This short story about neighbourliness is set on my island home of Mayne Island, BC
Grocery Shopping
When my husband Byron was informed that his mom was in the late stages of cancer, we began to plan. Would I travel with him to the mainland? Who would dog-sit? Would our dog come with us? Where would we stay? Would—?
The phone rang.
"I'll be on the next ferry," I heard Byron say.
We consulted the ferry schedule and... There was no time to worry about anything else. He had to go now. I kissed him, and away he went.
We usually go grocery shopping on Saturday afternoons. It was Saturday morning. Our cupboards, our fridge were bare.
No problem, I thought. I'll walk the 45 minutes to the grocery store and get what I need.
Confident, I set out, dog in tow.
It was a sunny day. I thought it would be a nice walk.
Village Bay Road is full of hills and valleys and holes and rocks and... It's full of many challenges for hikers, but I know it well. I've walked it many times—in the past when I was younger.
My dog was delighted by all the new smells. She pulled me this way and that as she followed her nose. When she encountered an especially interesting smell, she stood there like glue. Dragging her away required extra effort.
It was a hot day. It was turning into an exhausting walk. And... and...
I envisioned retracing my steps, weighed down with groceries.
I should have asked a neighbour for a ride, I chided myself. I called myself all sorts of names—which didn't help.
I heard a vehicle behind me.
Maybe they'll s—.
They drove right past.
Another and another.
I was on my o—.
Up ahead, that SUV had stopped. The driver rolled down her window. " Hey, Leanne, I know you like to walk, but I thought maybe you'd like a ride."
Before she finished her sentence, my dog and I were in the back seat of her SUV. "We'd love a ride," I said, and she laughed.
"Isn't it a beautiful day?" Deb told me as she started down the road. "Where can I take you?"
"I'm going for groceries. Byron was called off-island this morning."
"That sounds sudden. Is someone sick?"
"Doreen, Byron's mom is... is..." Deep breath in. Deep breath out. "Is dying of cancer."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
I'm not sure where Deb had planned to go that day, but she took me directly to the grocery store.
"Take your time shopping. I'll take your dog for a walk—if that's alright with you."
"That's more than alright. Thank you so much."
Of course, I didn't take my time. I couldn't. She was waiting for me. As I shopped, I looked for something, anything, that I could buy Deb as a thank-you gift. I settled on a giant cookie from the bakery. All my groceries fit into my backpack, and the pack wasn't that heavy. I went to collect my dog from Deb.
"Put your groceries in the back. I'll give you a ride home," Deb told me.
"But don't you have somewhere to go?"
"I'll do that later. I like to drive."
Deb parked in front of my house and I climbed o—.
"Hey, Leanne, you forgot your cookie."
I'd left the giant cookie on the console between the passenger and driver seats.
"No, that's a gift for you for helping me."
It's not enough is what I thought, but Deb said, "That's not necessary, but I'll take it. These cookies are delicious." And she. Thanked. Me.
Many thanks to Alea Design & Print for publishing this short story in this month's MayneLiner .
International Night Fundraiser!
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023: Ag Hall, 6:30-10pm
Finger food, appies & drinks, live music, $25/ticket* (12 & under free)
A fundraiser for the Mayne Island Housing Society
International Night revels in Mayne Islanders’ myriad ancestries. Everyone with a cultural heritage to celebrate is invited to the Ag Hall in fun attire (or come as you are). Some may elect to read poems, tell a joke or story, sing/dance/play an instrument on stage. Children welcome too. Enjoy the fun -- plus appetizers from around the world, live music & a silent auction.
For me, the fun of doing an author reading is not only the reading but also selecting the story and deciding how I will present that story. I'm looking forward to representing my Icelandic heritage during this evening of cultural sharing.
September on this blog...
One of the books I'd planned to review this month was Ken Kesey's
