Level two

Miś Eatery, or The Butcher’s

In the morning they ate what remained of their supplies and tried to discuss the situation.

• We have been moved in time and w need to find a return route, said Mikołaj. I don’t really like it here in this world.
• But how much is going on, said Ola. We have never seen anything like yesterday’s events.
• Because it is something you shouldn’t be watching at all, Simon objected. It should never happen.

They were hungry, so they went out for lunch early. But instead of the Manekin pancake place they found some seedy eatery.

• There’s nothing to eat. At least some three days’ old cheese, the waiter grunted. There’s no beer either, he added seeing that are delaying. You can have tea.

They didn’t want tea. It must be the light yellow beverage standing in front of an old, red-nosed lady sitting in the corner of the room, near the window. You could see that holding the glass with the hot drink was difficult for her.

• Let’s go to Misio, Ola tapped her finger against her forehead. It is a historical eatery. They say it is from those, that is these years. Maybe we could eat something there.

Misio turned out to be an ordinary butcher’s shop. Or actually not so ordinary, because on the nice wall behind the counter you could see large hooks at the top and slightly smaller ones below them. All of them quite empty. There was also nothing behind the glass panes of the counter. Under the hooks there were a few cans with labels ‘Luncheon Meat.’ And several cans without any labels.

• I’d like a can, please, Ola risked.
• Please give me you cured meat coupons, the shop assistant smiled at her.
• Kids looked at one another. What coupon?
• You’re making fun of me, the assistant started to get upset. You can get two luncheon meat cans for a 300-gram coupon. There is nothing else, because today is a meat-free day. A delivery will be tomorrow.
• Simon decided to play foreigner. Excuse me, madam, he started with a slight accent. We came from England yesterday.
• God Almighty! Why did you come back! You should have stayed there! What can I sell you now? I think I will give you my ham that I put aside yesterday.

The shop assistant tripped along to the back room of the shop and returned in a while with a sizeable package wrapped in white paper.

• But don’t show it to anyone and don’t tell you got it from me! Not a word. You pay three hundred fifty zlotys.
• A lot, Ola blurted out.

Simon made the grade. He reached for his wallet and took out a wad of one-pound notes. There was a sparkle in assistant’s eyes. She took six pounds, and happy, breathed into them.

• That’s for luck! Nobody has paid me so well for a long time. I can finally buy myself a pair of jeans in Peweks and a can of beer to boot.
• Please give a bag, a paper bag, asked Simon standing with a package in his hand.

Assistance face made Ola tap her finger against her forehead meaningfully.

• A foreigner. He doesn’t get it that you bring your own bag to the shop.

The eyes of the shop assistant were still wide with amazement.

There was a weird smell in the shop. Suffocating, but somehow whetting the appetite.

• Can we eat something here, asked Mikołaj sensibly, looking back at a light, laminated shelf running along the wall, more or less at the height of Ola’s shoulders, the shortest of them all.
• How foolish of me! called the shop assistant. You are hungry and there are some trips left! I’ll serve it right away.
• What? Simon asked horrified.
• It's a Polish soup, explained Mikołaj. Eatable, just close your eyes.
• But the smell, Simon didn’t give up. You can smell a dirty rag and some fat.
• Do you want to eat? Ola butted in. Then stop talking like this or this woman will get offended!

The shop assistant have brought in nimbly three plates with light aluminium spoons floating in them, and three rolls, so stale that all you could do was rip pieces off and moisten them in the broth. The way of eating turned out to be the best. The shop assistant kept talking.

• Before it was different here. Before the war the butcher, Mr. Rucki specialized in cured meat and hot offal, that is dishes from worse pieces of port and beef, which were not suitable for storage, could be eaten on spot. This tradition has survived but the taste is different.
• But hold on, you may also have kidneys, she asked Mikołaj, who was finishing his roll and a plateful of trips.

But they didn’t feel like experimenting any more. They went back home, enriched by a piece of ham and culinary experience.