Red Soup
© 2006 LINDA DELLA DONNA
“She wore a red cape. She gets around. Sure, I seen her. Red cape, red hood, Red Riding Hood. Yeah, everybody’s seen her. Like I said, she gets around.
Whaddyamean, have I seen her lately?
Hey, pass me dat shaker a salt sittin’ dere on da table in front of ya. Will ya? T’anks.
Ya say she went to see her grandma? Now, ain’t dat nice. Naw, don’t know da red girl, poisonally, how ya ‘spect me to know da grandma?
A basket of goodies? Whaddya know.
Pass me dat pepper shaker—yeah, dat one. T’anks.
Whatcha writing all dis down fer, Officer? Like I said, I seen da red girl pass by. Dat’s it. A couple a times, maybe. I don’t remember da time. I don’t remember da day. Been busy. Got soup to make.
My name? How do I spell it? Oh, dat’s Wolf. W-o-l-f, one f.
Maybe Mr. Fox seen dat Red Riding Hood girl. He lives down da road from me. Why dontcha go ask dat Fox fella? He’s very smart, ya know.
Come ta t’ink of it, Officer, dat red girl was in a hurry da day I saw her.
Say, Officer, wouldya like ta stay for dinner? I’ll fetch a bigger pot from under da sink, fill it with water, put it on da fire.
Sure. I’ll set an extra bowl. No trouble at all.
Why dontcha go into da bafroom, see. Down da hall, up da stairs, over der. I’ll just boil mo’ water.
One extra fer dinner. Yeah. Just means a bigger pot, dat’s all.
Sure, hurry up now. I’m getting mo’ hungry as we talk. Go. Wash up. I’ll…Well, ya’ll see. I’ll be waiting. I just gotta get a bigger pot. Dat’s all.
Linda Della Donna is a freelance writer who quit the day job to work at what she loves most—writing. She makes her home twenty miles north of where The World Trade Center used to be with her small dog, Izzy, and his little cat, Tux. Author’s Note: Red Soup was Della Donna’s entry in The Writer’s Room 2004 writing contest. Soup won 2nd prize.
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