The Village Merchant, part 5

The sun hasn't set yet, but the air has begun to cool. The blue wrapper hangs absently in the Old Man's hand as his mouth works the bar. It was the last one, hidden by him a week ago.  A gust of dust rolls off the road and into the field. The wrapper flicks and cracks as the wind tugs it back and forth.  His eyes remark a blue speck seconds after they notice the wrapper has fled his finger tips.

The field is finished for the day and the hoe hangs in the tree. He pushes off from the shade and towards the road. 

***

Daughter stirs the pot of cornmeal, watching it bubble. Puffs of air push up from below to pucker the surface. On instinct, she adds quantities of the peanut butter, palm oil, milk, the chopped mango, the mushed banana, the cup of cane sugar, and the cinnamon from the new Middle Eastern store. The pot pops and plops, aroma filling up the little cooking hut. The fire below burns splendidly.

The cornmeal thickens and she waits patiently. The aroma reminds her of the bars from the Sweets Merchant, though there is something new and different here. Seated on her stool, she looks away from the soot covered walls and into the bright yard. Chickens scratch in the dirt, the cat lies on the wall, a lizard peers around the corner.

The fire grows lower and lower and she doesn't stoke it higher. Now is the time for patience.  

Wise Wife wanders through the door with a spoon. 

"Let me have a taste."

She lifts the lid and scoops a nugget from within. 

"Not enough sugar for his sweet teeth."

More sugar is added and the pot is stirred.

"Too smooth, add some crushed peanuts."

Wise Wife disappears as Daughter chops the peanuts and toasts them. She returns with a mango. She rotates it in her hand as she peels it and cuts off slivers of fruit.  These are mixed with the peanut pieces and thrown into the pot. The fire has died. It has finished cooking. 

A plastic tray is laid out, on it a picture of flowers shading a cat. Small scoops are individually laid on the tray. Daughter molds each hot ball into a little cake. More sugar is sprinkled on top. Wise Wife disappears again and comes back with a little pot of jam. She makes a small indent in each cake and places a dollop inside. A lid is placed over top and the tray is hidden in a cabinet in the living room.

***

The Old Man has not seen Son in a week. Son can tell when he has disappointed his father and had often run away instead of addressing the problem in the past. The Old Man knew the money was spent, and had no expectation of getting paid back. 

The corn leaves shake as he closes the gate and heads home. A fitful breeze brings a quick rain shower, each rain drop fading into the ground. The Old Man listens to the tap of drops on his hat and continues onward. By the time he reaches the gate of his home, he is again completely dry.

Wise Wife breaks a piece of ice from the block and fills a cup with juice. As he slumps onto the couch, she sets it in front of him. The room turns red as the sunlight filters through the gauzy curtain. For a moment, he sees her bathed in a warm glow. A bird calls from the tree and he listens without speaking.

They begin talking softly of their days, and they take turns nodding their heads to the rhythm of the others voice. The Old Man lets the conversation fade and listens again to the bird. Dinner arrives in a warm bowl filled with rice and smoked fish. Daughter lays out a small bowl with a green relish. 

Half-way through dinner, the Old Man's nephew stops by. He just leans into the bowl without sitting, eating quickly.  He tells them that he needs to bring some back for his sister, so a small metal bowl is filled and the nephew leaves before the others have even finished their own meals.

Wise Wife clears away the dishes and Daughter cleans the table. The Old Man, satiated, leans back onto the couch and closes his eyes. Almost dozing, he dreams gently of the food bars, the aroma seemingly returning to him with intensity. Something taps against the table and he doesn't move so as to continue savoring them.

Daughter says, "We've made something for you."

Wise Wife says, "She made something for you, I just helped where I could."

The Old Man cracks his eyes open and smiles to see his dream come to life.