Ficlets

Fritz and Zooey: Tabloid Headlines

Zooey looked back sadly.

“Did you…” she trailed off still searching the crowd.

“Did I what?” Fritz said confused, looking in the same direction.

“Nothing,” Zooey said. She wasn’t ready to explain her trivial desires.

They walked in silence to the nearest market. Fritz could sense there was something wrong in the way Zooey suddenly became silent, distantly gazing out towards the sidewalks with a searching look in her eye.

It was close to midday and the market was in a slow period, so Fritz and Zooey had the aisles to themselves to ponder appetizer choices. They settled on toaster waffles, hummus, cherry popsicles, instant coffee, sixteen cherries, twenty three grapes, and a baguette, purely for the fact of getting to carry one home.

The cashiers looked at them with amused expressions as they read the headlines of the tabloids out loud in theatrical tones.

“Batboy Escapes Prison,” Fritz mused.

“Dolly Parton Marries a Ghost,” Zooey chimed.

They laughed and payed the cashier.

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