Sunday, 28 August 2011

Married Life

The Red Umbrella - Christopher Shay





Him, at home, looking out of the window:

Didn't she say she'd be on the later train because she was going to have her hair done after work ?
Oh no, it's raining hard. She won't like that.
I know what I'll do. I'll see if I can get to the station in time to get her brolly to her.
I'll take the bike, that's quicker.


Him, at the station, looking round:

No sign of her. No sign of anybody. The train must be late.


Passenger, hurrying, coming up from the platform:

You missed the train, mate, it's been and gone.


Him, on the platform, standing in the rain, wondering what to do:


Where can she be? Perhaps she waited for the next train?
I'll hang about a bit, see if she's on that one.


Her, at home, sitting over a cup of tea, as he walks in:


Where have you been? You are wet through. What was so urgent that it couldn't wait until after the rain? I've been back ages. When I came out of the hairdresser's and saw how hard it poured, I took a cab. Didn't fancy getting soaked.





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55 comments:

  1. Rubye Jack28 August 2011 at 20:55

    Ain't it the truth! Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

    ...and so it is that some of us love the life of solitude.

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  2. #1Nana28 August 2011 at 21:02

    My favorite kind of story...the ones with the twist at the end.

    One thing I really enjoy about reading your writing is your word choices. I hear the non-American accent just in the choice of language. I don't hear "fancy" used much here, but my English mother used it a lot.

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  3. Michelle Ivana Yunaska Theilfing Obama28 August 2011 at 21:20

    enjoyed the journey your words take us.
    well penned magpie.

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  4. Maxwell Mead Williams Robinson Barry28 August 2011 at 21:21

    live and fun magpie.

    hope that she is found.

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  5. Susan Scheid28 August 2011 at 21:23

    Ah, yes: no good deed goes unpunished!

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  6. Brian Miller28 August 2011 at 21:37

    oy...i am glad he was thinking of her...if i had a dime for everytime...smiles....fun little jaunt friko...

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  7. rel28 August 2011 at 21:43

    too many times I've done the right thing and it turned out wrong.
    Thats what makes marriage interesting.
    rel

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  8. Suze28 August 2011 at 22:11

    Unexpected sweetness.

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  9. SmitoniusAndSonata28 August 2011 at 22:17

    A kind gesture .... but neither had a mobile phone ?

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  10. Frances28 August 2011 at 22:18

    Friko, it has been a long time since I was part of a couple, but this tale definitely touched a memory or three.

    xo

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  11. Glenn Buttkus28 August 2011 at 22:41

    There is an old saying: "When one
    uses initiative, they often are not
    thanked, but almost always spanked."
    Another clever tale from you, dear one.
    As a husband I resemble these remarks.

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  12. Tess Kincaid28 August 2011 at 23:18

    Such is life in wedded bliss...

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  13. Anonymous28 August 2011 at 23:39

    awesome !

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  14. Mark Kerstetter28 August 2011 at 23:40

    S&S's comment makes me laugh - some of us don't have mobile phones.

    Now I'm imagining their conversation as he strips off his wet jacket and joins her for tea....

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  15. Sandi28 August 2011 at 23:42

    Love it! And that's the way it is! Great story.

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  16. Dar29 August 2011 at 00:02

    Love the sentimental gesture, especially that he takes the bike...
    our bikes do not have cover from the rain, so I enjoyed the humor of it all.
    BlessYourHeartFriko
    What a Talent you are

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  17. Lynilu29 August 2011 at 00:29

    LOL! And I think it is good you stopped at that point, because I think the conversation after that point might be better unreported!!

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  18. DJan29 August 2011 at 01:54

    Oh, this is so good! Don't we all do this sort of thing for and to each other? I love it!

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  19. Cloudia29 August 2011 at 03:17

    touched my heart!


    Aloha from Waikiki;


    Comfort Spiral
    > < } } ( ° >



    ><}}(°>

    < ° ) } } > <

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  20. Maggie Asfahani Hajj29 August 2011 at 05:57

    I loved Glenn's comment. Really, isn't that the truth!

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  21. Jinksy29 August 2011 at 06:18

    And life's like that! LOL

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  22. Kay L. Davies29 August 2011 at 06:26

    Brilliant, Friko, I love it.
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  23. Anonymous29 August 2011 at 06:50

    ja, eigenartig, wie das so ist, wenn man lange verheiratet ist. Ich selbst könnte mir ein solches Leben, wo die Dinge einen flachen Punkt erreichen, wenn ich das so ausdrücken darf, gar nicht vorstellen... mmh, wie immer sehr interessant hier!
    Dir einen schönen Herbsttag :-)!
    Renée

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  24. Cad29 August 2011 at 09:11

    How often love gets left out in the rain, eh? :)

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  25. Lydia29 August 2011 at 11:18

    Ah, the storms of married life! (Funny that your Magpie came during anniversary week for my husband and me.)

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  26. George29 August 2011 at 13:28

    So there you have it, Friko, a perfect example of married life, an institution grounded in a commitment to mutual support, but one in which the participants are often at cross purposes, like ships passing in the night.

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  27. Tracey29 August 2011 at 13:47

    Love it!! so much so that i've sent you an award.. go get it off my blog xxx

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  28. Dee Ready29 August 2011 at 13:55

    #1Nana noted the "English" word "fancy." I picked up on "brolly."

    Not being married, these vignettes of wedded concern for one another don't happen to me. For me, this is a story of friendship.

    We worry about the other, only to find that all is well and that there's nothing to worry about--the other is able to take care of herself or himself.

    But we want to be there just in case. Always, just in case.

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  29. stardust29 August 2011 at 15:11

    Friko, I was glued to your words from the beginning to the end. I was glad for his kind heart in the process and was pleased with the ending with twist. I had that feeling toward my children even when knowing they can take care of themselves. Have a happy week.

    Yoko

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  30. Nikki - Notes of Life29 August 2011 at 15:23

    Hehe Brilliant! :)

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  31. Suz29 August 2011 at 15:26

    ah...a dear one Friko

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  32. Mr. Charleston29 August 2011 at 16:03

    Gallantry unrewarded.

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  33. Maude Lynn29 August 2011 at 16:12

    Ain't that the way!

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  34. Kay Dennison29 August 2011 at 16:28

    Life is like that!!!

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  35. Ruth29 August 2011 at 17:36

    Musta been before cell phones . . .

    Now when we're going to pick someone up at the airport, I remember how it was before them, and I cringe over the hassles.

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  36. Kristen Haskell29 August 2011 at 18:29

    Oh I love that. It just feels like love to me.

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  37. Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte29 August 2011 at 18:48

    Sooo priceless and real for so many of us :)
    But the new tech has been changing that. More and more I see couples miles apart yet so connected. Just hope they have moments like this because they are so precious.

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  38. Reflections29 August 2011 at 19:43

    Wonderfully shared... can't tell you how many times I did things like that for my mom or friends.

    Thought a quick little jaunt would help, then ended up worse for the worn effort than the one I went to help. smiles.

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  39. Tumblewords:29 August 2011 at 21:16

    Good twist - a surprise to be sure - I rather suspected...oh, well... :)

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  40. Doctor FTSE29 August 2011 at 21:18

    Will it be worth him telling her what really happened? Will he win one, one day!
    Very concisely told.

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  41. Hilary29 August 2011 at 21:25

    Aww I hope she poured a cup for him. Well done.

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  42. Vicki Lane29 August 2011 at 22:25

    The best laid plans . . .

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  43. Berowne29 August 2011 at 22:32

    Are you familiar with the writer O. Henry? Well, you wrote an O Henry story, and a good one.

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  44. Helena29 August 2011 at 23:20

    Ahhhh. Sweet.....! Bless him!

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  45. Anonymous29 August 2011 at 23:43

    The smallest things can bring the weight of disapproval. ~Mary

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  46. lizziviggi30 August 2011 at 00:45

    He may have failed in his umbrella mission, but he'll nonetheless get points for trying!

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  47. hyperCRYPTICal30 August 2011 at 10:45

    Bless his cotton socks considering his beloved like that!

    Anna :o]

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  48. Freda30 August 2011 at 15:53

    Quick, insightful, easy to read and brings a ready smile at the end. In other words - excellent. Thank you.

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  49. Theresa Milstein31 August 2011 at 03:46

    Ha! He was thoughtful in vain. Poor guy!

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  50. Lucy Westenra31 August 2011 at 19:10

    How well you understand how little the reader needs in the way of "explanation" First rate writing.

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  51. Elizabeth Rose Stanton1 September 2011 at 01:23

    Your story reminds me a little of the writing of one of our American authors, O. Henry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry
    His stories, some more amusing than others, always had a little twist at the end--characters often passing in the night, like ships ;) I enjoyed reading yours!!

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  52. Trellissimo1 September 2011 at 11:23

    An excellent tale. Thank you.

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  53. chiccoreal1 September 2011 at 17:16

    Dear Friko: Thoroughly enjoyed the naturalism in the dialogue and the word brolly. Always a new one on me!

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  54. jabblog1 September 2011 at 21:46

    This sounds familiar . . .

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  55. ds2 September 2011 at 20:21

    Oh, how clever, and how true! Hope there was a bit of tea left for him...

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