Blind Date

Chapter Six

Saga was nervous as she left the building and she paused just outside, waiting in the small recess the revolving door sat in.

Finally she stepped out into the throng and made a concerted effort to slow down and remain calm. She knew her biggest enemy in this sort of situation was getting worried, which made her anxious, which made her more likely to speed up and make a mistake.

She made good progress and at the end of the first block, she headed to the crosswalk. This was her biggest fear, knowing where to stop since Buddy usually slowed as they approached. She slowed on step 102 and with 106, she felt the bumps in the pavement through her shoes, so she knew she was in the right place. The pavement wasn't crowded but it was busy enough that she didn't have to worry about pressing the button.

New York was installing Accessible Pedestrian Signals which told you where you were, what street you were waiting to cross and when to cross, and all in a New York accent. This wasn't one of those handy crosswalks though, but she knew she was in the right place this time.

She heard the cross traffic stop and begin to idol, then she crossed when the people around her begun to move. She smiled as she felt the bumps in the pavement opposite, her confidence was increasing. She was doing it, she was actually doing it, and totally on her own!

Three blocks over and two up, she reached her neighbourhood grocer. They did deliver and sometimes Saga ordered online but if she didn't come here to do her shopping, then some weeks she would never leave the tower.

It really was a neighbourhood store and the management always assigned her a packer to help her shop.

"Miss Saga," the greeter, a lovely woman called Veronica said as she entered. "How're you doin' today?" She had a strong Brooklyn accent that Saga loved.

"I'm good, thanks."

"Where's Buddy? You didn't come all this way alone, did you?"

"Buddy's a bit under the weather, but I managed."

"Well of course you did. Shall I get John to give you a hand?"

"Anyone who's available," Saga said, she hated to be a bother.

"He's free, we're in the post lunch slump right now."

Saga knew that, it was why she timed her visits for the afternoons, so as not to be too disruptive.

"Here comes John now."

Saga heard his trainers squeaking over the linoleum flooring.

"Afternoon, Doc." John had helped her many times before.

"Call me Saga, please."

"Doesn't feel right," he told her. "Do you have a list today?"

"I do." Her phone was set to voice activation and as she drew her finger over the screen, it announced each app. She pretty much knew where her memo app was, and opened that. She entered items using voice recognition and the phone read items back using a text to voice app. Loki had watched as she entered the list, fascinated by how she managed to accomplish what to him seemed like impossible tasks.

Based on what Loki had asked for, she bought root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes and celeriac, steak since he described the animals they hunted as large, so beef was probably the human equivalent, bay leaves and thyme sprigs, so he could choose which one to use, stock (Loki called it broth) then some plain and self-raising flour, shortening, salt and pepper (just in case his kitchen wasn't stocked), and wine.