This is an Unexpected Bump for Sure -- 12

Nobody’s watching as I look around to see if anybody’s watching.  There’s the door.  Here I am.  There’s everybody else.  Just get the loaf of wine and the jug of bread.  A book of verses?  That might be difficult.

Then there it is – a little stand.

A LOAF OF BREAD, A JUG OF WINE, AND THOU is the name of it by the sign stretched across the top.  And, “A book of verses ‘neath the golden bough” on the line right below the name.

I go up to the stand.

“I want . . . “ I start.

“Here’s your package,” the man behind the counter says, and hands me a basket.

“It’s everything you will ever need.”

I give him the number Raphael gave me and his eyes grow wide.

“Ah, yes!  Another package for our friend,” he says, his head turned to people behind him.

“Tell Raphael thank you yet again.”

“Hmmmmm.” I think.

My problem now is finding them.  It’s a crowded beach and I can’t remember how I got up here or where they are.

“Hey Pierre!” Raphael shouts, “You made it!”

“Yeah,” Chloe says, “We were worried about you.”

There they are, under the umbrella and on the blanket. I’ve suddenly come to where they are.

“You have a little door,” Chloe says.

It’s the door?  I want to be somewhere and there I am.  Must be.

“Gimme a sec,” I tell Chloe.  Then I think of home.  Nothing happens.  Should blinked I think.

“Here’s your stuff,” I tell Raphael, as I hand him the basket.

“Was it hard to find?  All that stuff?” he asks.

“No,” I answer, “The shop was right there.”

“What shop?”

“The load of bread and jug of wine shop, with the loaf and jug and the book.”

“You want all that way?” he exclaims, “and naked?”

“What do you mean?”

“The shop is in downtown Paris.”

Odd I think.

No wonder they were looking at me like that I think.

“I need clothes,” Chloe suggests.

I’m in a dressing room.  There’s a pair of pants on a hanger.  I put them on.   A bit big.  Salesperson comes back in the hallway, opens the curtain, looks startled.

“I’m looking for a pair of pants,” I say.

“I see,” he says.

“These are too big,” I say.

“I can see.  Let me see what I can do for you.”

He has a measuring tape and takes my measurements.

“A shirt too,” I say.

He measures my upper torso and arms and neck.  He leaves and comes back with pants and a shirt.  They fit perfectly.  I give him Raphael’s number and he rings them up.  No questions.

“Another of Raphael’s friends,” he says.

“Yes,” I say.

“I need shoes and socks,” I say.

“Section 1-B” he says, pointing.

“You  speak good English,” I tell him.

“In the retail stores and other places where American tourists come, the managers look for people who speak English very well,” he replies.

Shoes, socks, pants, shirt, underwear.  I am set.  But what about Chloe?

There she is – naked.

She finds a bathrobe and puts it on.

“Raphael’s bill,” I shout to the surprised sales clerk.

So we find women’s clothes for Chloe.

“Raphael will wonder where we are.” she says.

There he is, with Brian, both naked.

“Let’s get some clothes,” he tells Brian with a laugh.

 

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