There she was; tottering away. Shiny black stilettos, roughly three inches high with points smaller that has never been seen before. Subtly showing of the wondrous fake tan is a little black dress. Devoid of any crinkles or creases, and perfectly set with a belt around the waist. To literally top it off were the giant sunglasses that only and “elite” few can get away with wearing, while the rest would look remarkably like beetles.
Then she stops and undivided attention is drawn to the jewellery shop window. A look and gasp of desire emerged, like a child looking into the window of a sweet shop. Her eyes fixated on a handbag, of likely expensive proportions.
Refusing to look upon this item, I didn’t have to. Not wanting to see the price tag upon an item that is an object of lust to enhance ones popularity and temporary happiness. And to what end?
A few months of happiness, to be ahead of the times. To look the part everywhere and to everyone, and to feel the power of knowing your part of the select that can afford such luxuries.
And then what?
The object becomes old, popular, obsolete. It is no longer desirable; the newest and best version is needed. And that money so lovingly and unquestionably relinquished was for nothing. Nothing but a temporary stop gap for happiness and to quench a desire.
No thought is given to those who have nothing in a world of greed and desire for the materialistic. No gratitude is gone to those who happily share what little they have. No thought to what could be achieved with the vast amount of money spent on nothing but objects of lust. None.
Beauty
I saw her that day, walking past my parked car on the usual routine for work. We travelled along the same path in the same direction, her further along the path than I.
She was small in stature, with pixie-short hair of a silver colour. On closer inspection, she had bright twinkling blue eyes and rosy red cheeks against fair skin. As I levelled with her and she let me skip past some unfriendly looking brambles, I saw just how cautiously she was walking. She was happy in spirit for all of her caution, with a positive energy that seems all so rare in these hard days.
As I passed she spoke to me as if I were a best friend or close acquaintance, and spoke of the slippery pavements which was the reasoning behind her caution. She confessed her fears of falling and breaking any bones. At this point of the conversation she also spoke about the fact she had crumbling and brittle bones, which has made her so careful when walking. There was a slight and very momentary look of despair as she said this, but this quickly changed as she asked where I was heading.
I pointed out the dragons den just down the road she said that she knew it well, as she used to live up in Bathampton. After looking over the hedge and through the barbed wire at the car park, she was puzzled to why I had parked right the way up the hill. After mentioning the temporary circumstance of my employment and the office policy she was satisfied, but equally as disgruntled as I. This followed her cussing (as well as my own) over the permit holders places in the nearby estates making matters even more interesting.
She then looked down the road and pointed to a lady in quite a way further down the hill and exclaimed; “You see that lady there? The lady just down the road? Well, she’s my sister! She always walks on ahead of me!”. This went back to the fact she had crumbling bones, which caused her to walk more carefully, apparently more than her sister appeared to like. But I should not judge.
I approached the gate that would be my residence for the next seven hours and said goodbye to my new, old friend. It was lovely and an honour to meet such a beautifully spirited lady, who made me feel more uplifted and positive about the day ahead. It also keeps the hope alive that there is a glimmer of human spirit and goodness still in this world, and that we should seek it out and hold onto it.
Places and Faces
A new place and a new face. Aspirations he had; to move away from a broken neighbourhood, become a sucess to show his enemies what he can be.
He spoke of a seven year strife between his family and others within his street. All of this had started he and his younger brother no longer wanted to be associated with a bad crowd. Ever since his life has become difficult and restricting.
One year the group stole their late father's fishing equipment, which was of huge sentimental value to their family. In another incident the very same people stole their bikes from the garden shed.
Having enough at this point, they took it upon themselves to stand up and do something about this oppression. They planned to take back what was rightfully theirs. In the dead of night at around three in the morning they snuck out of their house. They crept in through the back of their enemies house. Careful not to draw attention to whoever was seen to be awake in the house, they made their search.
They sucessfully found their bikes, but unfortunately not their father's fishing equipment. They wheeled the bikes back home, proud that they ad stood up to the bullies.
Now his ambition is to gain a years experience in marketing then pursue a career in the armed forces; reconissance. His family have been involved a lot in the forces, so he wants to continue this tradition.
What goes around, comes around; one day he will show past bullies all that he can be.
An Interesting Gentleman
Today I met an interesting gentleman while sitting on the station.
He told me that he was a train enthusiast and often watched the trains, making a note of their numbers. He expressed to me how exhilerating it was to see the new modern trains rushing past him through the station and many miles an hour. I saw his face light up, maybe at the recollection of this last occurance.
Originally fom Dorset he told me he had been mariied for fifty-five years. He has a son, who he explained was soon to be retired and had promised him they would take a trip on the Transsiberian Line, which he was clearly looking forward to.
He carried on to say that they had moved to the outskirts of Chard, due to his wife unfortunately being no longer able to walk upstairs without discomfort. Now they reside in a bungalow, which suits all of their needs.
He also shared his traveling stories breifly, saying that he had seen many different countries and cities; France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Beruit, Iraq and others, also expressing his wish to one day visit the Canary Islands.
His heart was truely from the West Country, quoted by him as "his cup of tea".
