Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Wakefield Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, ruled by a single… rule? To use the prompt word and keep it to six sentences in length.
This week’s prompt word:
Thread
Any of the shoppers, at least those parked nearest the supermarket entrance, walking from their cars, were in a position to observe, not so much a miracle as a vision into the past, at least as it manifested for one man and one woman.
The man identified himself as an ad hoc food-shopper by pausing before crossing the travel lane that ran along the front of the store, had the air of an amateur cultural anthropologist as he paused at the main entrance.
Being a late Wednesday morning, the automatic doors were relatively quiescent; however the motion of each half sliding apart as approached made the man think, ‘Star Trek doors’ his smile immediately retreated, a scientist embarrassed at feeling amused by a novel artifact he properly note for later study.
Her white hair was loosely tied, bent only by the shoulders of her thread-bare coat, the effect was less truce flag than patched uniform of a defiant POW; she was pulling a two-wheeled wire-cart full of folded grocery bags and a bundle of coupons towards the door.
Realizing that all the greats, from Boaz to Malinowsky to Mead, forever altered the study of primitive cultures by having the imagination to improvise, the man extended his left leg and stepped on what he theorized was a pressure sensor, causing the door to open; without thought he turned, looked at the woman and presented what is surely the most fundamental of non-verbal communication: the slightest of bows.
The woman hesitated as she stepped towards the threshold; rather the full-stop of an effort to remember something lost to the past, her pause was more a reminiscence, which inspired a smile to elbow aside the wrinkles of age as she nodded in fleeting gratitude.
*
About clarkscottroger
Big smile (albeit unseen to passing-by eyes).
Yes, it’s gonna be.
I like how the man approached the Star Trek doors of the food market and tested the pressure sensor with his foot to let the woman know it was safe to enter.
love that type (the two halfs sliding into their respective sides)
…don’t tell anyone, but I have this thing I do (when going to the local supermarket)… as I approach at normal walking speed, I extend my arms out to the side until horizontal and then, still maintaining the pace, try to bring them together (at finger tips) at precisely the moment they open. It’s very satisfying when successfully executed and, being a person of certain years, most incidental bystanders will not object (though some, probably other clarks, will smile to themselves).
you should try it!
“Aww”. That’s right, Clark. I found your Six to be one of those Sixes. Sweet and gentle, it brought a smile to my face.
ty
Beautiful. Say what you will about the deficits of where we live, and they are many, holding doors for each other, although without the bow but with a smile and “thank you,” has not ceased here.
…being in New England (motto: friendly-in-a-casual-spontaneous-way …Not!) I enjoy the (slight)bow as it permits a certain personal touch
Oh yes, big smile!
Thanks, Chris
A six sentence scene where a door is held (sorta) for another. Cool.
And yes it still happens and I think makes everyone’s day a little better when it does, holder and held for.
fiction from reality… I enjoy sliding doors*
* a reference to a long reply to Franks’ comment
🙂
yeah, I get that a lot
lol