Who: Applejack and David Nolan. When: Saturday, Sept 21 (can change, obvs. if necessary.) Where: Farmer’s Market What: Random Encounter Rating/Warning: Low/None Status: Complete
AJ was at her stall at the Farmer’s market. She’d just stocked up some barrels of apples, and was actually impressed by the selection at this time of year. She was trying not to think about how Tonks and her brother were leaving to go home to the East Coast, and trying to pour herself into work. Actually, having work today was kind of a nice thing. It kept her mind off of things.
She was thankful for customers, too. Someone to talk to, to take her mind even further from her troubles.
Being new to the area, David wanted to try and get the full scope of everything. When he’d heard there was a farmer’s market, it sounded like a good place to acquaint himself with local culture a bit, so he headed down a bit late in the morning to take a look.
As he wandered through the stalls, sometimes chatting to people sometimes just looking, he came across apples. “Wow. These are probably the best looking apples I’ve ever seen, you know.”
Customers weren’t always so happy. It was after the bad ones that AJ really appreciated the good ones. Not that she’d had bad ones yet today, but for some reason since Mac had decided to move, she’d had a string of mean people coming to the booth. When a man came over and spoke so highly of the apples, AJ couldn’t help but break into a bright smile. Honestly, it was so bright she lit up the apple stand. “Really, now? That’s amazin’, that’s just what I was thinkin’!”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to just how good fruit is over here,” he said, smiling back at her. “Everything just grows so well.” David picked up an apple and turned it over in his hand, looking at it. “How much do you charge?”
“First one’s on the house.” AJ said, giving the man a smile. She stepped over to where he was standing and took a look at his apple, then broke into an even brighter smile. “Ooh, and I think you’ve got a good one. Probably best in the bushel.”
He gave her a bit of a grin, figuring she was just humouring him. But it was pleasant, so David didn’t mind. “Sometimes apples make me a bit wary. Don’t really know what it is. Guess they never look this good.” David laughed a bit and held up the apple in his hand, then took a bite out of it. “Mm, s’really good.”
“They need to be crispy. That’s my own, personal opinion.” She grinned as he took a bite then mumbled his appreciation. “They need to be crispy, sweet, with enough tang to make them interesting, and definitely not sour. I think ours are.”
He nodded as he chewed. The apple was definitely all that. He took another bite and looked over them, then shrugged with a laugh. “I’d be crazy not to get some, after this.”
AJ laughed with him. “One every day keeps the doctor away, so they say.” Then she laughed again. “Listen to me, I sound like Doctor Seuss. Can I help you pick out a week’s worth?” She asked, grinning. Yay customers!
David hid his mouth behind his hand as he chewed, and nodded. “That would be great, actually. Thank you.”
“Sure!” AJ was happy. She moved over to the bin, collected up seven of the brightest, shiniest apples she could find--the ones that were sure to be the best in the bunch--and put them into a little, cloth bag for him. Then she held it out. “Feel free to come on back if you need more. We’re here at the Farmer’s Market every day.”
He took the bag gratefully, smiling. “Good to know. How much do I owe you for these?”
AJ gave him a fair price, and was happy to take his money. She handed over the bag. “I hope you’ll be coming back to us for all your apple needs.”
“I promise,” David told her. And he meant it. He’d probably likely be back at the farmer’s market plenty, actually. But he took his bag and gave her a wave as he left, finishing the apple she’d given him.