Flash Fiction : Teatime At The Crossroads

“Hello.”

“Hello, brother. What’s up?”

“Good, good. Wanna meet?”

“Yeah sure.”

“I’m at the crossroads. Come over to the tea shop.”

Image courtesy.

15 minutes and two cups of tea each later

“I’m in a tough spot, man.”

“What happened?”

“Well, I’m expanding around my waist like a fat zero.”

“Agreed. You look like you’re in a tight space, stuck between the paunch of a beer and the butt of an elephant.”

“This won’t do, will it?”

“Nope, it won’t. It can dump your prospects in the marriage market.”

“I’ve even stopped eating out.”

“Really?”

“Yes .Now I only eat out once every two weeks.”

“Heh.”

“Rest of the time, it’s homemade food for me.”

“You’ve stopped snacking out as well?”

“Yeah man. No snacks for me.”

“Oh come on, bro. I was just going to go to the corner stall for a cheese burger and a beer. Won’t you give me company?”

“No man. I’m good. You can go ahead.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah man.”

“Alright. I’m not going either. I was just trying to trick you.”

“You…”

“Ha ha ha.”

“Ha ha.”

“So, are you exercising too?”

“Oh yeah. I’ve started walking. Every day, I walk for around 10 minutes, from office to home and home to office.”

“Whoa, that’s amazing.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t mock me man.”

“But really, you ought to be doing more, man.”

“Right. I’ll probably start something at night. Don’t get much time with work during the day.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“I dunno. More walking, maybe? Gym. I don’t know, man, but I’ll find something out.”

“But you will surely not eat out, eh?”

“Nah. That thing’s final.”

“Smooth.”

“Yeah.”

“Cool, so, yeah, I have to go now. Got to read a bit for the exams.”

“Cool, man. See you next week, then.”

They both get on their bikes and ride in the opposite directions, each going towards his house, until the first guy recalls that he has to buy things from the supermarket at the crossroads. He turns around.

He parks his bike by the side of the road and bounds up the stairs to the supermarket when he notices his friend standing by the fairly-crowded burger stall.

“Maybe he’s getting one for his sister.”

He goes inside the shop, walking across the aisles, wondering. “He wasn’t lying to me, was he? Nah, couldn’t be. Must be for a family member.”

He pushes out the glass door of the shop, and can’t resist a glance to the left. “He’s still there. Should I go ask him what he’s doing? Aah…forget it.”

He gets on his bike and turns it around. He puts the key in the ignition, before taking one last look at his friend.

“He’s eating a double cheese burger. Bruh…” He smiles, shaking his head as he puts the bike in gear and rides away.

The End.

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