The Brother Bakers of Brighton
A story about two brothers who liked the same woman
When the loaves of bread came out of the oven, Phillip would carefully look for the biggest and crispiest of the batch. He would then pick it, wrap with paper and tie it with a golden lace before setting on top of the oven, to keep it warm.
His brother, John, would do the same about five minutes later, but with his cakes, in his own oven. He would bake them, choose the best-looking one, decorate it, and put it in a colorful box before setting it next to the oven.
Soon after, customers would arrive. These were usually the ones who lived near the bakery and could smell the aroma of fresh bread and cakes. They would often buy them all, except for those especially picked and set aside by the bakers.
Sarah usually arrived by the time the flock of eager customers had already left the bakery. She typically went for the bread first. Phillip would then pick the one he had separated and hand it to her.
“Here you are, Ms. Sarah,” he would say. “I made it especially for you.”
“Oh, thanks, Phillip,” she would reply. “You are very kind.”
She would then proceed to the next counter, where she pretended to be considering whether she should buy a cake as well. But before she said anything, John would step ahead.
“Allow me, Ms. Sarah,” he would say. “I made this cake especially for you.”
“Oh, thanks, John,” she would reply. “You are very considerate.”
As the final act of the twice-a-week ritual, Sarah would open her purse and grab a few coins to pay for the goods. The two brothers, however, always refused her money.
They would then watch her leave with smiles. Smiles that soon disappeared as soon as she turned on the corner. After that, John and Phillip had nothing else to do but go back to work again and wait for Sarah’s next visit.
And also, never speak to each other.
The two brothers had inherited the bakery from their father, almost twenty years in the past, after he died of a heart attack. They, however, hadn’t been talking to each other even before that. The two had engaged in a series of fights because of a girl they liked when they were still teenagers. Both ended in the hospital. Then the two brothers never talked again. Except through notes left around the bakery.
They worked together in the same place, during the same hours. They also shared the same residential building, which used to be the house they lived with their family. Now the building was divided in three apartments: Phillip’s, John’s, and the one where their mother lived with their sister.
Sarah’s story was even sadder. She was once engaged to one of the brightest citizens of 1940s Brighton. But when he died on the late stages of the war, her situation became rather miserable. Without any money and with a sick mother, she resorted to selling things and accepting what people could spare.
By the time the war ended, she found a job at the local school. One that didn’t pay well, but was still enough for Sarah and her mother to keep the house and not to starve.
The week Sarah was promoted to full teacher at the local school, she decided she would pay for everything in her life from that day on. So, when she entered the brother’s bakery that afternoon, she took the bread and left the money on the counter without looking back. She did the same when she took one of the cakes.
Phillip, the bread maker, raced to the street and made sure to put the money back in her purse. Sarah protested, but Phillip was furious and wouldn’t accept otherwise. His attitude scared her, and she promised herself never to go to that bakery again. She was resolute about never accepting anything out of charity any longer.
John watched the whole scene from his counter. Burning with jealousy, he wanted to do the same, but since his brother was already there, talking to Sarah, he waited.
The next day, he baked the most beautiful —and also probably the tastiest — cake he had ever made, put it in a bag, and headed for Sarah’s house. He was warmly welcomed by her mother.
Taken by surprise, Sarah accepted the cake because of her mother. She, however, tried to make the visitor stay as little as possible. As it turns out, very few people visited her. Sarah always felt ashamed of her humble house.
But John didn’t mind, he stayed as long as he could, drinking tea and having long conversations with Sarah and her mother. In fact, he started doing these visits a few times every week. Always bringing his cakes. He also brought bread from another bakery in town, so that she didn’t have to see his brother anymore. With time, Sarah didn’t mind John’s visits anymore.
Phillip, on the other hand, entered a state of desperation. Not only he had been suddenly deprived of Sarah’s visits, but she was also getting very close to his despised brother. He would stay by his apartment window every night, waiting for the time his brother came home.
One night, John didn’t come. Distressed, he walked the streets with no clear idea of what to do. As he walked past a pub, he could see his brother inside. He seemed very happy, drinking and making sexual gestures to his friends, who cheered him after everything he said.
Infuriated, he headed for Sarah’s house.
When she opened the door, Phillip muttered a few words. Sarah didn’t understand what he said, but understood what he wanted. She said they should be quiet because her mother was sleeping in the next room.
However, word had already reached John’s ears about his brother’s whereabouts. He rushed to Sarah’s house. Everyone at the pub followed him, making one noisy mob through the streets. They were eager to see the next chapter in the rivalry between the baker brothers.
John kicked the door of the house open and within seconds the two brothers were exchanging punches and kicks on the street. Sarah stayed behind. She didn’t want to see or hear anything.
By the time the police arrived, the fight had extended to the entire crowd. People had already chosen which of the brothers they supported and fought those who opposed them.
The night ended with many having to spend the night in jail. The two brothers stayed longer, in separate cells. They stared at each other with hateful eyes, but no words were exchanged. They were warned by the police that, if they ever got into a fight again, they would be sent to prison for good.
When Phillip and John were released, they learned that Sarah had moved to another town with her mother. Heartbroken, they grudgingly sat to have their last conversation, where they decided to sell the bakery and live in different houses.
As for Sarah, while waiting for someone to make an offer for her house in Brighton, she found a small apartment to live temporarily in her new town. The studio apartment was located above a chocolate store. The owner of the store let her stay there free of charge.
He would, however, often appear in the apartment with a basket full of chocolate bars and candies. Sarah’s mother welcomed the man with smiles and tears.
Sarah, however, knew the price she would have to pay.
