As Emma pedaled her bicycle toward the bakery she smiled at the thought of her first day at work. Mrs. Dugan met her at the bakery door and sent her to help Mr. Dugan with the chocolate crescent roll dough. Emma watched as Mr. Dugan added the last of the flour to the soft dough in the big mixer. He emptied the dough onto the marble counter and showed Emma how to knead before rushing over to pull golden loaves of English Muffin bread from the ovens.
Emma began to knead. Push and turn, push and turn, but with each turn more of the dough stuck to her fingers and with each push a new part of the counter was covered with sticky dough.
“No, no,” said Mr. Dugan returning from the bread. “We must have more flour.”
He stepped into Emma’s spot to salvage the crescents. Emma spent the rest of her day watching Mr. Dugan push and turn. At the end of the day she dropped her small bag of sticky buns into her bicycle basket and waved to the Dugans as she pedaled toward home. At first she felt frustrated, but the breeze on her face from her furious pedaling slowly smoothed the lines on her forehead.
“I am sure I can do better tomorrow,” she said to herself. She cheered herself further by taking an extra long bicycle ride down the farm road behind her house.
The next morning she ate a sticky bun for her early breakfast and bicycled to work full of new energy.
“Today,” said Mrs. Dugan, “We thought you could help at the counter.”
She showed Emma all the kinds of muffins in the display case. Emma sampled several kinds of cookies, so that she could better explain them to the customers. Emma learned all about the cash register.
The morning began well enough with a few customers, but by 9 am the line at the counter extended to the front door of the bakery. Emma tried to smile as she stuffed bagels and muffins into the white bakery bags. Finally Mrs. Dugan came to help and by lunchtime they had helped all the customers and restocked the shelves. At the end of the day Mrs. Dugan patted Emma on the shoulder and told her to ho home and get some rest.
Emma winced as she lifted the kickstand of her bicycle with her right toe. Her right foot was as tired as her knees and arms from bending and bagging at the front counter of the bakery. She dropped the bag of Chocolate Babka slices into her bicycle basket and eased onto the seat. As she pedaled toward home the steady chink of her bicycle chain lifted her spirits. She dropped her head into the wind and pedaled extra hard to loosen her tired joints. She coasted down the hill in front of her house and went for a long ride beside the river. She returned home filled with peace and slept well.
The next morning she had Babka and milk before pedaling off to the bakery. No one was waiting for her at the bakery door and she entered the kitchen to find Mr. and Mrs. Dugan removing hot crumpets from the griddle and sprinkling scones with powdered sugar.
“It is an emergency!” Mrs. Dugan exclaimed. “Mayor Sweet Pea has phoned. The Queen of England arrived at her home last night on short notice. Mayor Sweet Pea must have figgy crumpets and currant scones at once to serve a royal breakfast.” She came to Emma and gently grasped her shoulders. In her calmest voice Mrs. Dugan said, “Emma we need your help. Sweet Pea must have the crumpets and scones in 30 minutes. Can you take them on your bicycle?”
Despite the urgency Emma couldn’t help but smile. “Yes I can,” she replied. “I will get them there.”
Emma filled her basket with the warm buns and turned her bike toward the hill to Gamewood Farm. She pedaled hard and rounded the corner to meet Mayor Sweet Pea in 20 minutes with time to spare. The Mayor shook her hand and gathered the crumpets and scones for the Queen’s breakfast.
Emma turned her bicycle and headed down the winding path toward town. She celebrated her success by pedaling only occasionally and mostly gliding along with her legs outstretched from the sides of her bicycle.
Mr. and Mr. Dugan were waiting on the bakery porch.
“Thank you,” they said, “But don’t hop off your bicycle too soon. You are remarkable on your bicycle. We plan to start a delivery service and we think you already know what to do. Please deliver these cinnamon rolls to Miss Abby on Rosemary Lane.”
Emma pedaled her bicycle on deliveries all day long and never dropped a single biscuit. All the customers were pleased to see her. Mr. and Mrs. Dugan had to spend less time at the bakery counter and were able to spend more time in the kitchen. At the end of the day Emma pedaled home balancing on the seat of her bicycle with her arms outstretched in the sunshine. She smiled all the way.
If your passion is your work, then your work will be tireless …
