Back home

Arron pulled into his driveway, having left the supermarket and that weird exchange with the cashier behind. The event still left it's mark on him, however. After he parked he looked at his hand that was resting on the steering wheel and at the ring on his finger.

“How could that guy think that I was a woman...that is just ridiculous isn't it?” Arron said to no one.

He got out of his car and popped the trunk to retrieve his groceries. He made his first trip into the house and placed the bags on the table before returning back to his car. It was on his return to the house that he caught his reflection in the window of his car. He looked at himself and noticed that his hair had come out from his business ponytail. Normally he kept it back while he was doing errands but that was no longer the case.

“I didn't notice that it came undone. I guess my last hair-tie broke,” he thought to himself.

He placed the last bags on the ground and started playing with his hair a bit until he noticed someone behind him in the window's reflection.

“Eep!” he cried in surprise as he turned to face an old woman.

“Oh, I'm sorry dear. I didn't didn't mean to startle you. I was just coming over to say hello. You and your daughter just moved in the other day?” the old woman asked kindly.

“Uh yes, we did,” Arron said while he calmed back down.

“Oh, please speak up. My ears aren't what they used to be,” she said sweetly.

“YES, WE DID,” he loudly confirmed.

“Ah good. I think you two will like it here. It's a nice place with plenty to keep a young lady entertained,” She said catching eye of the wedding ring on Arron's finger.

“Well, my daughter will be happy to hear that,” not realizing whose she was referring to.

The old woman took his hand into hers without hesitation or awareness of personal boundaries. She retrieved her glasses dangling from the collar of her dress and put them onto the end of her nose. She tilted her head to an exaggerated angle as she held his fingers. Arron was at a loss for words as this strange lady held his hand in a girly position.

“ I didn't realize you were married,” she said in surprise.

“Uh... my wife's but she is no longer with us,” he explained wanting this exchange to be over.

“What was that?” she asked.

“THERE WAS A LOSS IN OUR FAMILY A YEAR AGO,” he stated louder.

“Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,” she replied with sincerity.

He took his hand back and picked up his groceries. He smiled and shrugged just wanting to get away. The woman took the hint and smiled back.

“Well, I'll get out of your hair. If you need anything, I'm just next door,” she said heading back to her house.

“Thank you. Have a nice day,” he told her while entering his house.

The old woman headed back to her house and thought to herself, “I should tell my grandson about her. With a little bit of attention I'm sure she could be quite pretty. A year is surly enough time for a young woman to grieve.”