Pubert Canendish's Fine Produce

The rain was just a drizzle, enough to be unpleasant but not enough to justify an umbrella. Pip was walking down the street in a hurry to be out of it. In his hurry he ducked into an alley as a shortcut. It was a narrow alley, not the kind that Pip chose to take usually. As he climbed over a large pile of old trash that blocked most of the alley he heard a cough behind him. There next to the trash was a monster of a man. Easily seven feet tall, his chest looked like a barrel; it seemed his shirt would burst for effort of containing it any longer. His biceps looked like tree trunks, as he raised an arm up to cover his small cough Pip could see more muscles rippling in it than he could even count. He wore a large pair of trousers, worn but in good condition but even these seemed to complain against his massive thighs. Contrasting to the quality of his clothes was his face, a hard face with strong but not unpleasant features with a disheveled beard sprouting from his cheeks and upper lip. When he spoke it sounded like two rocks being rubbed together ‘Hey there! You don’t happen to have any money do you?’ Pip was greatly frightened by this strange man and replied hesitantly ‘very little sir.’ The man made a move towards him, seeming to grow taller with every step ‘then cough it up.’ Pip made to go for his purse but suddenly the man broke down into tears. ‘What is the matter sir?’ Pip asked meekly. ‘I can’t do this no more it’s hurting me. I used to be a good man; I owned a shop; Pubert Cavendish’s fine produce (that be my name) but no more no more.’ ‘Why don’t you just reopen your shop?’ inquired Pip. ‘me wife of 12 years did leave me, she said I was just too big to have around so I sold my shop because I had no more love of produce anymore.’ ‘You used to love produce?’ asked pip, now thoroughly confused. ‘But of course! Oh to remember the subtle curve of a strawberry, the gentle indentations from the seeds on the skin, the green stem contrasting with the bright red of the berry. It truly is a beautiful thing to see. You know I miss those days! I’m going to open my store up again! Broccoli! Cauliflower! And every other vegetable as far the eye can see! Kings will come to me for my produce will be best in the land! God bless you young sir for opening up my eyes to my future! God bless you!’ And with those words he took off, a silly grin that would not be out place on a five year old plastered all across his scruffy face.

By: Campbell Langlois