Twenty dollars. The newspaper said this morning that we were going to be given $20 for the week. A knot of something like fear in my stomach. I'd been told that we'd have between $20 and $25. I never thought I'd find the loss of five imaginary dollars so distressing.
Twelve minutes to the plaza (dollar store, bulk food store, and grocery store). Took out notebook and pen in the dollar store and began listing prices.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? Store manager red, swollen with anger.
Comparing prices. But she had shaken me.
Oh. She began to unpuff, unredden.
I told her about the challenge.
Oh, she said again. Almost gently.
The bulk food store clerk was helpful, measuring out 100 grams of dried lentils for me (at $.28 per 100 grams) so that later I could eye what I could afford.
Lentils? Dried lentils? What am I thinking? I've never cooked anything with dried lentils in my life. I know that beans and rice are healthy in combination (iron, vitamin B, protein, and all the essential amino acids). Nutritious staples for millions in the developing world. But I can't imagine buying beans and rice when I shop on Saturday. I'm more likely to go with what I know.
Maybe everyone is.
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