Emmie Jacobs 2

That shopping bag had been left behind more times than she could remember. Why she had brought it out that morning was not altogether clear. She usually folded up a plastic supermarket bag and slipped it in her pocket. It took up less space and did not get forgotten.

The bag was made of heavy brocade and lived on a hook in the cupboard, beneath the stairs. It had been made by her husband just after he retired,when he was working as an odd job tailor for a local haberdashers, making and mending to order.  It had been part of a bolt of wild flowery cloth used for a wedding  Sherwani. She thought he said the style was Tanduri. She remembered because of the Tanduri chicken he liked so much and it amused her to think of the link. Emmie was much given to 'thoughts' of this nature and the pictures  in her head always made her smile.

She smiled when it was admired.
"That's a lovely bag you got there lady" from the Asian gentleman in the greengrocers as he placed the handful of new potatoes inside, "I'll put these in a bag , we wouldn't want to spoil it".
She thought of him having such a flowery Sherwani for his wedding coat and that also made her smile.

It was a remainder from one of the last pieces of work that David had been asked to complete and she began to think, after it had been returned several times, that he had woven a little piece of magic into it. In fact, rjust inside by the handle he had embroidered a little tag.
              
               Please return to 
               Emmie Jacobs.
               27 Chapel WLk
                CH4 7JL

And it did, usually appearing under the milk bottles on the doorstep but on one occasion, having been missing quite a few weeks, it arrived hanging on the latch inside the gate. On that occasion it had been  mended with a few odd stitches at the bottom corner probably where something sharp had poked through. Perhaps the offending sharpness had caught a hem or laddered a stocking and had become a pointed reminder to follow the request, sewed into the lining. 

It was all part of her shopping bag adventures or so she thought, as she purposefully made her way into the covered market: quite quiet at this time of the morning, with some stalls still having their covers in place. She liked a nice little peaceful shop around the stalls, having a word here and there with the traders.  She had known most of them for years but recently there seemed to have been more Asian faces behind the counters, like  that cheerful man in the greengrocery with the wild beard and the little,white, lacy hat. She paused at his stall to choose a few new potatoes. A small handful of Jersey Royals looked nice, even though rather dear. 
"Shall I put those in a bag for you?"
They would go nicely with a loin chop of spring lamb. She had some of those petit pois in the freezer at home so she would stop at the butchers on the way back. She had never really trusted the butcher on the market with his bulk cheap prices. Emmie, of course, never shopped in bulk, too much to carry for a start.

"Morning Mrs Jacobs, and what can I get for you today?"
" Some of your new seasons lamb please, a loin chop would be nice."
" It's a bit pricey this year, all going abroad, I think."
"Never mind it's only one and once in awhile." she counted the forty pence change out of the two pounds and put it her purse. "That was dear, better make sure I enjoy it," she thought. 

Making her way home from the butchers she stopped at the newsagents for a Radio Times. She Iiked to plan her viewing and listening. When she was putting it into her bag she thought that since the bag went on its last adventure it had gained a certain aroma, rather exotic it was  with a hint of cinnamon and aniseed, a touch of the hot cross bun about it. When her old tomcat went missing for several days, and came home rather smelly and distinctly the worse for wear, she knew what he had been up to, but it was altogether different when it was a shopping bag.
              
"Oh no !" she thought. It was Friday, that chop would have to wait till tomorrow.  Now what should she do for tea?  With that thought in mind she made her way back to the market and the bag together with her heart was becoming rather heavy.


JL June 23 11:46