I suppose I don't really have time for this. I am moving flat tomorrow and I don't have everything packed yet. But I'm very stressed and have to burn off a bit of nervous energy. So, let me tell you about a conversation I overheard in the post office recently – more like a monologue really.
I was in the queue, a very long, December queue, and a couple of places in front of me was a white-haired old lady. She was talking to a friend or acquaintance. I didn't get all the links in the narrative, so I'll just insert ellipses where necessary:
"… these past twelve years. Yes. Haven't you seen him? With the stick. Always has a stick these days… paralysis… and he was such a macho man. Didn't drink or smoke… champion pole vaulter… been like that ever since… died, and then she died, and then the other one died. Yes. You know, Rita Parker? Yes. She's still alive… and then she died, and then he died, and then his cousin died, and then the cousin's daugher died… Yes… Her six-year-old grandson… do you know what? He died. Suddenly. Just like that. Yes. Her husband died and her daughter died. Just suddenly. Brain haemorrhage. Just like that. And then the husband died, and his brother died. They all died. One by one by one. One after another, one after another. Yes. They all died. Apart from Rita Parker. She's all alone in the world now. It's terrible. You wouldn't believe it… as well. She was looking ten years younger, and she was on top of the world, and she went back to Barbados, and do you know what? She died."
At around this point, the lady's friend asked if she had a pen. She looked in her pockets and bags, cackling and dropping things, "Oooh, hahahahaha, I haven't even got a pen. I don't where it is. Goodness me! Oooh hahahahaha! Hehehehehehehe! I haven't even got a pen! Ooohh! I have got a rubber band, though! Does anyone need a rubber band?!"
I was very tempted to say yes, as I did want a rubber band. I wanted one to scroll up some prints with, for when I move (which is now tomorrow). But sadly, I let the moment pass. I have used selotape instead.
Must get back to packing.
This is nice. As a piece of writing. :-)x
Thank you. Moving today. Wish me luck.
. . yes i overhear some amazing talk sometimes . would make for good broadcasting ! . . anyway good luck with the moving lark . thats always a stress i think . aint been to catford in awhile .
. . yes i overhear some amazing talk sometimes . would make for good broadcasting ! . . anyway good luck with the moving lark . thats always a stress i think . aint been to catford in awhile .
very strange that all those people died. thanks for the cute report from cackleberry lane. too funny. good luck with the move. hope you don’t break too many things.
Originally posted by Lazeeitus:. yes i overhear some amazing talk sometimes . would make for good broadcasting ! . . anyway good luck with the moving lark . thats always a stress i think . aint been to catford in awhile . I suppose I should make more of a point of it, as it would stand me in good stead for writing.I’m now in Catford and beginning to think that perhaps I didn’t make the right move. Oh well, I’m stuck here now, for at least a year.Originally posted by I_ArtMan:good luck with the move. hope you don’t break too many things.Thank you. I seem to have bruised myself all over in the process of moving, but haven’t found anything broken yet.