Pickles
It was 6:00p.m and Mrs. Stone had prepared a most wonderful supper, waiting for her husband, who worked in the government office.
Mrs. Stone heard some footsteps outside the door. Knowing that it must be her husband, she jumped to open the door.
“Oh! My smart lady! I miss you all the day!” Mr. Stone came in and gave his wife a kiss.
“I miss you too! You must be very hungry now. Come on! I’ve prepared a big meal for you.” Mrs. Stone pushed her husband to the table.
“Thank you! You’re really smart! But before the meal I have something pleasant to tell you.” Mrs. Stone‘s eyes were shining with excitement.
“Oh! I also have something happy to tell you. Listen! This afternoon I came across an old friend when I was shopping. You know, we were very good friends in my senior high school, and we haven’t heard from each other for six years. She has an eight-month-old baby boy now. She invited us to go to her house tonight.”
“Err…well…I am afraid that I cannot go there tonight. I’ve received an invitation too. Look!” He showed Mrs. Stone the invitation.
“Yes. It is from your boss Mr. Hill. But it is not an important party for you. You just get together and enjoy some local food of his hometown and have a chat. In fact, you can refuse it.”
“No, you are wrong. He is my boss. He is important to me. I need his support. I handed in the blue-print of this city two days ago. If my plan is accepted by him, I will get a higher position and a good fame!”
“But it doesn’t mean that your boss will accept your plan if you go to the party. Right? You haven’t accepted the invitation, and then you can refuse it, right? Friends are also important, right?” Mrs. Stone became more and more angry. She tried her best to change her husband’s mind.
“No, I insist on attending my boss’s party,” He said seriously.
Mrs. Stone burst into tears, and screamed, “How can you think so? Is money and fame more important than friendship? Than our love? I’ve promised that we’ll go there tonight. What can I do now?”
Mr. Stone had already put on his suit, went towards the door, and said,” Make a phone call to apologize and fix another time. I should go now.
Then the door was slammed. It was deadly silent inside the house.
Mrs. Stone didn’t go to her friend’s, but stayed at home, waiting for her husband. At about11:00p.m. Mr. Stone came back. He rushed into the toilet as soon as he opened the door. He vomited and got a diarrhea. He was sick.
Mrs. Stone was scared. “What’s the matter? You went to the party, didn’t you? I thought you enjoyed yourself very much. But it seems you are just out of hell!”
Mr. Stone replied in sadness, “Yes, I did come from hell! Do you know what the local food was? They are pickles! God! I hate pickles. They taste neither sweet nor salty, neither sour nor spicy. They are terrible! And I have an allergy to that!”
“You don’t need to eat them!”
“All the people there said that the pickles were delicious! And they enjoyed the pickles very much! My boss was delighted to see that. I should pretend that I like pickles. I ate the most, and my boss liked me. But I made myself suffer!”
Mrs. Stone wanted to say something, but it seemed that there was a lump in her throat, and she kept silent finally.