The Market
I thought that the epiphany I had been searching for finally happened one day when I was at the market. It was of course over-crowded and radiant with colour. Naturally, it was fine day in the peak of Spring. Hat’s such as mine danced with others in the light breeze. African parrots on show basked in the morning’s rays. Come here, and you will find that those waves of sun are hard to ignore. As they stroke your back and breathe warmly down your neck and spine it would seem rude to do so. I find it is the best time to stretch. Your muscles and bones are so sun-stoned that when you reach out, you feel completely at peace. The blood in my heart bubbled with pleasure and colour as bright as the very day filled my face.
Deciding to buy something was a big step for me. I chose to spend my money on a few dates. They were irresistibly plump. Instinct told me that they would taste just as good. Handing over enough loose change for the transaction, I nodded approvingly of my purchase. With the bag of fruit in hand, and a smile on my face I located a nearby café. Nodding for an espresso when asked, I took a table facing the exit to the market. The sun remained with me. I placed a date whole into my mouth. I toyed with its coarse edge and then pressed upon it with my tongue so that the dark fruit would sink into my saliva. It was delightfully sweet. It contrasted perfectly to the bitter tasting espresso.
I have drunk a lot of the Earl Grey in my days, but giving into that Italian coffee after so long felt good. Light shot through the slumber I had endured for so long. I was invigorated, levitated by the flavour in my mouth. That numbness born from a listless heart seemed to abandon me. Nature’s language made itself apparent to my soul. I saw the beauty in the bustling street; from children playing to mother’s moaning about their child’s play. There was laughter following every child’s action. There were weary but proud smiles on the faces of their mothers. I thought about my mother and how I left her. How she had nothing and how it was me who made it so. I wondered if she was alive and if so, whether she often went to my father’s grave. I wondered if she ever thought of me.
Once I decided I was going to rest here I started stealing almost immediately. I was subtle in my night dealings and those few acquaintances I made gladly picked me up from the street like most runaways. I won’t give names. But I will say that I started by feeding off tourists in the area: pick-pocketing outside the famous Sanremo casino. Gambling here is worldly famous. It incomparably reigns in the capital of the Italian Riviera. It is said often in gambling circuits that if one were to lose all their money they should do so with elegance in Sanremo. Of course, you can also win in the middle of a cheering crowd screaming ‘glory!’ which isn’t so bad.
I had been a thief since I saw my mother’s bracelet. I had little to no possessions and I was never particularly interested in owning any. I had to make my way in a place where my education meant nothing. I discovered there was a ladder to crime; I reached a step where I could work from home. I received letters under my door of targets. The letters provided a photo, a location and a variety of times to make myself available in the selected vicinity. It was very simple. When the job was complete I would receive another letter filled with money. Again, it was simple.
I was having a rare moment of guilty pleasure in that café so there was no time to be wasted on fruitless thoughts. I couldn’t believe it had taken twelve years to buy something from the market I attended to weekly. I had to laugh. The laughter felt good as it rumbled in my throat. I felt it swell in my cheeks and pant enthusiastically within my stomach. I didn’t know the answer as to why it took so long but I told myself I wouldn’t let it happen again. I rose and bought another bag of dates to take home with me. Rather than nodding, I smiled during the transaction. My seller’s eyes beamed into mine happy with the recognition.
