stronger.”
Grandpa Frank laughed. “You’re in luck, I have an open bottle of cabernet.”
“Great.”
He poured two glasses of wine and they retreated to the living room. Ellie sat down on the couch, let out a deep breath, and took a sip of her wine.
Grandpa Frank grabbed his checkbook from the bookshelf and opened it. “Okay, first things first … where are we with the challenge?”
Ellie didn’t answer.
Grandpa Frank looked up from his checkbook. “You must have at least gone on a second date with one of them.”
Ellie took another sip of her wine. “Technically, the third guy didn’t show up so I get to have a replacement date.”
“Didn’t show up? Or you wouldn’t wait for more than five minutes?”
Ellie smiled. “How am I supposed to defend myself when you know me so well?”
He laughed as Ellie pulled the list from her purse and stared at it. “Do you think I’m too picky?”
“Maybe a tad. I think you can meet someone without the list.”
Ellie laughed. “Coincidentally, I did meet someone who didn’t match much on the list, and I can’t get him out of my head.”
“You see!”
“I keep running into him everywhere, but he said he doesn’t date.”
“Well, give it time. You never know what life has in store for you.” He stared at the list. “I’d be happy to tear that up for you.”
“Not yet. I’m going to try one more date with it. If nothing comes of it, I promise I will burn the list and try the Grandpa Frank approach.”
Grandpa Frank smiled. “That’s my girl.”
*****
“What are you wearing?” asked Tony, before Cedric could say hello.
Cedric stretched and switched the phone to his other ear. “Are you seriously asking me that?”
“You know I love black.”
“If you tell me you’re naked, I’m hanging up. What time is it?”
“Hammer time.”
“Oh God.”
Cedric was pretty certain Tony’s mission in life was to drive him crazy, not to mention wake him up in the morning as many times as possible. Cedric made a mental note to start turning his phone off at night.
He sat up in the bed and dropped his foot to the floor to scratch Tofu on his side. “Did you have a reason for calling or was it just to annoy me?”
“Two things. One, the Tax Collector is on vacation. That’s good and bad. Good because he’s not going to sell the property until he gets back. And bad, since you can’t talk to him until he gets back. So, you just have to have patience.”
“Patience is my middle name. So, what was the second reason for calling?”
“I’m in a donut mood and was going to pick one up before I meet you. You want one?”
“Chocolate old fashioned.”
“Okay, you got it.”
Tofu turned completely over on his back and extended his legs into the air.
Cedric laughed and rubbed him again with his foot. “I want to be a dog. Tofu has a good life, don’t you boy?”
“You just want to be a dog so you can lick your own balls.”
“Can we have just one conversation where you don’t talk about private parts or sex?”
“You need to get laid.”
“I’m hanging up now. See you soon.”
Saturday mornings meant the farmers’ market for Cedric in downtown Willow Glen. Compared to his regular customers online, he didn’t make a lot of money there, but he loved being around the people. So did Tony, who was always there with Cedric.
Tony took one end of the banner and unrolled it with Cedric. They attached it to the two canopy poles with large clips. It was a bright green banner with images of garlic and white letters that said: Papa George’s Heirloom Garlic.
Cedric stared up at the banner, deep in thought.
“You remembered.”
Cedric nodded.
It was the anniversary of Papa George’s death. Some of Cedric’s fondest memories as a child were of him attached to his grandfather’s hip at the farm and at the flea markets as Papa George sold garlic to just about everyone who came by.
“You were the youngest salesman in
Grandpa Frank laughed. “You’re in luck, I have an open bottle of cabernet.”
“Great.”
He poured two glasses of wine and they retreated to the living room. Ellie sat down on the couch, let out a deep breath, and took a sip of her wine.
Grandpa Frank grabbed his checkbook from the bookshelf and opened it. “Okay, first things first … where are we with the challenge?”
Ellie didn’t answer.
Grandpa Frank looked up from his checkbook. “You must have at least gone on a second date with one of them.”
Ellie took another sip of her wine. “Technically, the third guy didn’t show up so I get to have a replacement date.”
“Didn’t show up? Or you wouldn’t wait for more than five minutes?”
Ellie smiled. “How am I supposed to defend myself when you know me so well?”
He laughed as Ellie pulled the list from her purse and stared at it. “Do you think I’m too picky?”
“Maybe a tad. I think you can meet someone without the list.”
Ellie laughed. “Coincidentally, I did meet someone who didn’t match much on the list, and I can’t get him out of my head.”
“You see!”
“I keep running into him everywhere, but he said he doesn’t date.”
“Well, give it time. You never know what life has in store for you.” He stared at the list. “I’d be happy to tear that up for you.”
“Not yet. I’m going to try one more date with it. If nothing comes of it, I promise I will burn the list and try the Grandpa Frank approach.”
Grandpa Frank smiled. “That’s my girl.”
*****
“What are you wearing?” asked Tony, before Cedric could say hello.
Cedric stretched and switched the phone to his other ear. “Are you seriously asking me that?”
“You know I love black.”
“If you tell me you’re naked, I’m hanging up. What time is it?”
“Hammer time.”
“Oh God.”
Cedric was pretty certain Tony’s mission in life was to drive him crazy, not to mention wake him up in the morning as many times as possible. Cedric made a mental note to start turning his phone off at night.
He sat up in the bed and dropped his foot to the floor to scratch Tofu on his side. “Did you have a reason for calling or was it just to annoy me?”
“Two things. One, the Tax Collector is on vacation. That’s good and bad. Good because he’s not going to sell the property until he gets back. And bad, since you can’t talk to him until he gets back. So, you just have to have patience.”
“Patience is my middle name. So, what was the second reason for calling?”
“I’m in a donut mood and was going to pick one up before I meet you. You want one?”
“Chocolate old fashioned.”
“Okay, you got it.”
Tofu turned completely over on his back and extended his legs into the air.
Cedric laughed and rubbed him again with his foot. “I want to be a dog. Tofu has a good life, don’t you boy?”
“You just want to be a dog so you can lick your own balls.”
“Can we have just one conversation where you don’t talk about private parts or sex?”
“You need to get laid.”
“I’m hanging up now. See you soon.”
Saturday mornings meant the farmers’ market for Cedric in downtown Willow Glen. Compared to his regular customers online, he didn’t make a lot of money there, but he loved being around the people. So did Tony, who was always there with Cedric.
Tony took one end of the banner and unrolled it with Cedric. They attached it to the two canopy poles with large clips. It was a bright green banner with images of garlic and white letters that said: Papa George’s Heirloom Garlic.
Cedric stared up at the banner, deep in thought.
“You remembered.”
Cedric nodded.
It was the anniversary of Papa George’s death. Some of Cedric’s fondest memories as a child were of him attached to his grandfather’s hip at the farm and at the flea markets as Papa George sold garlic to just about everyone who came by.
“You were the youngest salesman in
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