Buying Bread From The Shop On The Corner
A 1,900 word short story
Wilbur Green stood back to allow the woman in the suit to order her sandwich ahead of him. He wasn’t in a hurry as it always took him a long time to decide. On offer was bread, brown, granary, wholemeal or white in slices, or rolls or baguettes in the same options. If he didn’t fancy that he could plump for a wrap, panini, or wheat-free rice cakes. The choice of fillings was even wider and then he had to select sauces, salad items, and seasoning.
“Hiya, Wilbur,” the pretty little assistant greeted him. “We’ve got more salad in than we’re ever going to shift. Fancy a free tub to go with your lunch?”
“Yes please, my dear.” The huge sandwiches would be more than enough for one meal, but there was a piece of cheese in the fridge at home. He and Edith would be able to have a nice cheese salad for their evening meal. Wilbur could cook up some oven chips, or maybe do jacket potatoes in the microwave so the skins would be nice and soft. Decisions, decisions! He’d let Edith make that one.
Wilbur took the hot meatball sandwiches back home to his wife, trying not to worry about what he’d do once the shop was closed down. There’d always been a shop on the corner of his street. When he was a kid it had been a sweet shop. Later it had been the newsagent’s which gave him…
