At the Fruit Stall

On Saturday morning Mina went to the market to buy fruit for a salad she was planning to make for her family. She walked slowly past the first few stalls, comparing prices and listening to the sellers call out their offers. At the first stall there were big red apples, sweet green grapes and bunches of yellow bananas, all neatly arranged in wooden boxes.

“Good morning,” said the seller. “Can I help you?” “Yes, please,” Mina answered. “I’d like two kilos of apples, if they’re ripe.” “They’re the best I have,” the seller said proudly. He chose them one by one, put them carefully into a paper bag and weighed it on an old pair of scales.

“Do you have any oranges?” she asked. “I’m afraid I don’t have any today,” he said. “They sold out early this morning, but I’ve got some lemons.” “No, thank you. I don’t need any lemons for a fruit salad,” Mina said with a smile.

“Are there any strawberries?” Mina asked. “Yes, there are some at the back,” the seller said, pointing across the stall. They were small and very sweet, and the smell reached her before she even looked at them. She took one box and decided it was exactly what the salad needed.

“How much is that altogether?” she asked. “Six euros fifty,” said the seller. Mina paid, thanked him and picked up her heavy bag. As she walked home through the sunshine, she was already thinking about how pleased her family would be when they saw the fruit on the table.