Sidewalk Scenes February 2025

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*** Featured now: Soup *** Coming up in March: Ingredient Special on a delicious and versatile mushroom *** Salty & Cara – Plant Light District 2 ***

Here’s the outlook:

  1. To keep you warm in the last days before spring, I have collected some soup recipes from this blog in the Featured category. Keep it hot.
  2. March’s Ingredient Special and its accompanying recipe will be about a very unique mushroom. In fact, it’s my favorite mushroom to cook with.
  3. Below, you find the second episode from the new story ‘Plant Light District’ 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 [Salty & Cara Info Page, Overview and Table of Contents]

By Mag M. Schaper

Salty & Cara – Plant Light District 2

Fourth story, second episode: After the murder of local celebrity Rocko Ourbeck, Turnip Town is cut off from the upper world of New Valley. The two pears who live in Turnip Town, Alpha and Beta, take Cara in.

Bearer of Tidings

It had been a strange night. The place Alpha and Beta called home was spacious and extravagant. Since the entire district was underground, the ventilation system ran through a complex system of tunnels and pipes that led to the surface, where they merged into great glass spires that towered over the hills behind Togrow’s monument and temple. In the luxurious quarters of Plant Light District, the light from the outside, as well as the incredible hillside view, was transported inside through a complex arrangement of mirrors. This made the residents feel as if they were living in penthouses high above the ground, rather than many storeys below.

The stay had been comfortable, although the ambience had been slightly impaled by the status of complete closure that had been placed on the whole of Turnip Town. This was necessary, and surprisingly, both the New Valley government and the Turnip Town Residential Council had unanimously agreed on the measure. The top fruit of New Valley were obviously afraid of a riot, since Rocko Ourbeck had been quite popular. The locals, on the other hand, wanted to solve the murder on their own. Including the possibility of delivering justice. For the vegetables of Turnip Town were furious about the murder of their hero.

While they were taking their first nutritional ceremony of the day, the discussion was already running wild.

“Oh common, it’s so obvious. This was the work of Don T and his goons. He would not let the power slip from his hands.”

Beta took a different approach than her mate: “You know, because it is so obvious, I somehow do not believe that the Tomato is behind this. It was just not his style. He makes a move, things change, and you wonder if they were ever different before or not. He is anything but plain brutal.”

Cara was about to give her viewpoint on the matter when the entry signal sounded. Alpha stood up to unlock the door and returned with a small envelope.

“This is for you, Cara.”

She opened the envelope and read the message before passing it on to the others. She trusted her colleagues and had already begun to think of them as friends. Just like with her old boss Hanano, whose confidants they no doubt had been for a while.

“It says someone wants to meet you at the old tunnels, Cara. And that you must come alone. You know, this really sounds like a trap. I’m not sure you should do this, dear.” Beta was worried, and with good reason. The situation was very unclear at the moment.

“Yes, I know it’s dangerous. But my instincts tell me that if I do not go, the situation will get worse. I have to meet this fruit or vegetable. It’s important. I have to go. I just know it.”

She stood up and straightened the plain, sporty coat Beta had lent her. It fit her well, just like the costume she had worn the other day. But that was ruined now.

As she stepped outside, a familiar silhouette approached her from across the hallway.

“How did you get in here? I didn’t see you when they closed the doors.”

Don Tomatoni flashed a confident smile:” Oh yes, I arrived a little late yesterday. How did I get in? My family built this place.”

“Huh. You don’t say. So how do you feel about this whole mess?”

” I deeply regret it, I really do. Rocko Ourbeck was a difficult root to deal with. Very stubborn and full of strange ideas about how this place should govern itself. Nevertheless, my family and his family have known each other since the first stones were laid in this valley. I really feel sorry for his parents and grandparents. They must be devastated.”

“So you did not have him killed because he wanted to bring big changes to this place and started costing you Swallowtails?”

The huge tomato laughed heartily: “Hanano already warned me that you are quite the investigator yourself. Quentin must be very proud of you.”

“Yes, but he thinks I am a little too eager to take risks.”

“Really? Like maybe confronting the crime lord of the city with some cheeky accusations of being a murderer?”

“Somehow I don’t think you’re behind this. But I am pretty sure that you had Gio killed. It would not have been good for Hanano and Salty to take him back to Big Valley, because the King and Queen might have found out too much about your activities by questioning him. After all, he was your lieutenant. And the High Leader of the Eggplants might have ruined whatever business you were doing with Purple Peak behind his back if he had gotten a hold of his grandnephew.”

“Criminally beautiful and dangerously smart. Are you sure you really want to settle for just being a detective’s mate? We would make a gorgeous couple.”

“I know you don’t mean that, and neither do I. But I’ll take it as a compliment. Thank you. Besides, you kind of confirmed my suspicions about Gio’s demise.”

Now the Fruitster got serious: “Be careful, my Sweet. I do not want any harm to come to you. I may not be the nicest fruit in the basket. In fact, I am pretty bad, I have to admit. It comes with my job description. But I assure you, there are fruits far more rotten than me in that crate they call New Valley. And they do not have as much humor as I do. I really hope you find whoever is responsible for this horrible mess. If you need anything, send someone to my quarters. Everyone around here knows where I live. We may be trapped here for now, but I still have ways of making things happen. Inside and out.”

“Aren’t you afraid that someone might pay you an unexpected visit? Not everyone likes you. Especially around here, I guess.”

“They may not like me, but they respect the work my family has done here. Besides: So many have tried to kill me over the years. I could tell you the most amusing stories. But I am afraid I am wanted elsewhere at the moment.” A large pumpkin had emerged from the gloom behind them and motioned to the Don. He nodded and turned to leave.

“See you soon, Beautiful.”

She smiled and now walked at a brisk pace, fearing that she would be late for the meeting. As she walked on, the glamorous passages and corners of Plant Light District began to fade into the greys and blacks of deep obscurity, and for once she began to wonder if perhaps Beta had been right in warning her that this might be a trap. She would be a valuable hostage after all. The entire scenario became even more uncomfortable when she suddenly realized that she was being followed.

The huge tomato laughed heartily: “Hanano already warned me that you are quite the investigator yourself. Quentin must be very proud of you.”

“Yes, but he thinks I am a little too eager to take risks.”

“Really? Like maybe confronting the crime lord of the city with some cheeky accusations of being a murderer?”

All rights reserved. Copyright ‘Salty & Cara’ by Mag M. Schaper 2023-2025

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 😉