Extract from See my badge?

6th Mar 2008

First there were just looks, and both pretended not to see the other. Then they started exchanging notes. Anna remembered how difficult it was to write those notes, and she smiled. How she agonized over the words. What to write, what not to write, and rewriting it again and again.

Then, those first tentative, tender touches.

How did it grow from such innocence into such unbearable agony?

Many scenes flashed before her eyes. She had sat up late, waiting. If she had gone to sleep, there would be a scene because she was not waiting and not caring. If she waited, there would be a scene because she was waiting and not trusting. Until one night when she waited. And waited. She waited until the day broke, and she was still awake when there was a knock on the door.

She welcomed the knock. At least the knock meant strangers. No scene. No recriminations. No violence. Just news.

Not good news. How could it be good news to hear you will now be alone?

Not bad news. How could it be bad news to know the violence had stopped?

Just news. Dull news.

People moving in and out of her vision. People saying words they did not mean, because they did not know what they meant, and therefore could not say it.

Read the whole story in A Tapestry of Life, a collection of short stories about moments that changed people’s lives. The book can also be obtained from Trafford Publishing.