Member-only story
He asks for an orange and is rebuked. Then……
The mid-1800s. Early summer. The Market under Mount Rubidoux. Southern California.
Marc Ramirez comes to the market in the early morning to sell oranges. He parks his farm wagon along the street, leaves the oranges on it, tethers the pony, looking to a busy day.
He has been selling oranges at the market for years. His family owns a little orange grove. His oranges are sweet and juicy. He is also known as a tough businessman.
An old man
More stores are open, more shoppers come strolling, raving. The market is getting busy now.
An old man comes to Marc’s wagon, begging for an orange. His heavy coat and hat look a bit absurd as the weather is already hot. More strangely, he is covered by thick dirt. Although beggars are poorly dressed, he looks like he just climbed out of a grave.
As he does all the time, Marc chides the beggar right away, trying to scare him off. But he sticks around. Marcs gets angry, comes up to push him.
People on the street try to stop Marc.
“You don’t have to be harsh to him. You have got hundreds of oranges on your wagon. Giving out one is not a big loss.”
