Fresh Bread

Every morning, Uncle Vinnie filled the neighborhood with the smell of freshly baked bread. The aroma floated over the bustling streets, bouncing along on the heads of the rushing men and women who were on their way, lemming-like, to work. Focused on what they were doing, on what new problems would face them when they reached their cluttered desks, they didn’t consciously acknowledge the smell of the bread. But its magical scent reached out to capture them: tickling their noses, making their mouths water, relentlessly turning them away from their harried, rushed mornings, and leading them to Uncle Vinnie’s bakery. They would arrive, bemused, confused, hypnotised by that wonderful aroma, to find themselves standing before Uncle Vinnie’s counter with no idea how they got there, or what they wanted.

But Uncle Vinnie always knew.

“Mrs. O’Connor,” he would say, “I have just the bread for you! Your son and his new girlfriend will love it when you have them over for dinner tonight!”

“Dinner?” Mrs. O’Connor responded dazedly. “Why, yes, I should invite Michael and - uh - what’s her name? Dinner will help us all get to know each other! Yes!” Hugging the warm loaf tight in her arms, she wandered away, mumbling over tonight’s menu.

“Sara! How nice to see you!” Uncle Vinnie called to his next customer. “These oatmeal cookies are just the thing to go with a cup of coffee with Ted on your break this morning!”

“Ted?” Sara asked confusedly. “Oh, yes, Ted! Three cubes down. Yes, he brought those chocolate chip cookies last week. Oatmeal cookies will be perfect to share today.” She went on her way, cradling the box in her arms, a dreamy smile on her lips.

Uncle Vinnie worked his way cheerfully through the crowd, recommending a loaf of rye bread to Edgar, an apple pie to Ms. Evans, a box of sugar cookies for Mrs. Cunningham to bring in for Suzy’s class party.

“Suzy’s class has a party today?” she gasped, alarmed. “She didn’t tell me … did she? Oh, dear! Yes, yes, those cookies are perfect! Thank you! Thank you!”

Uncle Vinnie knew every customer, and he knew exactly what every customer needed or wanted, even if they didn’t know it themselves. Especially if they didn’t know it themselves.

And he was never wrong. It was like … magic.