‘It’s pomegranate red,’ Rita would tell her and no doubt, Dora would say how well it went with her blonde hair. However, Dora was busy with Jenny, the other product demonstrator, and didn’t seem to notice the lipstick.
‘So, you’re pies this morning,’ said Dora, glancing at a clipboard.
‘Leek and potato,’ said Rita, her mouth watering. Leek and potato was one of her favourites.
‘Yes, and apple chutney this afternoon,’ said Jenny.
‘Makes me feel hungry,’ laughed Dora. ‘Everything is set up for you.’
Rita enjoyed her job as a product demonstrator. Best of all, the store often let her take home leftover samples. She got to meet all kinds of people too. She had been chatted up many times, although mostly by creeps. At first, she had thought Henry was a creep, too. She had not known what to make of him. He had approached her one Friday evening during the summer heatwave. The days had been unbearably hot and the nights sultry. You woke up sweaty, you went to bed sweaty, and you got out of the shower sweaty. It was like a horrible ever-present heat that lasted day in and day out. Everyone complained it was too much. Rita had been offering cream cheese-stuffed peppers. The weather had been sweltering again. It had been one of the hottest summers in years and Rita loved the sun. She had watched enviously as shoppers came in wearing halter neck tops and strapless dresses. She’d looked down at her sensible shoes and wished she too could wear open-toed sandals.
‘Boiling out there,’ they would say. ‘You’re lucky to have the air conditioning.’
Rita would nod, listen to their complaining, and offer a cheese-stuffed pepper. They would stroll back out into the sunshine, grateful for the reprieve, while Rita had desperately wished to swap places. Henry had looked hot and weary. It had been close to six o’clock and she had thirty minutes before she finished her shift.
‘Good evening,’ she’d said forcing a smile. ‘Can I interest you in a sample of our delicious cream cheese-filled peppers? Your family will love them.’
Henry had looked at the peppers curiously.
‘There are only two of us,’ he had said in a deadpan voice.
Rita had kept the smile pasted on her face.
‘You don’t have to have a family to taste them.’
‘They look nice,’ Henry had said, taking a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and blowing his nose enthusiastically. ‘But I only came in for cold remedy.’
‘Oh dear, there is nothing worse than catching a cold in the summer is there?’ Rita had commiserated.
‘The pollen isn’t helping,’ he had agreed.
He had looked at the cheese-stuffed peppers and said ‘We have our supper for this evening. Cold meat salad with new potatoes.’
‘Sounds lovely. These would go very well with your salad,’ she’d smiled offering the plate to him.
Henry had looked uncertain.
‘I suppose I could try one,’ he’d said.
Rita had fought back a sigh. Honestly, some people. Anyone would think she was trying to poison him. If he didn’t want it, he didn’t have to have it. It made no difference to her. It was not as if she was paid per cheese-stuffed pepper. She had wanted to say, ‘please yourself’. She had decided that he was most likely hanging about to chat her up but hadn’t quite found his confidence. He most certainly wasn’t her type. She didn’t really go for men in glasses, although he wasn’t bad looking at all. He smelt clean and fragrant. Rita liked a clean man. He’d taken a sample and bitten into it cautiously.
‘Interesting,’ he’d commented.
Rita thought interesting was an odd word to describe a cream cheese-stuffed pepper. A television programme was interesting, or a film perhaps, but not a cheese-stuffed pepper.
‘I think you’re right that they would go nicely with the salad, but …’
Rita had cocked her head and waited.
‘Peppers sometimes play havoc with my dyspepsia,’ he’d finished.
‘Dyspepsia?’ she’d questioned, never having heard the word before.
‘Gastric tummy,’ he’d explained.
Rita had fought back an urge to roll her eyes. Still she’d thought. At least he isn’t moaning about the weather.
‘Still, I think I’ll get some and take the chance,’ he’d said.
