this behavior was not quite a scandal , but it was certainly eccentric , and so no one was really surprised to see polly chalmers go marching down the sidewalk of main street from her door to that of needful things at two minutes past ten on the morning of october 9th they were not even surprised at what she was carrying in her gloved hands : a tupperware container which could only contain a cake it was , the locals said when discussing it later , just like her .