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zlabya"Let's go to the store while the weather is nice." Akka rummaged around in the main-room closet, pulling out a backpack and a handcart with large, sturdy-looking wheels that had an actual suspension system.
"I thought you said you couldn't drive."
"That's right. We're walking."
"Town is nearly six miles away!"
"That's why we need to start now. Two hours down, half an hour to shop, two hours back." She handed Al what seemed to be a very large red plaid water bottle. "Can you fill this at the sink, please, while I pack some snacks?"
"Good thing my sneakers are almost new," Al muttered as he filled the bottle.
Akka seemed to delight in walking, pointing out all sorts of things from non-poisonous mushrooms to tiny orange lizards scuttling about in the fall leaves. She got Al looking for living creatures as a test of his psychic abilities and regular senses. They stopped three times, one to admire a gorgeous view of the valley as well as to have water and a pemmican bar.
"Town" was actually a village with a small chain grocery store, an organic-food store that was also a cafe and live music venue, two shady-looking bars (one claiming to also be a "grill"), a beauty-and-nail salon, and a mobile-phone store. Akka stopped at the grocery store first. "Pick out a frozen vegetable, any one you want," Akka said. "Although if you choose cauliflower, you have to eat it all. I don't do white vegetables."
"No potatoes?"
"You have me there. Once in a while, when they're on sale, but only fresh--they're cheaper and much tastier. I prefer yams or turnips, both of which are waiting for us in the ground at home. Oh, hi, Marcia! she added enthusiastically, half-turning to face a tall woman with cornrows and a dark-wood crucifix settled on her imposing bosom.
"Akka!" The two women hugged. "Good to see you--it's been months. WHo is this young man here?"
"New assistant, Al. Al, this is my friend Marcia. We know each other from the few times a year I attend church."
Marcia smiled warmly. . "Akka here is one of the few parishioners who actually sings."
"Others sing, they're just afraid to do it with their whole voice. I've actually been away, not just slacking off. Maybe I'll attend again in a couple of weeks."
"Whenever," Marcia waved. "Always glad to have you. And the Christmas bazaar is coming up, if you have any of your crafts or preserves to donate."
"Harvest was a bit thin this year, but I made a few ornaments and a pair of those fingerless gloves you say the young people like. I have a second pair nearly finished. Rainbow colors, you know I like to support our alphabet kids."
Marcia chuckled "I just won't let Father and Mary Kate know that's why you made those."
Al cracked a smile.
"Good idea." Akka shook her head. "One of these centuries, maybe."
"Girl, we're still working on women's ordination and a brown-skinned Jesus."
"Yeah, I know. See you, by the first week in Advent for sure."
"Better be--the bazaar is always the day before the second week of Advent, remember."
"Yes, dear." The two women hugged again and headed off in opposite directions.
"Marcia is backup leader for the choir at Our Lady of Perpetual Adoration, the local CAtholic church."
"You're Catholic?"
"Sort of. Baptized as a baby, first communion and all as a kid, and my one marriage. I drop in once in a while. Not sure what I believe sometimes, but when I'm in the mood for that sort of ritual and holiness I drop by. Mostly I just sing what I feel. Were you raised in a faith?"
"Not really. I joined Tara in a few rituals and attended some with a local sort-of-coven, though she was mostly a solitary practitioner. My mom's mother was a Baptist convert from Catholicism, but I didn't see her much. She gave up on me when I made it clear I didn't want to be baptized and I thought services were boring."
Akka picked up a pear and frowned at it. "Feels too fake. Let's see if the ones at the health food store are affordable. I've got everything else we need in the way of fresh vegetables and fruit, so on to the flour."
"I thought you said you couldn't drive."
"That's right. We're walking."
"Town is nearly six miles away!"
"That's why we need to start now. Two hours down, half an hour to shop, two hours back." She handed Al what seemed to be a very large red plaid water bottle. "Can you fill this at the sink, please, while I pack some snacks?"
"Good thing my sneakers are almost new," Al muttered as he filled the bottle.
Akka seemed to delight in walking, pointing out all sorts of things from non-poisonous mushrooms to tiny orange lizards scuttling about in the fall leaves. She got Al looking for living creatures as a test of his psychic abilities and regular senses. They stopped three times, one to admire a gorgeous view of the valley as well as to have water and a pemmican bar.
"Town" was actually a village with a small chain grocery store, an organic-food store that was also a cafe and live music venue, two shady-looking bars (one claiming to also be a "grill"), a beauty-and-nail salon, and a mobile-phone store. Akka stopped at the grocery store first. "Pick out a frozen vegetable, any one you want," Akka said. "Although if you choose cauliflower, you have to eat it all. I don't do white vegetables."
"No potatoes?"
"You have me there. Once in a while, when they're on sale, but only fresh--they're cheaper and much tastier. I prefer yams or turnips, both of which are waiting for us in the ground at home. Oh, hi, Marcia! she added enthusiastically, half-turning to face a tall woman with cornrows and a dark-wood crucifix settled on her imposing bosom.
"Akka!" The two women hugged. "Good to see you--it's been months. WHo is this young man here?"
"New assistant, Al. Al, this is my friend Marcia. We know each other from the few times a year I attend church."
Marcia smiled warmly. . "Akka here is one of the few parishioners who actually sings."
"Others sing, they're just afraid to do it with their whole voice. I've actually been away, not just slacking off. Maybe I'll attend again in a couple of weeks."
"Whenever," Marcia waved. "Always glad to have you. And the Christmas bazaar is coming up, if you have any of your crafts or preserves to donate."
"Harvest was a bit thin this year, but I made a few ornaments and a pair of those fingerless gloves you say the young people like. I have a second pair nearly finished. Rainbow colors, you know I like to support our alphabet kids."
Marcia chuckled "I just won't let Father and Mary Kate know that's why you made those."
Al cracked a smile.
"Good idea." Akka shook her head. "One of these centuries, maybe."
"Girl, we're still working on women's ordination and a brown-skinned Jesus."
"Yeah, I know. See you, by the first week in Advent for sure."
"Better be--the bazaar is always the day before the second week of Advent, remember."
"Yes, dear." The two women hugged again and headed off in opposite directions.
"Marcia is backup leader for the choir at Our Lady of Perpetual Adoration, the local CAtholic church."
"You're Catholic?"
"Sort of. Baptized as a baby, first communion and all as a kid, and my one marriage. I drop in once in a while. Not sure what I believe sometimes, but when I'm in the mood for that sort of ritual and holiness I drop by. Mostly I just sing what I feel. Were you raised in a faith?"
"Not really. I joined Tara in a few rituals and attended some with a local sort-of-coven, though she was mostly a solitary practitioner. My mom's mother was a Baptist convert from Catholicism, but I didn't see her much. She gave up on me when I made it clear I didn't want to be baptized and I thought services were boring."
Akka picked up a pear and frowned at it. "Feels too fake. Let's see if the ones at the health food store are affordable. I've got everything else we need in the way of fresh vegetables and fruit, so on to the flour."
