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.