Goji Berries in the Glass Tea Jar
At the dried-fruit counter, the shopkeeper pinched a goji berry open to show me the seeds. I carried the red parcel home beside a glass tea jar, careful not to crush it under the heavier groceries.
Red berries behind the counter
The shopkeeper kept the softer berries in a shallow tray and the drier ones in a deep bin. She pressed one between finger and thumb, checked its color inside, and folded my parcel with the seam facing up.
At the desk I drop the berries into a glass jar and add water from the thermos. They rise, turn, and slowly deepen in color. The glass makes the change visible to the reader sitting across from me.
The cup that keeps being refilled
The office cleaner passes the desk and tops up the jar from the communal kettle. She straightens the lid before moving on. The refill is quick, but it keeps the cup present through a long afternoon.
Chrysanthemum flowers sometimes open beside the berries. Longan and red dates belong to a sweeter covered pot, and plain warm water is what the same thermos holds the next morning. The vessel stays familiar while the pantry changes.
The parcel folded shut
I close the goji packet with a wooden clip because the berries collect moisture easily near the kettle. The shopkeeper's upward-facing seam makes the fold easy to reuse.
At the end of the day, a few swollen berries remain at the bottom of the glass. The jar is carried to the sink with the books and papers still open on the desk.