Monday 22 August 2011

The Way We Were



"These old photographs could go", she says. "Who would ever want to look at them again? There's only me now and I have no further interest in them. There won't be room for them in the retirement home".

She rummages around in the shoebox on the table in front of her and picks a photo at random.  Peering at the faded print with her short-sighted eyes, she says to her carer:  "Pass me my glasses, there's a dear. I might as well have a quick look through, although nothing much will come of it. It's all so long ago".

The picture is clearer now, she recognises faces. "Why, that's me and Ted and  ........
She stops. A sudden flush of shame, hot and unpleasant, rises up in her. She feels her stomach turning over and a wave of nausea hits her.Who'd have thought that after all these years she'd suddenly feel guilty.

She stares at the picture. A window into the past opens up and, for the first time in sixty years, she allows herself to come face to face with the way she was.

She and Ted and . . . . yes, Shirley, that was her name . . . .
Best friends they were, the three of them; together as children and together as teenagers, all adventures, all secrets shared; others called them "The Three Musketeers"; there was no separating them.

How young they were, how innocent, a world of boundless possibilities awaiting them, the road ahead straight and even. When they were small they had sworn to be friends eternally; whatever happened, they would remain true to each other.

And then Ted and Shirley fell in love.

Suddenly, they were not three but two plus one; still friends, still close, still spending time together; like here, in the photo. She continued to stare at it, her hand shaking a little. She remembered clearly now, they were all off to the lake for a day's swimming and picnicking;  happy and carefree, Ted and Shirley sitting in the back seat, probably holding hands, while she sat next to the driver, her dad, alone, in the front.

The shock of the realisation that her world was collapsing, that she was no longer part of an inseparable unit, hit her hard. She could see it in the eyes looking out at her from the photo; could also see the beginnings of the scheming girl she was about to become. Suddenly, she hated Shirley. She did not, and never could, hate Ted, for she too loved him.

She put the photo down.

It hadn't been hard to separate Ted and Shirley; she flirted and promised, she flattered and beguiled, until Ted had lost his head one summer's evening and kissed her.

No, it hadn't been hard at all.

Her eyes clouded over. Her marriage to Ted had been happy and contented for the most part, neither better nor worse than most marriages. She had no regrets.

"Get rid of the box", she said to the carer, as she slid the photograph back in between the others.


53 comments:

  1. This is so Very well-done, Friko. It's a shame that the desire to "win" can overtake us and lead us down roads we would have never chosen otherwise. I wonder if it isn't tied to the desire to stay connected at all costs, to not feel isolated from others, but to be a part of the world, as we know it.

    Thought provoking. Thank you. I think. :)

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  2. Oh my! This is not a true story, I take it? Imagination is the star in humanity... but this scene has happened many, many times in the course of our lives. Great story!!! Well told!

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  3. Very evocative. So is the car!

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  4. Ha! There goes the innocence!

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  5. A universal story, well crafted. You have a special gift, Friko. Thank you for sharing it with us. Jim

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  6. Friko, this is a well told tale. Does it speak of natural selection or freedom to choose?

    And what of Shirley. Was she the forgiving type?

    As always, your writing engages my mind, and starts it asking questions.

    xo

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  7. The photograph captured me immediately. Your story did the same. At the end I found myself wondering about Shirley and what happened to her and was there an irrevocable break between her and the main character.

    Also, I felt regret for some of my choices. And shame for what I once said to my brother.

    Thank you for starting the day on this thoughtful not.

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  8. Oh, the things we do out of pain and longing. Very well written.

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  9. whew...nicely done friko...stirring the emo and then bringing relief with a twist...guess she won...maybe...smiles.

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  10. friko when i first saw this image (and this happens every time) i wonder at the person who let it go. there are likely so many good reasons but to send it into the public domain at a rummage sale really puzzles me. your unpacking of one of the possibilities is clever and gently written. steven

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  11. A friend of mine once said to me "There must have been a moment when you realised ..." Seems your character certainly did!

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  12. And so begins the weaving of many tangled webs...

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  13. I didn't expect that twist - good one!

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  14. Creative, imaginative take on this week's prompt.

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  15. Reading this slowed me down. I have been reading many blog posts this morning and this one caused me to stare out my window for a bit.

    That is all.

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  16. Wonderfully told, Friko, and resonates with me because that is how mum stole my dad away from his own true love. Did not end well for them.

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  17. Even if remembering is all we have left, sometimes we still want to forget.

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  18. Lovely and painful all at once!!!!

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  19. Old photos can indeed bring up old and sometimes better forgotten memories. Even a short while ago, I felt more nostalgic. Perhaps selective memory has its charms.

    Loved your story Friko, you have a gift. Dianne

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  20. Stong character your lady,
    'She had no regrets'
    - lets hope we all feel that way someday.

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  21. No . No one wants to be outside the charmed circle .

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  22. Hi Friko .. this really brings that page of her life home to her .. sad and cruel at the same time .. she, at least, had no regrets - but perhaps guilt .. excellent story .. Hilary

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  23. You've a keen eye for the nature of human beings.

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  24. Such a fertile imagination you have, Friko-- lovely-- I remember such days-- I was the girl whose boyfriend was stolen, distracted or unattainable most of the time...xxxj

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  25. Friko - I love your stories! Poor Shirley!

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  26. When I look back at the photo I can't imagine any other story but this one.

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  27. What a tangled web! Excellently done, a great read!
    Thanks
    Di
    X

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  28. A very nicely told tale filled with emotion, and well written.

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  29. Most excellent. I always enjoy stopping by your place.

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  30. Friko, Love the photo, and I was entranced by the story. So realistic, and the ending set me to wondering, too. Thinking back, the competition, the wins which somehow feel like losses. Wonderful writing.

    Thank you for the "reality check" in your recent comments on my last post!

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  31. Frustration, pity, desire, rationalization, infatuation, intrigue. Yes, I've gotten rid of some boxes too. This is perfect because it is so very universal, yet with a unique edge. ~Mary

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  32. Friko, I had to come back to tell you how much I honestly like this story--it has been with me all afternoon. I think I'll print it out to re-read again at a later time because I don't want to let it go.

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  33. It's so important when we are young to not be on the outside of things. Well told. I enjoyed the read.

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  34. We all want to know the rest
    of the story; what the deuce
    happened to Shirley? Terrific
    take on the prompt, flipping
    calendar pages to sock hops,
    poodle skirts, bee hive hairdos,
    cheap petroleum, movies for
    a dime, hamburgers for 19 cents;
    yes, and the bitter secrets that
    hid in bile for 50 years.
    Fine effort!

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  35. Ah, that memory that festered for so long. Wonderful write!

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  36. First, I felt sorry for her: all alone in the world. Then, I despised her.
    You know how to shake-up your followers Friko.

    Anna

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  37. Oh my!one can do a lot of things when in love n when we are young!
    I know that "2+1" feeling, been there many times when a group of three suddenly becomes "2+1"
    I liked this tale very much :)

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  38. Wow.
    Well done. I think you might have told The Real Story about that photograph!

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  39. Oh VERY good Friko ... I loved it!

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  40. Oh wow.
    I don't know what else to say. This is so good, I had to read it twice.
    Brilliant, absolutely, and I'm saving it to my favorites.

    (Okay, I'll bite - what's November 9?)

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  41. Wow! Gorgeous post with such a deep meaning. It's amazing what pictures can bring back to mind.
    -E

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  42. Oh so powerful and wonderful and filled with emotion. Fabulous Friko!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  43. Beautifully done. Disturbing, unflinching, and so true to human nature.

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  44. You made this story seem so real. Wonderful writing, I really enjoyed reading.

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  45. This made me cry. Such a beautiful..evocative post. Such memories in a box of old photographs. Thank-you!!!

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  46. Best woman won in the end!

    This took me back to my mother-in-law's death. Sifting through her tins and boxes we found an old photo of a young unknown soldier with a message to her on the back! After 50 years of a very happy marriage. I was shocked and pleased at the same time!!

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  47. Well told story! Anything can happen, and does.

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  48. Another very interesting story. I always enjoy reading them,

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  49. Nice. Pulled me right in and then back again. Love the photo, too :)

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  50. Hmphhh. I could just throttle that Ted, fictional or not!

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  51. This story rings so true. You described her feeling of shame so vividly. Some things we never forget.

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  52. Ouch! So bitter sweet. Such guile and skill. Btw how many short story competitions have you won?

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