Bertha and the heat-wave.
Bertha mopped her brow as she staggered out of the relentless heat of the midday sun.
She had spied a comfortable looking chair in front of a boutique
and plopped herself down on it.
"Whew!" she said to herself, slightly out loud,
"I can't take much more of this heat."
Her feet were killing her
and she knew that she shouldn't have worn her red shoes with the pointed toes.
She glanced down at her nail polish,
even that seemed to be melting ... or was it a trick of the light?
After a few minutes, the shopkeeper came out and said:
"Would you like a fan too?"
Bertha wasn't sure if the woman was being facetious,
so she said: "Oh yes please, if you're selling them!"
They did, and Bertha bought one!
The shopkeeper said:
"I can't believe this! The back of my chair is covered in the same material as your dress!
I made it out of a remnant from last year's stock."
"So it is", said Bertha,
"I bought the material here last year and made the summer dress I'm wearing."
The shopkeeper smiled, looking pleased and warming to Bertha.
"Why don't I go and get us both a glass of iced water," she said.
Bertha smiled back and felt grateful
and thought how nice it was that the heat-wave had made her seek out a shady spot.
Now she had a new fan, a glass of cooled water and a friendly shopkeeper with whom to chat.
Life is good, she thought to herself, even during a heat-wave
... especially in the shade!
*****
