The Cricket

  Chapter 5: The Bowl

  After saying goodbye and promising to return again, Jacob and Grandpa left Yumiko's shop. Outside and across the street, Grandpa stopped. Although birds chirped, a breeze refreshed the day's heat, and the fun pottery experience was still fresh in Jacob's mind, he felt the pleasant state draining out and being replaced by something much different.

  Grandpa reached into the gift bag and pulled out the newly purchased bowl, being careful not to drop it. “Isn’t it beautiful, Jacob?”

  Jacob wondered why his grandpa chose this particular moment to remove the bowl from the bag. “Uh, yes.”

  Jacob could no longer hear the birds chirping.

  Suddenly, Grandpa turned and tossed the bowl away from both Jacob and himself.

  While the bowl was still traveling through the air, “Grandpa, don’t!” Jacob became so focused on the bowl, he had the sensation that time had slowed down. He attempted to catch the bowl but was unable to get to it in time. The once beautiful bowl hit the ground and shattered into many pieces near some garbage cans.

  Jacob, looking distressed, stared down at the bowl in pieces and then up at his grandpa. “Why did you do that, Grandpa!?”

  Grandpa crouched down and picked up the various large pieces and shuttled them into a garbage can. Just a few small specs remained on the ground and glistened in the hot sun. “Well, it's just a bowl, Jacob.” He stood in place and reflected for a moment and then made a light gesture in the direction of home. “Let's go find our bus stop.”

  Yumiko, out of Jacob's line of sight, stood by her studio's window, viewing Jacob and Grandpa. She wore a sympathetic smile as if she was holding some missing information.

  Jacob and his grandpa started for the bus stop. Jacob walked into the heat a few paces ahead of his grandpa. He had the feeling that he had just been sideswiped by a not too soft pillow.