Sidewalk Scenes August 2025

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*** Feature Prolonged: Reduce Waste *** New Book by Ortrud Grieb in March 2026 *** New Episode of Salty & Cara: The Apple Paradigm (2) ***

Here’s the Outlook

  1. I am extending the period for the feature about the topic: “Reduce Waste”. So, mid-month in September, you will get my resume on all the inspirations and insights about that important issue.
  2. There is very exciting news to be told: Ortrud Grieb, who had been a guest in the Table Talk of May last year on the Parsley-Lane Blog [“Best Beeties, Best Buddies”], is publishing a new book. And this time, it will be in English. The title is ‘Companion Planting’ (Bloomsbury USA), and it is announced to be published in March 2026. The ebook will even come out a little earlier. I will keep you posted.
  3. Below, you find the second episode from the new story, “The Apple Paradigm,” of the Salty & Cara adventures. A juicy fable, based in a world inhabited by fruits and vegetables. Love and crime, raw but served hot. Don’t know what’s cooking? Check [Overview and Table of Contents].

By Mag M. Schaper

Salty & Cara – The Apple Paradigm (Part 2)

Fifth Story, Second Episode: In the dark heart of New Valley, conspiracy is on the daily menu, and murder comes as a side dish.

Shades of Fate

After a few turns that took the boat deeper into the true inner core of the original New Valley, it stopped, and a figure got off. Although, it was barely perceptible as such. Against the shaded angles and misty corridors, only movements produced a silhouette of grays. Changing sources of dim light plotted out a long coat that brushed the dirt, a large hat, and a mask.

There was no one around to wonder about the attire. And if there had, it would have been only a swift irritation about the courage — or stupidity — to walk these streets alone at this time of the day.

The figure, however, seemed unimpressed by any doubts or fear. It simply kept shifting between corners until it reached a tavern. ‘The Merry Windfalls,’ it read on a rotten plank above the entrance, which was occasionally illuminated by a trembling street lamp in front of the venue.

Inside, the landscape kept its vagueness in many forms of crowded congregations. The air resembled, too, the mist outside, and the atmosphere was thick with misery, hate, and betrayal. From a corner, music flowed across the floor like poison honey. Shouts and raucous laughter filled up the lower scales to an impenetrable fog of noise.

As the masked figure slid by a group of melons who had obviously had too much of a very strong nutrient, one of them stepped out to stop the stranger, trying to pick a fight. The companions turned to watch expectantly. Mean remarks were made. But nothing happened.

The figure kept gliding through the crowd until it reached a niche in the back, where a group of four had gathered around a table. It took a seat before the screaming and the uproar rose.

A large melon had miraculously crashed to the floor, a deep cut dividing upper and bottom part.

Those seated at the table barely turned, and the light very briefly glistened on a narrow object on the inside of the long coat draped over a chair’s edge. Then, the attention returned to the center of the group.

From a hood came an unpleasant, snarly voice, aged and mean: “So the game is on again. We will continue where we started. Only this time, we are roaming in the upper part of the city, so we have to be more careful.“

„‘Upper part of the city‘. How fitting.“ A sophisticated tenor in the round mused.

„I was not trying to be entertaining, but merely referring to the topography of the fields for our upcoming operation.“

„That is shocking“, a melodious female voice remarked, „and we were so hoping you would have developed a sense of humor. It would surely add a little color to the dreadful monotony of our work.“

“You know, he does not think much of humor. Considers it some kind of leaf mold or pest“, another well tuned female voice commented.

„You keep to your purposes, I‘ll keep to mine.“ The snarly hood snapped, „So what about your task? So, did you smother him, like you were supposed to, Missy?

She hated the arrogant eggplant that posed as the leader of their group.

„You will address me as ‘Milady‘“, the voice that had been smooth as honey before that evening now easily cut through stone.

„Since you don‘t address me as Lord either, why should I“?, he snapped.

„Because you are not a ‚Lord‘! It is merely a fake title they came up with because you act like you are such an important fruit. Plain nightshade scum!”

“You should be careful who you are calling names!”

“Because what? You will slice me up? I‘d like to see that. You would not even get to the end of the valley before they catch you.“

„Don‘t make yourself more important than you are, ‘Milady‘. When it comes down to it, you are just a pawn, like us. You answer to the same masters. And they will make sure everything turns out the way they want it. So you better do your part.“

„Oh, I am making sure they get what they want“, the long gray coat retorted angrily. Having gotten up to leave again and put some distance in between, so none of the other four could hear her, she added in a much smaller voice: „And I am making sure they get what they deserve as well. Deadly sure.“

„You will address me as ‘Milady‘“, the voice that had been smooth as honey before that evening now easily cut through stone.

Side Notes:

Needless to say, the stories about Salty and Cara are pure figments of my imagination. No resemblance to any person or place – present or past – is intended. But I am sure you have already figured that out 😉

The “Salty & Cara” adventures were invented and written by Mag M. Schaper (copyright 2022 – 2025). All images and content are copyrighted. All rights reserved. For more information, see the Legal Notice.