“What’s the rush?”
“Nothing… Giving all the items back
to him, she asked “…are you wearing
perfume?”
He laughed. “Me? Do pigs fly? Do
dogs swim?”
“I can smell perfume……it’s …”
“I can’t smell anything, or should I
say I don’t want to smell anything…”
He looked at her closely.
“Have you done your bit today?”
She nodded.
“Then, it’s time you went home!”
Norma sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
Thirty minutes later, make up less,
wig less, false eye lashes less, Norma
stepped out of the rear exit “Hello to
another empty night.” She breathed.
Norma’s hands started
to shake. A warm flush
spread all over her.
“….Yes… who are you…?”
The woman smiled. “My name’s Kate
and this is my husband Peter.. We
live a couple of blocks away.”
“And so, how did you know my
name…?”
“My husband and I … we’re
Christians…you will find this hard to
believe, I know… but my husband
had a dream last night …?”
“Yes,” her husband continued, “ … I
saw someone called Norma working
here needs help. We asked at the
front for you. The receptionist said
you’d be out soon. So we waited.”
Norma’s hands started to shake. A
warm flush spread all over her.
“Hello … Norma?”
Kate placed a hand on her shoulder.
Surprised, Norma looked to see
where the greeting had come from.
It was an elderly couple. The woman
extended her hand. “Norma…?”
“And so, do you need any help?
What can we do for you?”
“How did they know her name?”
Norma’s eyes welled with tears. She
could barely speak. “Where do I
start?”
JASMINE' 2