Peaches

Today I rode my bike to work and stopped at the corner fruit stand to get some fruit from Mario. Mario was serving a young Asian woman and it looked like she was trying to juggle peaches. I saw one slip out of her hands and bounce on the ground. Mario looked confused and impatient. What's this all about?, I thought. I had the feeling she had been there for a while.

At last, she left. I said to Mario, 'What was she doing, practicing her juggling?' 'Look at her', he said. He kept looking after her, he didn't look mad, but hurt and disappointed. She was standing waiting for the lights to change. 'She's mad. One rolled off down the street.' He pointed in the opposite direction, down the street. I didn't know what to say. I felt bad for him. It looked like she really upset the poor guy.

Anyway, I bought some of his grapes, and peddled off, trying not to hit anybody or anything. Then I saw a peach in the gutter, one of the peaches she had unsuccessfully tried to juggle. I turned back and reached down to pick it up. A delivery van zoomed up, slamming the damn brakes dramatically, and I saw the driver give me a dirty look. Hey fuck you, I thought, I'm getting this damn peach out of the gutter. I got the peach and rode off.

I decided that tomorrow I will pay him for it, but not full price, because it was in the gutter.