4 September 2025 @marinnewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2850: Not An Economist.

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This is my post on #freewriters2850 #dailyprompt not an economist hosted by @marinnewest's. In a bustling city, Clara, a baker, lived by intuition, not numbers. She wasn’t an economist, but her small bakery thrived. Her secret? Observing people. She noticed tired workers craved hearty bread, while kids loved colorful pastries. Without charts or forecasts, Clara adapted her menu to their unspoken needs. One day, a slick economist named Victor visited, armed with spreadsheets. “Your pricing’s off,” he declared. “Raise costs, cut variety—maximize profit!” Clara frowned. Her customers weren’t data points; they were neighbors, dreamers, friends. She politely declined his advice. Instead, Clara bartered loaves for vegetables from the local farmer, hosted poetry nights, and gave free rolls to struggling families. Her bakery became a community hub, not a profit machine. Victor, baffled, returned with new models, predicting her ruin. But Clara’s instincts outshone his graphs. Her warmth drew crowds; her generosity built loyalty. Years later, Victor’s firm collapsed under cold calculations, while Clara’s bakery flourished. She never read a market report, but she knew hearts. In a world obsessed with wealth, Clara proved that understanding people, not economics, created something richer—a life woven with trust, joy, and fresh-baked bread.