Chapter Ninety-Three: In The Stands

“That will be a dollar seventy-five,” said Cat.  The customer happily paid and walked off with her bag of tatsoi.

“Well, look,” said Blue Sky.  “We have a moment of quiet.”

“Rare enough,” said Paul G, “now that the weather is warmer.”

“You’re telling me?” Blue Sky said.  “This is the first moment I’ve had to breathe all morning.”

“Get used to it,” Cat said.  “It’s going to be like this right through to late fall.”

Paul G wiped sweat off of his forehead.  “I don’t suppose that it’s any calmer over there with the pastries?”

“Trust me, it’s not,” said Cat.  “I used to work over there.  If anything, it’s busier.”

“Well, anyway,” Blue Sky said, “it must be good for the commune that we’re so busy.  We’ve been making cash by the truckload this week.”

“It’s not like we’re gonna have any time to enjoy it,” Paul G said.  “I think we’re going to be working steady straight through the fall.”

“Customers coming,” Cat warned.

“Like I said,” said Paul G.

“Hey,” said Blue Sky.  “We’re not doing any building projects right now.  Where is Sal and Dan?”

“I keep expecting to find Dan under the zucchini,” Paul G said.

“He’s not there,” Cat said.

“How do you know?” asked Blue Sky.

“Because I just found him under the kale,” said Cat.

                                                                    *

Meanwhile, at the bakery stand, Nancy was bringing in a load of pies.

“New pies!” she announced.  “Fresh from the oven.”

“I’ll take one,” a customer said.

“Me, too,” said another customer.

“Pay for them over here,” said Will.  “Okay, sir, that will be three dollars and eighty-three cents.”

“Do we have any more cranberry sage bread?” Darren asked Nancy.  “We’re down to our last loaf.”

“I can’t make it fast enough,” Nancy said.  “There’s more in the oven but it won’t be ready for another half hour.”

“I guess it’s that time of the day,” Darren said.  “The shelves are beginning to get a little bare.  We could probably use another person baking.”

“Zelda is helping out,” Nancy said, “but she’s also working on dinner.  Besides, we don’t have any more ovens.  What I think we need is another oven.”

“We should bring that up in the commune meeting,” said Will as he handed a customer their change.  “With another baker and a couple more ovens, we could keep this place well stocked all day long.”

“I’ll bring it up in the next meeting,” Darren said. “Sorry,” he added to a customer.  “That was our last hickory cherry cupcake.  We should have another batch in a couple of hours.”

“I’ll come back tomorrow for them,” the woman said.

“Come early in the day,” Darren said.  “They go fast.”

“Hey,” said a young woman coming through the door.  “Did I hear you were looking for someone to live and work here?  I think maybe I’ll apply.”