Anne's Market Day!

Marketing should be fun. Here is my typical marketing day, told in a simple story. Those of you who grew up with Dick and Jane, or perhaps Tom, Betty, and Susan, will be familiar with the genre used. For the uninitiated, these were characters in reading primers used in the fifties and early sixties. Think of these as early predictable text, using heightened levels of repetition and unrealistic conversational style. They are read in a chant-like manner using a cheery voice. (Well, that is how we read them. It is a miracle any of us can speak and write today!)

Today is Market Day!

Anne’s alarm clock is buzzing. It is 4 a.m. See the happy dog, bouncing on her chest.

“Get up, Mother! Get up! Get up!” says Shay. “It is Market Day! I am a happy dog! Do you feel my bouncing paws? You have to get up, Mother. You have to feed Shay and play with her. You have to do your physio. You have to pack the car. You have to make the coffee. But first you have to find the cat.”

“Ha, ha,” says Anne. “You are a very silly dog, Shay. I know where the cat is. The cat is under the sofa.”

“No, no, Mother,” Shay says, hopping to the floor. “The cat is not under the sofa. The cat is not downstairs. The cat is not upstairs. The cat is not happy in its new home. The cat has run away.”

Anne looks for the cat under the sofa. She looks under the chairs. She looks and looks, upstairs and downstairs. She looks everywhere. She does not see the cat.

“Here is Marlowe,” Shay exclaims. “He is hiding under the bed. Oh, Marlowe, you are a naughty, naughty kitty. You made my mother very sad.”

(We will not write down Marlowe’s words. That would make the censors sad.)

Marlowe will not come out for Anne. Marlowe will not come out for Shay. Marlowe will not come out at all.

“Look, Mother!” says Shay. “Now it is five o’clock. You have to leave at five-fifteen. You have to feed Shay. You have to pack the car.”

Anne will have her shower, too. Anne will have her coffee. She was not happy crawling under dusty beds.

Anne leaves at six o’clock. That is very late. She needs to have her table ready when the people come at eight o'clock.

Anne does not drive fast. She wants to see the pretty deer standing on the road. She does not like to drive in the dark. She does not like to drive at all.

Now Anne is near the city. The sun is coming up. Anne is turning east. The bright sun is rising. It is shining in her eyes. “This is not fun,” says Anne.

Here comes Anne. She is coming into the market.

“Good morning, Anne!” say the other vendors. “Hurry, hurry, Anne! It is eight o’clock. See the friendly people coming to the market. They want to see our wonderful things.”

“I have eggs and carrots and potatoes,” a farmer says. “This morning I milked the cows, fed the chickens, gathered the eggs, and loaded my truck. Then I drove two hours. I am glad you found your cat.”

“I have your breakfast bun for you,” the baker says. “It is very fresh. I made it this morning and all these other pastries. But I only drove an hour and a half. I am glad you found your cat too.”

Anne puts a blue tablecloth on her table. She puts out her books and her signs. She puts out her friend’s books and her signs. Then she is ready for the market too.

“Hello, hello,” the people say. They wave as they rush past. They must get their eggs and carrots and blueberries and kale and broccoli and fresh bread before they are all gone. Later they will visit Anne and talk about her books. Some people have her book and stop to encourage her. Some new people buy her book. “Please write your name in our book,” they say. Anne takes her pen and writes her name. 

(Remember, boys and girls: Anne writes her name in other people’s books, but at school you should always ask the teacher.)

​“Thank you for buying my book,” says Anne. “And thank you for coming to see me.” (Anne really does enjoy every visit. Seriously, these make her journey special.)

The market is very busy. Soon all the blueberries and eggs are gone. Most of the carrots and broccoli are gone. Anne’s books are not gone, but that is okay. Anne can pay for her table, and Anne’s books will keep! She has met some very nice people, and for that, she is grateful.

Now it is one o’clock. The market is closing. The rain is beginning. Anne puts her raincoat over her boxes. She runs to her car. Now it is raining hard.

“Go on the shore road,” the farmer says. “It will be dangerous on the big highway. You will be happy on the shore road.”

The roads are very, very busy. The thunder is very, very loud. Anne listens to the farmer. She goes on the shore road. Many, many people are on the shore road. They cannot see in the rain but all of them go very, very slowly.

It is suppertime when Anne gets home. 

“Welcome home, Mother,” says Shay. “The cat is still under the bed. But I will go for a walk with you. A walk will make you happy. Yes, you will be very happy.”

Anne puts her books on the kitchen table. She puts on her rain hat. She smiles.

Anne and Shay know walks are very, very important after a busy market day.