A moment

The washing machine has stopped. What the? I checked the taps, seemed fine. Water should be flowing then. Lights blink at me. I blink at them. Why isn’t this thing working? Hmm, a start/pause button. Let’s try it.

I press the button.

The machine starts working.

I suppress the urge to kick it and accept a simple solution. As I head down the path it occurs to me that the machine may want to stop again; it seems to have a mind of its own. I can’t be bothered waiting for it to stop, but I don’t want to return later and find it sitting there, confused and not sure what to do. I decide to stall for time by collecting a cold can from the local store. Hopefully when I come back the machine will still be working.

I roll out the door and stroll down the footpath. Arawa has many features that push it out ahead of its cousins. My favourite feature is the footpaths. I like footpaths. Tidies things up a bit. I especially like walking on warm concrete in bare feet. Always have.

I reach the local store and peer through the bars into the gloom. I think I can see a shape back there, black on black.

“Api noon?”

“Api noon.” A dark, smiling face emerges from the shadows.

“Hot ah? Mi laik buyim wanpela Sprite.”

“Ahh, Sprite.” My new friend retrieves a cold can of Sprite from his battered freezer and places it before me, still smiling.

“Em hamas?” I asked.

“Two kina, forty toia.” I place the money on the counter and he slides the can towards me.

“Have a good day, lukim yu.”

“Lukim yu,” he replied.

Back at the house. Washing machine is still going. Gudpela. I like it when things work the way they should.