Meeting of Minds, Part IV

“That’s what you heard?” Anna shook her head. “Well, like I said, and I know you heard that too, he’s a hard worker too. He was raised on a farm and knows how to bust a sweat. So, it’s not like he’ll ever let you go hungry. He’ll take good care of you and your kids and—”

Lois put up a hand, laughing. “Okay, okay. Good golly, Anna, I’m convinced already. He’s a hard worker and I’d be a fool to let him get away.”

“A fool,” Doris agreed.

“A damn fool,” Polly seconded.

The break whistle sounded and the girls gathered the remnants of their lunches and stood up. 

Lois stuffed her empty Tupperware bowl and thermos back in her plaid lunch box and tossing her apple core in the trash. She shut the metal lid and fastened the silver latch with a click. “Time to get back to work,” she said. 

She walked to her locker, opened it and tucked her lunch box inside and pulled her white apron out. She slipped it over her head, and reached back to tie it around her waist. “Isn’t this new Tupperware stuff swell?”

Anna’s hands paused in the tucking of her hair inside a hair net and she glanced over at Lois. “Yes, the Tupperware is swell. I just got my new set of mixing bowls with lids.”

“The ones you ordered at Doreen’s party?” Polly adjusted her apron and pulled the net over her hair, tucked and pulled and adjusted until she had a few stray stands of her brown hair curling around her face. 

“Those were really nice, but I couldn’t afford them, being single and all,” said Doris. She pushed her locker door shut, snapped on the little padlock and dropped the key in her apron pocket. 

“Me neither,” Lois said. “I just got the little single bowls with lids. They’re great for bringing my own salads and stuff.”

The second whistle sounded and lockers banged shut throughout the break room. The four friends turned and, heels clicking on the dull green and gold linoleum tiles, headed back to the line. 

Meeting of Minds, Part III

Anna, however, was not nearly as amused. She frowned. “Oh, come on now Lois, give the man a chance. Mark says he’s ready to settle down and start a family. He’s thirty-four now and is ready to grow up and get serious. Personally, I think he’ll be a great husband and father.”

Doris cocked her head in Anna’s direction and wiggled her eyebrows. “Sounds like you have a little crush yourself.”

Anna blushed. “So what? Maybe I do.” She held up two fingers about an inch apart. “But just a little one.”

Polly snorted and that got all the girls giggling. 

Lois recovered first. “So, what does Mark think about that?”

Doris and Polly tipped their smiles towards Anna and she blushed. “He says it’s okay as long as it stays smaller than the one I have on him.” 

“Aww,” Polly purred. “You are one lucky gal, you know that? Handsome and sweet, that’s your Mark.”

“Yep, that’s my Mark,” Anna said. “And that’s,” she pointed at Lois, “Bill. Handsome and sweet and loyal and hardworking.” Lois grinned and swatted at the accusing finger. “He has big dreams, you know.  Wants to make good. And, he seems, for some unknown reason, to have picked you to get serious with.”

“That’s all I need,” Lois said, “a dreamer.”

*Note: She had no clue where his dreams would eventually lead them! :-)

Meeting of Minds, Part II

Lois set her fork down, sat back in her chair, and crossed her arms. “So, what if I do? It’s nobody’s business but mine,” she said, raising her voice so it carried. Her hazel eyes held a dark glint as she looked around the room and there was a split second of silence, and then the normal chattering magpie conversations resumed. She lowered her voice and leaned forward. 

Her companions leaned in to hear over the magpies. “Besides,” she said, with a playful smile, “I don’t want him to think I’m easy.” 

“Ha!” Polly barked out a laugh. “Gal, ain’t a man in the Can thinks you’re easy.”

Anna and Doris laughed. “Isn’t that the truth,” Anna said.

“Keep your voice down,” Lois said, peering around the room, but nobody was paying attention. At least, not that she could tell. 

Doris cleared her throat. “Bill is a good man, though. Everybody says so.”

“Yeah,” Lois’s eyebrows shot up, “especially the women.”

Anna smiled. “Well, Mark and I know Bill pretty well, and yes, he’s been a bit of a playboy ever since he came back from the war, but it’s not like he’s ever been married and is a cheater. He’s just been sowing his wild oats—”

“Yeah, and I bet they’re all sowed by now,” Lois interrupted, much to the delight of Doris and Polly.