Chapter 7 – Work and Play
Chalchiuitl looked up at the sky, she was bored. She had gone through the streets as a free girl, gone down Crafter Street, and even gone to the market. Now she was bored. So bored to go to a ball game, or play a board game, or listen to music. All of which are things that one did very rarely.
She went to the stadium where ollamaliztli games were held, knowing that none was going to be played. The people had just had a break with a big feast to Quetzalcoatl and now everyone was back to work. Another thing she needed to do, find work. But not now, now was a time for games. She saw a crowd in the village square and headed toward it knowing that people usually gathered to make bets around a board game.
"Rupert, what time of game is the board game? Yahtzee or Candy Land…what?" "Michael, good chum, their board game had just one game to be played on it, more like… our backgammon than anything else. Except these games were done on mats with rubber markings" "I would be bored." " You uncultured pig! You blithering idiot! Have you not listened to the story good Rupert is reading? It clearly states that they RARELY play this game and so as not to be bored of it. You Americans with your abnormally short attention spans could never understand this concept." "Oh, Jonny, don't be to hard on the lad, I still have a story to finish and I would be much obliged if you would refrain from yelling." "Very well Rupert, continue." And so Rupert read on…
The game finished after an astounding comeback and an epic loss, bets were paid and the people left.
Chalchiuitl was about to leave to find work when work came to her. A man was walking down the street, clearly a noble, but he was talking to peasants, which made her wonder. She wondered even more when the man came toward her and started to talk! "Excuse me but I was wondering if you would mine working for me. I need someone to help tend the fields and I have enough slaves. You would be given lodging and food and paid one blanket a month. How does this sound?"
Chalchiuitl was delighted! She had work, and very good pay as well! "I would love to work for you! Thank you so much!" she practically stammered out. "Very good, you start today. Follow me." Chalchiuitl followed the man to a stone house with a young woman staring longingly out the window.