Rachel’s neighbor did her a BIG favor recently and was rewarded with a piece of chocolate. A few days later she came over and asked whether Rachel had any more chocolate. Rachel is really fond of this neighbor, so she went and got a small bar of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate to open. The neighbor took two of the pieces Rachel had broken the little bar into, then M-I, the closest neighbor [see other stories!] came over and asked for some, too. She also took two pieces, then said that Rachel should give her (M-I’s) mother some. M-I’s mother is not one of Rachel’s favorite people, but of course Rachel could not say no. M-I’s mother TOUCHED every piece that was left, then took the biggest piece.
Just then, a woman approached with a big basket of onions on her head and two smaller bags slung from the ends of a pole resting on her shoulders. Rachel has bought onions from such passing vendors, but had no idea where they came from. So as this woman approached, Rachel asked her neighbors. From four days’ walk away, they said, naming a village—and headed for M to sell the onions, at least the ones she could not sell on the way there. (Rachel had wondered why the shoulder-borne bags were not as heavily loaded as most folks’ bags are!)
Rachel offered the woman a piece of the remaining chocolate. The woman looked suspiciously at it, but the neighbors said it was okay to eat, so she tried—and her eyes lit up! She had never had nor heard of chocolate before, but she went off happily sucking on the last piece. Rachel will now know that she really needs to buy as many onions as possible from such passing vendors to lighten their load for the 5 day march!