a character

He was wearing a hat, covering his long, thin head, and hiding his incipient baldness. I couldn't see his body behind the window, but he had long fingers and appeared to be quite skinny. He was smiling, his eyes shining as if full of mischief, which was quite surprising for a man his age. He welcomed the customers with a warm voice, asking the old lady in front of me how he could be of any help.
As I waited for my turn, our eyes crossed. He recognized me and nodded, smiling. The lady was now putting her receipt in her purse, and wishing him a good day. I stepped up.

fiction and facts

She woke up early, and decided to wait until her little ones moved to get out of bed. She shouldn't have spent so much time on the computer the night before...now her mind was still half clouded by sleep. 
The baby stirred by her side, she stayed as put as possible. She would love to get back to sleep, but she knew it was too late : she had already started to think about the tasks awaiting to be completed during the day - the laundry, the playgroup, the toddler gym, and maybe, if she was lucky, a coffee with Karen in the afternoon, during the children's nap.
Her thoughts were disturbed by a call... Well, time to get up and make breakfast, then...

*  *  *

He came from work on his bike, avoiding the cars in the rainy evening. He was worn out. This new manager had seemed very bitter and the team was weary. He thought of home, warm and welcoming, and of his wife's dinner, wondering what it would be tonight. She had talked about falafel, but it would be the first time she attempted to make some. Remembering the ones he had tasted last saturday morning at Stroud market, his mouth began to water : it was about time he came home ! Luckily, he was nearly there. A few more minutes and he would press the garage door remote control, cross his little garden and put his slippers on.