Jennifer Robins Read Free Page A

paper and put them in a brown paper bag.
    As she went out the door, she yelled back to the kitchen where her parents were having a fresh cup of coffee, “Bye, see you later.”
    A small pile of snow had blown against the door and when she opened it, she had to plow through it. The snow came almost up to the top of her boots. It was a good thing there wasn’t a heavy wind anymore to pile more of it against the door and over the steps to the sidewalk. She felt bad she couldn’t stay home a bit to shovel some of the snow away from the porch, steps, and sidewalk in front of the house. Her dad would have to take care of it.
    On her way down to the pick up stop for the streetcar, Rachel noticed how many houses had Christmas decorations, some with green wreaths on their doors while others strung strips of garland from pine trees across the front railings of their porch. It would be great to put something up at her house, she thought as she trudged along, kicking at the snow under her feet. Rachael loved Christmas and wanted to enjoy everything about it. Gifts weren’t as important to her as being happy to have whatever came her way as part of the season’s most celebrated holiday.
    Rachael stood at the pick up sign waiting for the sound of the streetcar, holding her coat collar up to her neck. Her free hand held the paper bag with the lunch she’d prepared. From down the street the bell rang, letting her know she would soon be out of the cold, into the car and on her way downtown to the market. With her nickel ready when the car stopped, she hurried to the open door and climbed the few stairs up and in away from the winter with its cold and snow. Luckily she found an empty seat right behind the conductor. That way she could watch out the large front window as the car traveled along to the next stop.
    When the car came to a halt and the door opened, Rachel rose from her seat and stepped down into the cold morning air.
    Thoughts of her impending lunch date swam in her head as she made her way to her job. The market was only a block away so she hurried along with so many others heading for their destinations. She glanced over at the skating rink as she passed by and couldn’t wait until noon when she would meet Stan and spend her lunch hour with him. The sidewalks had been cleared of the snow, making it easier to get around. She looked back at the crowd assembling in front of the department store window with its fine holiday display in full motion. Imagine, she thought, he had been watching her all the time yesterday when she stood with the others admiring the yearly display of toys and depictions of Santa and his elves ready to serve all who believed.
    The market was full of prospective buyers, along with those who came looking for a bargain or a handout. People strolled up and down walkways lined with produce and food of all kinds. Children still not old enough for school hung fast to their mothers’ skirts and with wonder in their young eyes looked up at the people standing so high above them. Rachel imagined visions of candy sticks and sugar plums bounced around in their little heads as they had when she was a child.
    Rachael took her place behind the meat counter where she was assigned for the day. She took a broom to sweep up the sawdust on the floor and replace it with a new clean batch. Then she would join the packers who wrapped the meat as it was ordered. She had hoped she would be working in produce that day so she could maybe snag an apple or two if any were about to hit the leftover box. There was never too much to be exported out of there to either the garbage or the churches but sometimes she made a deal with the owner of that booth. It would be nice to have a little extra something for the lunch with Stan. Maybe she would wander over there at lunch break and ask if there was anything they’d like to get rid of, something still decent enough to eat.
    ****
    Stan arrived at the large department store with his stack