The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha

Elsa sets me to work in the kitchen folding cloth napkins into a shape called a Bishop’s Hat. My fingers fumble with the crisp fabric, and my clumsy attempt comes out looking like a paper party hat instead of a triangle. She shakes it out irritably and tells me to start over.

Once Elsa leaves, satisfied I’ve caught on, Mrs. Hawkins shoots me a sympathetic glance between snipping string beans and stirring a bubbling pot, clearly with her hands full. Everything she cooks smells delicious, though something tells me I won’t be tasting it anytime soon. My stomach rumbles, and I regret skipping seconds on tuna casserole at lunch.

Samantha pokes her head in to say hi, snitches a bean from Mrs. Hawkins, who scolds her playfully, and I’m glad to see her, but don’t dare stop working with Elsa liable to check on me any minute.

Samantha flops down beside me anyway, offering to help, though neither of us manages anything elegant, her napkin ends up shaped like a hot dog while mine barely holds a fold at all. Mrs. Hawkins shakes her head at us, eyes smiling, and offers to show me herself, so I hand her a napkin, a mistake it turns out.

Elsa walks back in just as Mrs. Hawkins finishes a perfect, crisp Bishop’s Hat, and I’m caught simply watching. She scolds me for pestering a busy woman and decides we’d better find a job better suited to me.