.”

Arms around her startled her.
“
Wha
—”

“
What
’
s wrong, Lass?
Do you feel worse?
”

She realized that tears were streaming down her face.
“
I was remembering a trip with Mother.
I didn
’
t even know I was crying
.”

“
You should write those memories down.
Our children will treasure them
.”
He reached for the box of Kleenex he kept in the glove compartment.
“
Here
.”

“
Did you get bananas and rice?
”

Chad pulled out a box of fruit popsicles.
“
And popsicles.
It
’
s almost as medicinal for a stomach bug as chicken soup is for a cold or the flu
.”

Willow pulled the stick from the wrapper and bit off the end of it.
“
Ooo
h!
”

Laughing Chad grabbed another Kleenex and handed it to her.
“
Spit it out if you need to.
It
’
s cold
.”

“
I should have expected it
,
but I didn
’
t,
”
she said surprised.

“
Nibble or suck on it.
It
’
ll soothe your throat too.
Let
’
s get you home and if you keep that down, I
’
ll give you a banana
.”

“
But this isn
’
t part of the BRAT thing.
Popsicle wasn
’
t in there
.”
She looked at it warily.
Another bout of vomiting was not what she had in mind for her afternoon.

“
This counts as a liquid.
Liquids don
’
t count for the BRAT so you
’
re ok
.”

She glanced his way and sighed.
“
I think BRAT is a double entendre.
I think it also stands for the state of mind of people who are too weak to protest but too hungry not to
.”