Friday Night

One of the wheels on her shopping cart squealed its protest as she pushed it up and down the aisles.  It was Friday evening and she had decided to get the grocery shopping out of the way before the weekend.  To her astonishment it seemed everyone else in town had the same idea.  Every aisle had someone in it, blocking the way, impeding her progress.

Finally she completed her list and rounded the last corner only to come to a sudden stop.  The lines at the checkout extended several feet.  With a moan she picked the shortest looking one, behind a grey haired woman.  The woman turned with a smile.

“Pretty busy isn’t it?”

“Yes, more than I thought it would be on a Friday night.”

“I like coming on Friday night.  It’s easier to blend in.”

Surprised by the unusual comment she looked a bit closer at the woman in front of her.  The pale skin, the luminous eyes, the grey hair seeming to shimmer in the fluorescent light reminded her of moonlight and the soft night air beside a still pond.

“Are you from town?”  She asked.

The woman smiled and arched an eyebrow before placing a tapered finger to her delicate lips and shushing. 

“Come visit me, when you have the time to chat.”  The woman said with a laugh.  She snapped her fingers and faded from sight.

“Hey you going to unload or what?”  Said the man behind her as he waved at the empty spot at the register.

She blinked, looked around, nodded to the gentleman behind her and moved forward to the conveyor belt unsure if she had dreamed her encounter with the grey haired woman or not.