The Cid goes to the grocery store


He stood at the counter, fidgeting as young boys are wont to do.  Crumpled in 
his fist, two one-dollar bills.

He had seen the cake on the way in.  A vanilla cake, vanilla frosting and bright 
red roses on the corners.  How he wanted that cake.  But his instructions were 
clear:  a loaf of whole grain wheat bread and nothing more.  He sighed, dangling 
the loaf of bread in his left hand.

Finally arriving at the counter, he put up his loaf of bread and uncrumpled the 
two dollars, then walked reluctantly out of the store, eyeing the cake but aware 
of his father's words:  A loaf of bread and nothing more.

That night at the table as he munched a slice of whole grain wheat bread, he 
thought again of the cake.  But then his father said, "Ah, eat up that bread and 
you'll grow up tall and strong, make your father proud."  He nodded 
uncomfortably and continued to nibble.

A few hours later as he nodded off to sleep his belly was full but he somehow 
felt empty all the same.  He dreamed of the cake but of course it was not to be-
that possibility was in a way forever lost.

Years later, that night still lingered in the Cid's memory.  He had slain a man 
in defense of his father's honor, he had brought kings to their knees.  And he 
had lost his one true love.  All to make his father proud.  And so one fateful 
day he entered the grocery store, strode fiercely to the bakery case and 
selected a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and four red roses.  The cashier 
was astonished to see the old man, ever strong, carrying the gooey, gloopy 
confection in place of his usual loaf of whole grain wheat bread but she said 
nothing.  Returning home, he sat alone at his table and ate the cake.  But 
somehow it was altogether too late.