“Educating myself on the risks and pitfalls of bike clips would have been helpful, but all you said was ‘You’ll love the clips, Pru. They make riding your bike so much more efficient, Pru. You won’t be able to live without them, Pru.’”
“You don’t have to sound so mocking, woman.”
Yeah, my voice was a bit snarky, but what I was saying needed a little extra to prove my point. “Now, ask me where I crashed.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Yeah.” My hands are on my hips. “Ask me.”
“Where did you crash?”
“Well, Laura.” My tone serious and a bit angry. “I wiped out in front of a place called Vicious Cycle.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, that’s convenient. Right in front of a bike shop?” She looks up and to her right like she’s remembering something. “Is that on highway five? Next to the Quick Stop Shop?”
“That’s the one.”
“Funny, I thought that was a motorcycle place.”
“It is.”
“I don’t understand.”
No. She wouldn’t. “Remember a couple of weeks ago? That jerk that insulted my music?”
“Which one?”
“Funny.” Not funny. “Well, he was there when I fell, mocking me.”
“Mocking you?”
Okay, he wasn’t doing that,precisely, but he was as opinionated as before and way bossier than he needed to be. “He works there.”
“Okaaaay. So, what’s the big deal?”
“It was embarrassing,” I hiss. “I literally tipped over right in front of him.”
“Tipped––” The witch, she starts to giggle.
I don’t let her finish. “Yes.”
She’s got her hand covering her mouth like I can’t tell she’s laughing plus she’s bending over. “Oh. My. God. Thank you for this. I needed a good laugh.” She won’t stop. “T-tipped over. Priceless.”
“Ugh. You suck.”
That just makes her laugh harder. I decide to get on with my day, so I limp past her, heading for the back room to stow my purse and lunch box.
Later that day, Laura steps next to me and throws her arm over my shoulder. “We ready for the weekend?”
“Yeah. I think so.” It’s Oakdale Days this Friday and Saturday. It’s a huge annual event that draws in people from all over the state thanks to the happenings planned like a craft sale on the lawn of our beautiful city hall that has been featured in a national architectural magazine due to its gold dome and nineteenth century architecture. I know this because Laura has the magazine framed and hanging behind the cash register because you can see the front of her shop in the picture.
Besides the craft sale, there’s a parade first thing Saturday morning, plus there are going to be six food trucks parked around the square both days. Every store in and around the square will be open and having sales, like hers.
On Saturday night, there’s a concert featuring a fairly well-known country singer who just happens to be from Iowa. That will draw in a large crowd, which is why we’re going to extend our hours. “I think we’re good.” We’ve added a few special things to our growing inventory list that will, hopefully, draw people to her store. Namely, T-shirts that I helped design with an Iowa theme. My favorite, and the one I plan to wear Saturday, says simply, “Small-town girl” on the front. Not that Oakdale is all that small, but the town we grew up in was. Population 2,352 to be exact. So, yeah. I’m a small-town girl for sure.
“You’re going to make a mint, bestie.”
“Last year I did pretty decent. Now that I’ve got a larger space and more to sell, let’s hope you’re right.”
