A very short story

Aovoc eased onto the bench and held up a hand, ordering a mug of the coarse, local red wine. Every day is a marathon when you are a stone mason working outside during the summer.

Three young women with perfect skin, flashing eyes and glossy hair were gathered around the only other table in the establishment. Their eyes kept darting his way and looking him over. Like most stone-masons, Aovoc was extremely lean and muscular. As the artisan leading the crew responsible for the exterior ornamentation of the temple, he was deeply tanned and he exuded an aura of calm leadership.

Aovoc tried to ignore their chattering. This brief moment he stole to drop into the wine-house on his way home was the single moment of peace he would get today. Otpoon, his wife, had given birth to their first child a month ago.

It was not to be.

Aovoc was raising the mug to his lips when the most daring of the three exclaimed "We are getting ready for a party and we need a strong man to help us!"

Aovoc took a slurp before putting the mug down on the stone table-top. Aovoc recognized the three girls. Not that long ago they had been eleven and climbing over the large white boulders that tumbled into the sea like so many goats. Now, just a few short years later, they were nubile, young women. Everything matures more quickly on islands, especially islands with few resources.

The daring lass bubbled, "You can help me carry things from the hollow while these two" she said, gesturing at her wing-men "can decorate the tables."

Aovoc pondered for a second and then responded. "Otpoon will be jealous because she doesn't feel beautiful right now. I will do it on one condition...that the girl I work with be the ugliest of the three of you."

And then he turned his attention to his mug of wine while they sorted out who of the three was the least attractive.

They were still angrily bickering when Aovoc dropped the token on the table to pay for his mug of wine. They didn't notice as he walked out of the shade and back into the sun.