“Nora!” One woman with bright white hair, wearing a pale green tee with a variety of flowers on the front, loose green pants, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, hurries forward. Everyone else tries to act nonchalant. “Hi, honey. What are you doing here?”
“Really, Patty? A protest?” Nora asks, planting her hands on her hips.
“What do you mean? We’re out here checking out the murals Andi finished yesterday,” Patty says. “They look fantastic.”
I come to stand next to Nora. Patty looks up at me with a smile.
A purely fake smile.
“I can see the signs!” Nora says, exasperated, gesturing toward the bushes. “George!” she calls. “I can see the signs!”
The man who is fighting to get his sign tucked fully behind the bush stops, sighs, and turns with a sheepish smile. “Hi, Nora.”
“If you’re so upset you’re willing to protest, why are you trying to hide it now?” she asks.
“Well, obviously we didn’t wantyouto see the signs,” another woman says, walking up to stand next to Patty. “We just wanted Alex to see them.” She’s in blue jeans, a bright orange shirt that saysDirty Hoe Gardening Clubwith a sketch of a hoe, and muddy white tennis shoes. She’s also got a grass-green colored bandana wrapped around her equally white hair.
I’m going to assume these ladies were with Nora at Garden Club earlier.
“Muriel!” Nora says. “This is so rude!”
“Yeah. We’re protestingagainsthim. That’s the point.” She shakes her head. “But you’re way too sweet to protest. Do you ever even write bad reviews or email a company when they send you a broken item in the mail?”
Nora doesn’t say anything.
“Nora, you really need to complain and get a replacement or a refund,” another woman says, joining the group. “You don’t just let it go, do you?”
“I’m sure she does,” Muriel says. “Do you remember when Sandra gave Nora food poisoning with her chicken casserole? Nora never said a word and asked Sandra for the recipe in front of everyone in the coffee shop!”
“That was four years ago!” Nora exclaims. “And she didn’tmeanto give me food poisoning. And anyway, we can’tproveit was from the casserole.”
“Three other people were also puking their guts out that same night and they all ate that casserole,” Muriel says. “That’s proof. Butyoudefended her.”
“Because she didn’t mean to do any harm!”
“But when a company sends you something that gets broken, even if they don’t mean for it to happen, they should replace it or refund you, honey,” the other woman says.
“She’s right,” George agrees. “Next time you let us know and we’ll help you write the email.”
“I like calling better,” Patty says.
“But with email, you get the interaction, and whatever they promise, in writing,” George says.
Patty nods. “Good point.”
“Who are we emailing?” the other man with the group asks, now coming forward so he can hear better.
“The company that sent Nora a broken…” Patty looks at Nora. “What was it that got broken?”
Nora throws her hands up. “Nothing! It’s a hypothetical that didn’t actually happen, and we arewayoff topic. You all are out hereprotestingagainst the newest hockey player! We need to welcome Alex to town and make him feel at home!”
“He was rude to Harley!” the woman who isn’t Patty or Muriel says.
“And he was hurt that night and under immense pressure, facing the end of his career!” Nora says. “He didn’t mean to upset Harley!”
Muriel looks up at me. “See what I mean? She’ll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. She’s too nice for her own good.”
This entire conversation has gone way off the rails, but it’s clear that Nora is very well-liked and I have to agree, she seems sweet. Even when she’s exasperated.
