Specificity Findus crispy pancakes served with peas and you’re supper after school, Grange Hill on the telly. Armani glasses anchoring expensively streaked hair, heels with red soles, you know the ones. The clunk of a BMW boot, a Luger, a Rolex, a certain kind jacket. Like a magic portal, a Doors LP deposits you in […]
Forced adoption – 100 words
Forced adoption Imagine him saying ‘mama’ and fat fists reaching out, his stumbling steps, rushing through school gates ‘muum’ child’s voice lifting clear of the chorus – calling to you. Where is he? Who is kissing it better? Are they proud? Scan queues at the amusements, faces in the papers. You’d know him: you could […]
Comfort break – 100 words
Comfort break Toilets are ONLY for the use of customers it says over there on the wall between the hand-knitted stag’s head and the Tuesday pub quiz notice. Outside heather and pine and the long, long road make a mood board of purple skies and moisture. There’s a hunched cottage and light glinting from railtracks […]
Infernal equinox – 100 words
Infernal equinox If your life had an equinox, what would you do? One foot in youth, the other in age, celebrate a mid-point, a half-life triumph or dread the downhill tumble to the grave? Does the equator of existence mean an end to learning, the start of teaching? Do you say ‘I’m half way through, […]
Lucky – 100 words
Lucky On Mother’s Day with the flowers, chocolates, breakfast in bed (or gin, manly hugs, and lunchtime pancakes this year), it’s easy to sugar coat the celebration. ‘Love you mummy,’ tiny wishes and the sharp, sharp pangs for the lost mums, the never-to-be children. Motherhood is hard and messy, and we know all about the […]