The Road East

Strange Meetings

Linny's POV:

"Linny! Would you please get off your rear end for once?"

I sighed and hopped up. "What would you have me do, Primula?"

My older sister handed me some coins. "Take this and get mother her tea bags and sugar. We've run out and mother can't stand not having her afternoon tea. Hurry on now, before she gets home from the library."

As I walked out the door she said sharply,"Hey! Don't give me that look, just because you're 11 doesn't mean you can't be asked to do some things for the family."

What look? I wasn't giving her a look. It's not like I don't do anything, just today I did the dishes, dusted mother's china hutch, and swept the kitchen. Then again, Primula is a neat-freak, and compared to the chores she does in a day, that was nothing. So, to her it probably would seem that I'm lazy. Well, I am lazy, I just don't want to show it.

I skipped to the market while humming a poem my mother sang to me last night. She's a very good singer, her soothing voice always helps to put me asleep and make me wake up the next day in good spirits.

I waited in Mrs. Chubb's line for a bit. Since it's hard for me to stand still for awhile, I lightly hopped on my feet. Not enough for someone to instantly notice, but enough to keep me from making a fool of myself. When I finally got up to her stand, I realized I still wasn't tall enough to quite reach the table.

I put my elbows on the table and pulled myself up, suspending myself in the air. My feet dangled maybe 2 inches off the ground. I remembered the rhyme my mother taught me when I was small to help me use my manners when speaking to adults. I laughed slightly as I thought of the silly tune. "May I please have a box of tea bags and some sugar, Miss?"

"We're all out of tea."

I must have looked disappointed, I was, but I thought I hadn't shown it. Anyways she quickly said in one of those tones grown-ups talk in to make little kids excited,"But, I do know that Ole Miss Azaelia Proudfoot has some."

I crinkled my nose. "But her stuff's too expensive. I haven't got but a few coins!" I showed her my small handful, while still making sure my elbows were anchored in the same place so as not to fall.

A girl about my age along with an older boy set down a few boxes beside Mrs. Chubb. Mrs. Chubb smiled as she opened one of the boxes and said,"Well good news little one! We just got a new shipment. That'll be 5 shillings."

I smiled and hopped down. I counted out the amount like my teacher taught me to. I blindly put up the right amount on the table, as I couldn't see since I was on the ground. A small box was scooted towards the edge, I grabbed it, and shouted my thanks up to the old woman.

The box didn't have a lid so I thought it'd be best to just walk home instead of skip. I like to skip. I like jumping and running, skipping is the only mixture of both. I looked at my surroundings. The hobbit holes looked different than those of my lane.

I stopped where I stood as I saw my friend Daisy's house. How idiotic am I? I just got up and started walking the wrong way. If I wasn't holding the box of tea and sugar, I'd have smacked myself in the forehead. As I turned around two boys faced me. One looked older than the other, but not much taller.

I screamed and nearly fell over. "What're you two doing sneaking up behind me like that?!"

The older looking one looked quizzically at the other,"We weren't sneaking were we, Pip?"

The little one shook his head,"No I don't recall any sneaking."

I rolled my eyes. They were trying to make me look silly, now. "Unbelievable."