Week Four: One day late again!
1. "I looked at my notes and I didn't like them."
The waiting area was cold and I shivered. I thought I’d been well prepared, kept up with everything that needed to be done, stayed on top of all the requirements, met the deadlines, and generally was in a good place.
I felt irritated at being irritated by all the irritation around and turned my back to block it all out.
The hands of the clock showed a few minutes left to go. I looked at my notes and I didn’t like them. It was exam time and I was going to be skating by the skin of my pants again ...
2. "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents..."
“But,” I protested, “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.” He smiled, nodded and turned away. “Buuuut ...” I whined on. He didn’t turn back. I felt my shoulders fall. Every year Christmas had been a big occasion. Before we lived together we’d each spent the day with our families, but enjoyed “Christmas” the day, or the weekend before. We’d always had presents. Some years we’d set limits on how much we could spend, how many presents we could buy, or even set a theme. No presents though?
I just didn’t get it and what about the ones I’d already bought?
3. "A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys..."
It didn’t matter how much of a pay rise they got each year, how much extra money they added to the deposit, they just could not buy a house. Friends had made some suggestions: move a few miles out of town, drop your expectations, forget about a house for now. They’d not wanted to do that. Moving away from everyone that mattered, buying an apartment with neighbours each side, below and above? It wasn’t what they wanted.
As they drove into the street of today’s property, their hearts sank. Today’s “house” was a squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys.
4. "Now what I want is facts."
“Slow down.”
“How can I help you if you don’t slow down and explain. Please try.”
“Would a cup of tea help?”
“Sit down and speak slowly, I’m really sorry but I’m not keeping up at all.”
“I’m going to make tea, even if you don’t want one. You might fancy it by the time the kettle’s boiled. The box of tissues is just here.”
“They say hot sweet tea is good for something. It might help?”
“Breathe slowly. In. Out. In. Out. In.”
“There, that’s better isn’t it?”
“Let’s start again, shall we? Now, what I want is facts.”
5. "Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road..."
Was it a good children’s story that began with once upon a time? Or was that fairy tales? Or perhaps it was those supermarket romances that cost less than the breakfast cereals and stood in a whirly stand just before the conveyor belt to pay for your purchases?
Could you start a pantomime with the line though if it was to do with a cow, constantly mooing, and a handful of beans.
Who cares, children stories or pantomime mooing cow! The fresh white space flashed up onto the screen and the keyboard began its quiet clatter. Once upon a time ...
6. "Behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living."
The pamphlet had looked very interesting and there was such a choice. A trip through hidden tunnels, a walk and a talk at the site of a famous pop group’s spiritual home, or a visit to the back rooms of a well known gallery (led by Earl, Joshua, or Dave - you’ll recognise him by his hat and flower on his lapel).
Choosing the graveyard at midnight seemed an interesting night out (led by James with the deep breathy tones) and the way the attractive companion was moving nicely closer and closer James could mention the thirty ghosts whenever he wanted.
7. "Midway on our life's journey, I found myself in dark woods, the right way lost."
Some people seem to have a life plan set out over pages in a book that was accurate to the moment: at 24 years old meet life partner, 26 married, 28 first child, 30 have second, 33 move to forever house near good schools, etc etc . Others live life by chance, never planning what is around the next corner, taking opportunities as they arise and trusting that whatever comes along was the right thing. For now, if not for ever. Some stop one day and take stock, hoping to find themself in a good place, the right way lost.