history.”
Cedric smiled. When Cedric was five years old, Papa George allowed him to hand the bag of garlic to the customers. Not too long after that, he got to give them their change. At the age of ten, Cedric was pretty much running the show, stocking the display, taking money and giving change, and thanking customers as Papa George sat back, smiling proudly, reading the paper, doing crossword puzzles, and occasionally napping.
“I couldn’t wait for each Saturday to arrive. It didn’t seem like a job to me.”
“Does it now?”
“No, but it was special back then. I do it today, in his memory. That’s why I want to get that farm back and make a garlic museum there. It’s the right thing to do, plus it’s what my mom wanted.”
“It’s going to happen.”
“I hope so.”
When Papa George died, Cedric was crushed. Papa George left the business and his farm in Gilroy—everything—to Cedric. It was difficult at first for Cedric to focus on work. He would sometimes get caught up in the busy day of selling, then by habit turn around to see the smile on his grandfather’s face, only to realize again that he wasn’t there anymore.
“A lot has changed since then,” said Tony.
“Yeah, but I think he’d be proud of what we’ve accomplished.
“Absolutely.”
Cedric made sure there was no way he would ever forget his grandfather, so he added a caricature of him to the company logo, website, and marketing materials. He was an amazing man with a passion for garlic and he loved sharing it with people.
Tony grabbed a crate from the back of the truck, and set it on the table. He pulled off the top, exposing the baskets of fresh garlic. He pulled the baskets out, one by one, and placed them on the table.
A woman approached the booth, wearing a tie-dyed Bob Marley shirt and a giant triple-loop nose ring that hung underneath her nostrils.
She stared at the garlic and smiled. “They look good. How much?”
“Six dollars for a basket,” said Cedric. “We’ll be open in just a few minutes, if you don’t mind.” He smiled back at her.
Tony leaned into Cedric. “She likes you, man. Did you see that smile she gave you?”
“I’m pretty sure she was smiling at the garlic.”
Tony stacked more garlic and continued to speak, but Cedric mentally blocked him out. All he could think about was Ellie. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Her smile. Her feistiness. As Cedric picked up a garlic bulb he dropped, he looked over toward the next aisle, and there in front of a table of organic jam was a woman with her back to him. He had a strange feeling about her. She had wavy brown hair. Everything about her—including the green skirt—reminded him of Ellie. “No way.”
Tony looked around. “What?”
“Nothing. Start selling, I’ll be right back.”
Cedric walked over toward Ellie, trying to figure out what he would say when he got there. Apologize again, that would be first thing.
Don’t be an idiot. Remain calm.
His heartbeat accelerated as he approached her from behind. He tapped her on her shoulder and smiled. “Hey.”
She turned around. “Hi.”
The woman wasn’t Ellie. Not even close. She was at least fifty years old and missing a bottom tooth.
“Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
“That’s okay. I get that all the time. People think I look like Julia Roberts.”
More like Julia Child.
Cedric turned to walk back and saw Tony grinning as he approached.
“Going for the older women now, are we?” Tony asked. “What’s going on?”
“I thought she was someone else.”
“Ellie?”
Cedric didn’t answer. He started pulling cherries from the other crates and placed the baskets on the table. He straightened the sign that said: Cherries for Children. 100 percent of the proceeds go back into our community.
“We can play this game as long as you want,” said Tony. “I have stamina and you know I’m right.”
A man smelled a
Cedric smiled. When Cedric was five years old, Papa George allowed him to hand the bag of garlic to the customers. Not too long after that, he got to give them their change. At the age of ten, Cedric was pretty much running the show, stocking the display, taking money and giving change, and thanking customers as Papa George sat back, smiling proudly, reading the paper, doing crossword puzzles, and occasionally napping.
“I couldn’t wait for each Saturday to arrive. It didn’t seem like a job to me.”
“Does it now?”
“No, but it was special back then. I do it today, in his memory. That’s why I want to get that farm back and make a garlic museum there. It’s the right thing to do, plus it’s what my mom wanted.”
“It’s going to happen.”
“I hope so.”
When Papa George died, Cedric was crushed. Papa George left the business and his farm in Gilroy—everything—to Cedric. It was difficult at first for Cedric to focus on work. He would sometimes get caught up in the busy day of selling, then by habit turn around to see the smile on his grandfather’s face, only to realize again that he wasn’t there anymore.
“A lot has changed since then,” said Tony.
“Yeah, but I think he’d be proud of what we’ve accomplished.
“Absolutely.”
Cedric made sure there was no way he would ever forget his grandfather, so he added a caricature of him to the company logo, website, and marketing materials. He was an amazing man with a passion for garlic and he loved sharing it with people.
Tony grabbed a crate from the back of the truck, and set it on the table. He pulled off the top, exposing the baskets of fresh garlic. He pulled the baskets out, one by one, and placed them on the table.
A woman approached the booth, wearing a tie-dyed Bob Marley shirt and a giant triple-loop nose ring that hung underneath her nostrils.
She stared at the garlic and smiled. “They look good. How much?”
“Six dollars for a basket,” said Cedric. “We’ll be open in just a few minutes, if you don’t mind.” He smiled back at her.
Tony leaned into Cedric. “She likes you, man. Did you see that smile she gave you?”
“I’m pretty sure she was smiling at the garlic.”
Tony stacked more garlic and continued to speak, but Cedric mentally blocked him out. All he could think about was Ellie. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Her smile. Her feistiness. As Cedric picked up a garlic bulb he dropped, he looked over toward the next aisle, and there in front of a table of organic jam was a woman with her back to him. He had a strange feeling about her. She had wavy brown hair. Everything about her—including the green skirt—reminded him of Ellie. “No way.”
Tony looked around. “What?”
“Nothing. Start selling, I’ll be right back.”
Cedric walked over toward Ellie, trying to figure out what he would say when he got there. Apologize again, that would be first thing.
Don’t be an idiot. Remain calm.
His heartbeat accelerated as he approached her from behind. He tapped her on her shoulder and smiled. “Hey.”
She turned around. “Hi.”
The woman wasn’t Ellie. Not even close. She was at least fifty years old and missing a bottom tooth.
“Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
“That’s okay. I get that all the time. People think I look like Julia Roberts.”
More like Julia Child.
Cedric turned to walk back and saw Tony grinning as he approached.
“Going for the older women now, are we?” Tony asked. “What’s going on?”
“I thought she was someone else.”
“Ellie?”
Cedric didn’t answer. He started pulling cherries from the other crates and placed the baskets on the table. He straightened the sign that said: Cherries for Children. 100 percent of the proceeds go back into our community.
“We can play this game as long as you want,” said Tony. “I have stamina and you know I’m right.”
A man smelled a
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