THE SHOPPING LIST
All usual disclaimers apply.
"Did you make the list?"
"Yes, it's in my left pocket . But I don't need it."
"Your memory is fading."
"Only because I forgot eggs once you started with the list. I was nervous Astrid was first time at my sister's for the night."
"I like scrambled eggs for breakfast."
"I offered you alternatives."
She smiled, remembering how she brought him back in bed that morning to compensate the missing eggs.
He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about another list on his fridge, what seemed a lifetime ago and it was only few months.
They entered the supermarket, Henrik pushing the cart, Saga at his side.
"Let's start with the list, remember Thursday discounts." She pointed out.
"Oranges, apples."
"Here. Are three kilos of Spanish oranges enough?"
Henrik nodded. Every morning he prepared fresh orange juice for three; vitamins were so important for Astrid, Saga repeated always.
"Salad, potatoes."
"Got them."
"Two bottles of milk. Here..and yogurth, which taste? I want natural."
"Strawberries for Astrid, cereals and prunes for me."
"Are you constipated again?"
"A little."
"You should stop eating junk food at lunch and take better care of yourself. I can cook something healthy for you and you take a tupperware with you at uni."
"Like what?"
"Rice salad, cold pasta, or a quiche. Vegetables and cheese. I'll get ideas."
"Ok."
"I forgot, Astrid wants pineapple. She never tried it before."
"Is she getting into exotic?"
"We were watching a cooking programme a few days ago. "
"Are you starting with her?"
"Starting what?"
"Cooking."
"No, it happened. I don't know if she'd like it."
"She need hobbies. Or a sport."
"There's a tennis court near home, I'll go ask for group lessons."
They moved back to the fruits area.
"I got some new recipes for her. I found strudel with pineapples instead of apples."
"Ah."
"And for you, too. Tell me your wishes and I'll do my best."
The little hint of jealousy. He was used now to balance carefully his life between two exigent women.
She tilted her head a little.
"Mussels"
Henrik pretended to read the list.
"Not written."
"I ate them in Bruxelles, and oysters, too, near the Grand Place. I never tried before. Everybody was eating them."
"If you want oysters I don't have to cook them. It's faster, but I'm afraid the price is high here."
"Do you know for what they were used in the past?"
"No"
"All sea fruits were afrodisiac. Kings used them to increase fertility and produce heirs."
"Our fertility has already been productive without them."
He wanted to forget, but sometimes the idea of the baby he was denied returned to the surface.
She startled him with her next words.
"I've learned if things had to happen they happen, whatever we do against them. It is futile to oppose. Who knows?"
Dangerous ground, Henrik wanted to slide away, not the moment or the place to dwell on certain sad memories.
"Ok mussels, but which way?"
"Mussels, the black ones."
"I know, I asked how do you want them."
"You do the cooking."
"Right."
Henrik stopped, looking around in search of an inspiration.
He weas so pleased to cook for his family, a desire and a pleasure suppressed for a very long time.
Whatever they wanted, he complied.
"Ok, two nets of French mussels are enough?"
"I think to. Only mussels you need?" Saga strangely was questioning his ability.
"No. I need parsley, garlic and onions."
"Let's get back."
She passed him a bunch of parsley, a net of white onions and scanned around to get some garlic.
"I can't find garlic."
"There must be some. Near onions?"
"I'll check again. Here. This one."
"Organic from Africa? There is no local?"
"No."
He observed carefully the package.
"Organic garlic wrapped in plastic and paper?"
"There is sure a reason."
He placed it under her nose. There was no smell at all, it seemed all made of plastic.
"We're going to destroy all oceans with this plastic. What can we offer to our children, a waste earth?"
"Your child."
"What?"
"We have only one child for now, yours."
"I was thinking in general. The future of the earth is in danger, what can we offer to next generations if we do not change our way of life?"
"Plastic was an efficient way of packing up things. Now they abuse it."
"And African garlic? There is no European, closer? Spanish? Italian? Think about the impact of transportation on the enviromnent."
"Price reasons?"
"This one is not cheap."
Saga looked at the tag.
"It will be worse in Denmark. Do you remember when we rushed to the supermarket for your mother's unplanned visit?"
"Yes, we had to be fast and we paid everything more."
"I 've calculated the average price difference of goods between our..."
"Ok Saga I got it. I need garlic for your mussels, but next time I want to try local markets. I read there is an increase in using local producers."
"There is one in a village near Malmo every Saturday morning. I was there once for a questioning. It is colorful and full of small stands."
"Prices?"
"Cheaper and most goods are bio."
"If i cook the mussels in two days, we could go and buy the garlic with Astrid Saturday."
"Good. I can make a list of prices to compare here with those of the market."
Henrik stopped before turning in the meat aisle.
"The list says nothing."
"Do really Astrid want to cut off meat?"
"She told me so. If i buy meat it must be the most possible biologic and cruelty free."
"Meat farms are cruel. We know well. There was a documentary on tv a few days ago. Maybe she watched it, I was studying on the veranda."
"I missed it"
"You were at a NA meeting."
He turned the cart to the bio shelves.
"Soya hamburger?"
"You can try."
"Are you ready for it?"
Saga nodded. This new cooking style seemed interesting indeed.