03 April 2023

Another kind of Another Story

How she joined the Widow’s Club

One day she stood stock still staring at nothing. She was on the corner of Wilson’s Street beside the shop that said “Hardware” but there was no hardware inside. 

Was it that which stunned her to wonder if she had gone mad….someone jostled her from the curb ….

“Oh….”she looked up. A crumpled and lost expression fleeted away in a flash as she faked a smile, “thanks.”

For he had grabbed her from getting run over. 

So she kept going down the street deciding to be Gulliver in future. Just accept that all is madness. 

“Excuse me!”

She turned. It was the young man. He ran up to her. 

It was strange. What was he doing there? 

“Uh—my mother was much the same when my father passed away,” he said 

For a moment that madness of suspended belief had her on edge. Then….she accepted the assumption as it was easier than to argue 

“Oh,” she said and took pity on the young man for his kindness. But then she was not sure what he was actually saying so she stood there again stock still; just as before. Lost and crumpled on the corner. Her little raincoat a size too big engulfing her and her hair blown array in the wind as the gusts suddenly were quite strong.

“There’s a widow’s club where I think you may find others like you,” he said

At first this smarted a bit. 

“Ahem ….” her throat caught tight 

“I run it,” he said. A funny expression on his face. “….actually.”

Still she stood there wondering if he wanted a donation? And stared up at him

“Why don’t you come with me? I can show you where we meet—it’s at the Red Boar Inn down the road.”

She laughed,

“oh really, a red bore? Sure, I’ll go see this, as…. yes, the better half has gone.”

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