Helping with the Groceries

Femi walked home from school every day. He always passed the same building. One afternoon, he saw an elderly woman by the entrance. Bags of groceries sat at her feet.

Femi berjalan pulang dari sekolah setiap hari. Ia selalu melewati gedung yang sama. Pada suatu sore, ia melihat seorang perempuan lanjut usia di dekat pintu masuk. Kantong-kantong belanjaan tergeletak di dekat kakinya.

She struggled to open the heavy door. Her hands were full. The bags kept sliding down her arms.

Ia kesulitan membuka pintu yang berat. Kedua tangannya penuh. Kantong-kantong itu terus merosot dari lengannya.

He jogged over and held the door open. "Let me help you with those," he said. The woman looked at him, surprised and grateful.

Femi berlari kecil menghampiri dan menahan pintu. "Biar saya bantu, Bu," katanya. Perempuan itu menatapnya, terkejut dan berterima kasih.

"That is very kind," she said. "My name is Verity. I live on the third floor."

"Kamu baik sekali," katanya. "Namaku Verity. Aku tinggal di lantai tiga."

Femi picked up two heavy bags. He followed Verity into the building. They walked slowly up the stairs together.

Femi mengangkat dua kantong yang berat. Ia mengikuti Verity masuk ke gedung. Mereka berjalan pelan menaiki tangga bersama.

At her door, Femi set the bags down carefully. "Thank you very much," Verity said. "Do you want some tea?"

Di depan pintu Verity, Femi meletakkan kantong-kantong itu dengan hati-hati. "Terima kasih banyak," kata Verity. "Mau minum teh?"

Femi checked his watch and smiled. "I have a little time," he said. He stepped inside for a quick cup of tea.

Femi melirik jam tangannya dan tersenyum. "Saya masih punya sedikit waktu," katanya. Ia melangkah masuk untuk menikmati secangkir teh sebentar.

Verity told him about the building's weekend coffee morning. "We meet every Saturday in the lobby," she said. "Come next Saturday."

Verity bercerita kepadanya tentang pagi kopi akhir pekan di gedung itu. "Kami berkumpul setiap Sabtu di lobi," katanya. "Datanglah Sabtu depan."

That Saturday, Femi walked down to the lobby. Verity waved him over to her table. She introduced him to three other neighbors.

Pada hari Sabtu itu, Femi turun ke lobi. Verity melambai memanggilnya ke mejanya. Ia memperkenalkan Femi kepada tiga tetangga lain.

Femi returned the next week, and the week after that. He always saved a seat next to Verity. He waved at her from across the lobby.

Femi datang lagi minggu berikutnya, dan minggu sesudahnya. Ia selalu menyimpan tempat duduk di sebelah Verity. Ia melambai kepada Verity dari seberang lobi.

Weeks later, Verity introduced Femi to her whole family. They invited him to a small birthday lunch. Femi brought flowers from the corner shop.

Beberapa minggu kemudian, Verity memperkenalkan Femi kepada seluruh keluarganya. Mereka mengundangnya ke makan siang ulang tahun kecil. Femi membawa bunga dari toko di sudut jalan.