Page 83 of Rhymes with Metaphor
“Naturally.Because it’s hot outside.”
“No,” said Joel.“It’s like a refrigerator.And the air smellstoofresh.Canadian supermarkets don’t smell like this.They must be pumping something into the air.”
“I’m sure they’re not trying to gas us.”
“Where’s the list?”
“What list?”said Reg.
“The list of what we need to buy.”
“I don’t have one.”
“You can’t grocery shop without a list,” said Joel.“You’ll forget things.”
“If we forget something, we’ll come back and buy it later.”
“But that’s inefficient.”
“Joel, you’re on holiday.Your job is to be inefficient.”
Joel went along each aisle, hands in his pockets.He kept glancing at the prices.
“You’re not a poor student anymore.Pick whatever you fancy.”
Joel wandered off and came back a few minutes later, looking bemused.
“There’s an entire aisle full of cookies.”
“Which ones did you get?”said Reg.
“How am I supposed to pick?”said Joel.“There are hundreds of different kinds.”
“Get some Penguins.”
“People eat penguins here?”said Joel, horrified.“Legally?”
“Penguin biscuits are legal, yes.They don’t contain any actual penguin.”
Once they were home, Reg hunted through the larder to find his grandmother’s picnic basket, which could be worn as a backpack.He began filling it with food.“Today, I’m taking you somewhere special.”
“Your bed?”said Joel.
Reg pushed him playfully.“I’m taking you on a picnic.”
“Just us?”
“Of course.Why?”
“We’ll never eat that much.”
“It’s a picnic,” said Reg.“Bringing too much food is compulsory.”
They walked to the pebble beach, Reg carrying the basket.As the tide had receded far enough, they were able to skirt the cliff rocks.Reg watched Joel’s expression of wonder as they rounded the rocks to the next beach, and he saw the open, green parkland and the viaduct with its stone arches one hundred feet high.He stopped walking, and Reg brushed against him, as though he could catch Joel’s amazement.All Reg saw when he looked at the viaduct now were memories of past summers.
Reg found a promising area of shaded grass to unroll his grandmother’s tartan picnic rug.
They ate ready-made sandwiches and pork pies and walnut cake, and drank Orangina.Afterwards, Joel lay back on the blanket and gazed at Reg with such warm regard, Reg couldn’t stop looking at him.
