Dearest gentle readers,

Polly princeton belongs to greywood

[mayarparker-deactivated20241110]

Maya tried to frequent the farmer's market for her grocery needs. It was more expensive, but it meant she knew what she was getting was fresh and most of the vendors liked her enough to give her the best stuff. But the farmer's market was only one day a week. She needed a few things to make tacos for Jeremy tonight, and for her too she supposed.

Her red hair was tied up in an easy bun, finishing off her seemingly effortless summery look. A tote bag was tucked under her arm. When Maya heard the young woman walking in next to her mutter a question about how to tell if the vegetables were fresh, she considered pretending she hadn't. There had been years where Maya herself wouldn't have taken kindly to an answer to what seemed to be a rhetorical question. But she also didn't mutter them out loud. "You poke them," she replied and after a sort of non-committal head shake added, "And there's like color and smell and some other hints, but firmness never lies."

[pollyprinceton]

"Poke them?" Polly asked curiously. Unsure of what the other meant, but she did it anyway. She felt a little silly poking a tomato, but at least it wasn't mushy, and it was nicely red. "I guess this tomato is good then." She smiled innocently.

"Oh sorry I haven't had the chance to introduce myself, I'm Polly." She smiled kindly. "I uh, am not used to cooking for myself - so I could use all the help one gets."

[oadeyemi]

she'd been quietly bopping along to some motown (the type her dad listened to, the stuff they'd sung along to in the kitchen during happy times) when the song when quiet, just enough time in-between one and another for her to hear the words of a red-headed stranger. olusola glanced over from trying to choose some fruit, wondering if the stranger wanted advice or not - unsolicited was so rarely appreciated.

"you don't, so you gotta use the 5 senses and decide yourself. see these dates? arbitrary, a rough guide, they completely warp how you look at vegetables," she began. "does the colour look good? smell nice? not too mushy in the palm? take - this melon," from the basket she held, olusola brought it up. it was cantaloupe, hard skin beautifully cracked with green fissures that almost segmented it.

"put it to your ear, and knock it - with your knuckles, not your head or anything. listen to it, it's hollow. means it's ripe, ready to go. anything else means she's gonna need a day or two on the counter before eating,"

she smiled. "there are ways to tell, you just need to learn them,"

[pollyprinceton]

Polly was amazed, in more ways than one by the knowledge this stranger held. She did as instructed, feeling the veggies, and listening to their sound, and it made sense to her.

What made her amazed was that someone knew about these things, and was willing to trade that information to her. After all, she didn't owe her anything, so it warmed her heart that something so simple could be shared.

"Thank you, I'm Polly, by the way. And you are?"

[pollyprinceton]

In the picturesque town of Greywood, nestled among the rolling hills and lush greenery, Polly found solace in the anonymity surrounding her. Here, she reveled in being Polly, free from the expectations and responsibilities tied to her family's prominence in the community and her successful fashion empire. Greywood provided her with a haven to cast off the public image she carefully maintained and live a life unencumbered by societal labels.

Within Greywood's serene embrace, Polly sought refuge from the scandal that engulfed her following a highly publicized outing with another woman. Striding through the quaint town, Polly made her way to the local market to personally select her groceries, a task she rarely undertook. The prospect of handpicking fresh produce and discerning its quality left her contemplating out loud, considering whether the internet could offer guidance in this uncharted territory.

"I wonder how you know the veggies are still fresh." She muttered to herself as she entered the grocery store.