THE CHRISTMAS SEARCH

KFC SURPRISE

"Did you say something?" The woman asked. She heard my whisper.

"Oh, no. I wasn't talking to you." I faked a smile. She told me the price and I brought out notes from the purse in my bag and paid her. "Thanks for your patronage. I could borrow you my umbrella because of the sun, you know." She commented.

"Thanks. I won't need it. I would be boarding a taxi outside. I definitely am not walking in this fiery sun again. I cannot afford another headache." I replied.

"Alright then. Do have a great day. Merry Christmas." She smiled and waved at me.

"Yeah, you too." I responded and walked out of the store.

I stood by the road in search of a taxi. I packed my hair together and brought out a scarf from my bag to cover my head, the heat of the sun had reduced but I wasn't taking any chance. As I stood, I noticed the giant snow man enclosed in a glass box with fancy light decorating it in front of a bookshop opposite the road, a child stood in front of the glass box, admiring it, another child joined and started hitting the glass, a man came out of the bookshop and drove the kids away. I laughed at the way the children ran when they saw the man coming towards them. "What a waste of time." I commented on the giant snow man, about how someone had spent their precious time building it. Not long afterwards, a taxi stopped in front of me and I got in. "The KFC at Darlington Avenue." I said to the driver. He had a Christmas cap on, the sight of it disgusted me. He started the trip. I took one last look at the giant snow man opposite the road and I laughed at what I saw; the children were back again in front of it. "If only they knew it's all fiction." I said.

"What's that?" The driver asked, looking at me through the mirror in the car.

"Nothing. I wasn't talking to you." I responded, not looking at him directly. He stared at me through the mirror for some seconds, then took his eyes off to concentrate on the road.

I alighted in front of the KFC shop, and walked straight in with my hopes high my search would soon end by the time I spoke to Sarah. I was greeted by a Christmas song playing through the speakers, they had a huge Christmas tree erected by the corner, decorated with lights and cards. People sat at the tables, in twos and threes while some sat alone, there was barely any free table. Everything felt hellish, I had a bad feeling it wasn't going to go well. I approached the counter and met a young man who asked what I wanted. "I am not really hungry now; I am in search of someone." I replied.

"Okay?"

"I'd like to see Sarah."
"I'm sorry, I don't know who that is." He responded.
"There's no lady working here named Sarah?" I asked.

"Not that I know of. We only have Abby, who standing over there..." He pointed to a lady standing in front of a door that led to the kitchen. "...and Veronica, who is in the kitchen. Those are the ladies that work here. Except your Sarah is a guy, there are guys at the back. I could go and ask if there's anyone with the name Sarah." He smirked as he was done speaking. I stood there for minute, bewildered by all what he said. I didn't know what to say, I just stared blankly at him. "Miss, did you hear all I said?" He asked, when he noticed I was lost in my thought.

"Yes, I did. Can you help me ask the lady over there?" I spoke, facing where the lady stood.

"I don't think Abby knows her, but I'd ask her anyways." He called out to the lady, signaling for her to come over. "Do you by chance know a Sarah?" He asked her.

"That works here or somewhere else?" The lady asked in response.

"Here." He answered. I gazed at the lady with hopes she would say yes and ease my worries.
"No, I don't." She replied. I was so disappointed at her reply that I bowed my head downwards, shaking it sideways.