Chapter 1:The Trip- Market Con't

A Story by Ilerah

Dwen continues to buy things for his mother at the market. Where he then goes home to his family and thinks about his future.

He continued to walk around the market place, when he noticed the fruit stand, his mom never bought fruit because it always spoiled, well maybe she knew best, he kept and walking but had to look back, the fruit looked so good. He stopped walking, and looked around, everywhere people were walking from one stand to the next, buying, and gossiping. He wondered what it was like to get to the age when all you did was gossip, and go to the market, he did it as a chore, lots of the people he saw where in their eighties, and had almost nothing to do. Well except gossip he thought. He continued walking. He went down the street, for about one minute, and then turned right at the corner. He saw the egg stand, were a lot of chickens where kept in cages, and eggs on platters.

He walked up to the egg stand, recognizing the chicken farmer Mike as he got closer, and his son Alith, both happy as they helped a different customer, and as they dealt with the chickens. When Dwen got closer he saw that the customer was not happy with the produce, and that he was arguing with Mike, or trying to, Mike with his usual smile did not change moods at all. Dwen got close enough to hear them.

“Well? Don’t you think that you are a little over priced?” asked the customer

“No I do not; I think that my prices are fine, after all the chicken eggs are amazing, and because the price is not actually ridiculous,” looking over to the side he saw Dwen coming closer, “Ah! Dwen, do you think that my prices are to high, after all a man must make a profit.

Dwen instantly answered the question without hesitation, “No Mike, I don’t, after all your eggs are amazing.”

“Oh! You don’t want to mock me boy, you will never want to mock me. These eggs are overpriced and I’m not the sole person who thinks so!” the customer said angrily and then left the stand.

“So, how’s business?” asked Dwenlin, almost ironically.

“Well, fill that in yourself, with people like him spreading news that I am overpriced, it’s not to good, but better than some weeks. Two dozen like usual Dwen?” Mike replied rather joyfully.

“Yes sir, two dozen enough for the week let’s hope.”

After handing the eggs to Dwenlin in a small basket, “Hope I didn’t cause any trouble for you with my angry customers Dwen, that would be bad business,” Mike asked.

“No, of course not, see you next week Mike,” Dwen said as he waved goodbye and left the stand.

Heading to the rest of the market Dwen still needed only milk, oh and of course some nails for the fence and roof. To boxes his dad had added to the list. Dwen surveyed the market, noticing that the milk stand was close, the milk can last a few more minutes can’t it? Of course he may take some time finding the stand with nails, what people call the hardware stand, two of them in the market; one owned them owned by a kind man by the name of Gerald. He would find this stand first, and then come back for milk.

It did not take him long at all to find the stand; it was across the street and was easy to spot. He walked up to it, noticing that no one was there. Odd if you think about it, a hardware stand with no customers. As he got closer he say Gerald come out from the back of the stand. He stepped out seeing Dwen coming close.

“Why hello… Dwen, right?” asked the rough man

“Yes its Dwen, and hello Gerald. No customers today?”

“No no, the bigger planks I sell round back, what do you need? I have a customer out back so let’s be quick.”

“Simply two boxes of nails,” Dwen replied.

The tall man ducked under the stand, grabbed two boxes of nails, Dwen paid and was on his way. He headed back to where he needed the milk, paid for it quickly, since he needed to get home, and then started to leave the market. On the way home, he saw the man who was at Mike’s egg stand. He couldn’t be up to anything good as he talked to some other men. All of them in their thirties, Dwen didn’t want to get involved, so he continued on his way, hoping Mike would be ok.

When he got home his mother was waiting for him, he gave her the food right away, and went to the back of the house to find his father in the shed. He saw his dad bent over trying to find something in the bottom shelf or a bookcase, which had anything but books.

“Hullo father, how are you today?” Dwen said with a smile on his face, at seeing his dad working at home.

“I am quite fine Dwen, couldn’t have been better, unless I could find some nails,” his father replied, almost hinting at the nails.

Dwen handed him the nails, then followed him around the yard, helping him in his work. For the rest of the day Dwenlin and his father cut the grass, patched the roof, and repainted the fences in the back yard. Other chores where done by his mother and his younger brother just sat on a chair, and cried.

After a filling dinner of steak, beans, and potatoes Dwen went out to town, to spend some time by himself. He had some friends, but he decided to stay alone. Dwen went for a nice walk along the cobblestone bridges by the harbor, thinking to himself, and then went to the tavern for a drink.

As he entered the tavern he saw that it was quite empty, considering the time. Dwen got a small beer and then sat down by himself at a table. As he continued his thoughts, he realized that he had no life here. Sure he had some friends, but no really good ones. He did his chores and he did them well. But in the end, his life was all chores, he longed for adventure. His mother said that he was rash in that way, and if he had the chance he would be gone in an instant. Of course he denied it, saying he would plan every moment. When he sat down at night, he realized his mother was right.

He looked around at the tavern, seeing almost no one but older men. No one talked, they all just sat there contemplating live, enjoying a drink. These men did nothing else, they would sit there silently and in the end, would have a good time. Of course all of these men were sailors; they had seen and done things that some people would never experience. They needed some quiet time, and they got some. They enjoyed the peace, Dwen needed adventure.

He surveyed the room, looking at the familiar bar. The old wood with chipped paint, all the tables positioned around the bar counter, a friendly face behind it greeting all who entered through the creaky doors. Old bar stools creaked at the weight of the customers, though it was not much weight at all. In the end, though they place was old, it was a nice old. Everyone who came here came here to think, all the loud drinkers would go to other taverns. This particular tavern was made for the wise, who contemplated life with a cold beer in their hand.

Dwen finished his beer and left the tavern, leaving a small tip at the table. His walk back home was just as nice as the walk to the tavern. He continued to think about his need for adventure, he wanted to go sailing. Thinking about going off to where no one had gone before was exciting to him, and he liked it. He imagined sailing across rough waters, seeing strange sea creatures. All he thought about on the way home was his adventures, rather the ones he wished he could be on. When he got home, he quietly went to his bed, still thinking about how he could get away, making up plans in his head. He just hoped, hoped that someday he could get away from his life, from this life.