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Short Short Story

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Submitted By milanzaks
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Hungover, standing at the line in some supermarket on the other side of town. This place is quite far from my home. In my hand I hold three bananas and a chocolate-milk. Together they form my favorite hangover cure.

In front of my the the line, a woman is standing by herself. She glimpses at me a few times with a strange look; a look that almost seemed frigthened and amazed. Suddenly she turns around and faces me, says she recognizes me. I'm sorry mam, I say, I don't think we've met before.

Her voice gets slurred. She tells me I look exactly like her son. With the wallet in her hand, she takes a picture out and shows it to me. This is him, she says.
A small, fat boy with pimples is shown on her old, worn picture. Her face looks depressed. He passed away a year ago, she says and continues: I'm really sorry to bother you with this, she apologizes. I can tell this means a lot to her, so I kindly say to her; I'm sorry to hear that mam, is there anything I can do for you?
She begins to stutter, I don't know if it's to much to ask, but when I've finished packing up my groceries I'll walk towards the exit. Then I'll turn around and wave at you. Her eyes gets all watery.

I'm patiently listening, without seeming rude. I find this scenario really strange.

When I wave at you, it would mean the world to me, if you could wave back and yell: 'Goodbye mom'.

Of course, I tell her.

She stares into my eyes, like I'm the only one who matters. The whole cue is waiting. She packs up her bags, and slowly walks towards the main exit. She turns around, and a tear runs down her chin, whilst her hand waves at me, she smiles gently.

I'm deeply affected by her behaviour.

Goodbye mom, I shout.

She walks away.

I breathe heavily, I face the girl behind the counter and I pull out my wallet, awaiting to pay for the bananas and my chocolate milk.

That'll be ahundredandnine dollars and sixtytwo cents, she says to my surprise.

She watched my petrified expression and said: "Your mother said that you were paying for her groceries".

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