DERRICK
Derek booted his computer and stared thoughtfully at the wallpaper. It was a photo he had taken at Glenelg in Adelaide, at the beach. Not of the beach but of the row of ancient and once majestic now somehow menacing converted holiday apartments overlooking it. Built in brownstone four stories high and a good three hundred meters long, it was large and somewhat ugly. A hundred and eighty windows overlooked the pristine blue Indian ocean and the three upper floors apartments each has it's own little balcony. At the left hand end is the reception area and small souvenir store. A three foot wide footpath runs the entire length on the complex. Six evenly spaced Norfolk Island pines standing tall guard the complex. There is a well kept lawn area running toward the beach. Two elderly women sit together on a park bench and a third is walking from the apartments toward them. There is a solitary figure near the corner of the building, looking toward the reception desk, and seven seagulls dot the lawn.
Must be getting old Derek sighed, staid Adelaide is so appealing. Melbourne and Sydney have a lot more to offer the young. Well they can have the fast life,Adelaide's the go and especially Glenelg. And these old apartments, they drew him every year, irresistibly, or was it the memory of beautiful Clarissa who had died so horribly in these very waters so long ago. His true love, truth be known his only love.
Smiling wanly at a distant memory Derek got slowly to his feet. No, he told himself morosely, like Clarissa, romance it gone forever. At fifty seven years old,five six, short sighted, balding and pretty close to stone broke he knew we was not the catch of the month. He never had been, except in the eyes of Clarissa. Taking his spectacles off he wiped his forearm across his eyes. He would go get his last Millers from the fridge. A nice smooth beer not bitter like so many of them. Rather like me,not bitter and smooth, or is it unbitter, is there such a word. What do you say Henry? He asked his imaginary friend. He cocked his head to one side and listened. Alright,unbitter it is!
He shambled across the shabby kitchen to the ancient fridge and tugged on the door handle. It opened easily because the door seal was shot. No Millers in fact all the fridge contained was a carton of milk and half a dozen cans of Coke. Scowling, he opened a can and went back to his computer. He sat down and sipped the Coke. Leaning back he peered at the wallpaper. Then he put his glasses on and peered again. How did that happen? How did seven seagulls become eleven? Then he realised that the third woman had reached the bench and sat down with her friends! IMPOSSIBLE!
Derek switched his computer off. No,no,no.....impossible! Staggering to his feet he went to the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water. Then leaning on the sink for support he gazed into the mirror. BLOODY IMPOSSIBLE! he shouted at his reflection, gesturing with shaking hand. Impossible Henry,right? He asked quietly then shambled back to his computer and sat down fearfully. He stared at it for an eternity then booted up,afraid of what he would find. He gasped in shock for the figure by the reception had turned and walked right to the front of the monitor screen. With out stretched arms this figure mutely beseeched his help. He found himself gazing into the eyes of.........CLARISSA! The three old women leapt up and running to Clarissa they seized her and shrieking demoniacally dragged her into the ocean and they all vanished beneath the pristine blue waters of the Indian ocean.
“Hey wakey wakey Derrick!”
Derrick's eyes opened slowly. “Henry?” He sat up slowly. “'Wah time is it?”
“Time ya was getting' ready mate!” Henry looked quizzically at his friend. “Ya betta not leave Clarissa waitin' at the alter agin matety” He shook his head, “Darn't fink she'd forgive ya agin!”
Derek leapt out of bed! “Henry, I had a horrible dream,I was old and Clarissa was...”
enry slapped his hand to his forehead, Orrible dream? If ya darn't git ta the church on toym an orrible dream will be the least of ya worries sunshyne!
And the three old ladies on the bench giggled maliciously ..
C Gainsford © Copyright 2012
Must be getting old Derek sighed, staid Adelaide is so appealing. Melbourne and Sydney have a lot more to offer the young. Well they can have the fast life,Adelaide's the go and especially Glenelg. And these old apartments, they drew him every year, irresistibly, or was it the memory of beautiful Clarissa who had died so horribly in these very waters so long ago. His true love, truth be known his only love.
Smiling wanly at a distant memory Derek got slowly to his feet. No, he told himself morosely, like Clarissa, romance it gone forever. At fifty seven years old,five six, short sighted, balding and pretty close to stone broke he knew we was not the catch of the month. He never had been, except in the eyes of Clarissa. Taking his spectacles off he wiped his forearm across his eyes. He would go get his last Millers from the fridge. A nice smooth beer not bitter like so many of them. Rather like me,not bitter and smooth, or is it unbitter, is there such a word. What do you say Henry? He asked his imaginary friend. He cocked his head to one side and listened. Alright,unbitter it is!
He shambled across the shabby kitchen to the ancient fridge and tugged on the door handle. It opened easily because the door seal was shot. No Millers in fact all the fridge contained was a carton of milk and half a dozen cans of Coke. Scowling, he opened a can and went back to his computer. He sat down and sipped the Coke. Leaning back he peered at the wallpaper. Then he put his glasses on and peered again. How did that happen? How did seven seagulls become eleven? Then he realised that the third woman had reached the bench and sat down with her friends! IMPOSSIBLE!
Derek switched his computer off. No,no,no.....impossible! Staggering to his feet he went to the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water. Then leaning on the sink for support he gazed into the mirror. BLOODY IMPOSSIBLE! he shouted at his reflection, gesturing with shaking hand. Impossible Henry,right? He asked quietly then shambled back to his computer and sat down fearfully. He stared at it for an eternity then booted up,afraid of what he would find. He gasped in shock for the figure by the reception had turned and walked right to the front of the monitor screen. With out stretched arms this figure mutely beseeched his help. He found himself gazing into the eyes of.........CLARISSA! The three old women leapt up and running to Clarissa they seized her and shrieking demoniacally dragged her into the ocean and they all vanished beneath the pristine blue waters of the Indian ocean.
“Hey wakey wakey Derrick!”
Derrick's eyes opened slowly. “Henry?” He sat up slowly. “'Wah time is it?”
“Time ya was getting' ready mate!” Henry looked quizzically at his friend. “Ya betta not leave Clarissa waitin' at the alter agin matety” He shook his head, “Darn't fink she'd forgive ya agin!”
Derek leapt out of bed! “Henry, I had a horrible dream,I was old and Clarissa was...”
enry slapped his hand to his forehead, Orrible dream? If ya darn't git ta the church on toym an orrible dream will be the least of ya worries sunshyne!
And the three old ladies on the bench giggled maliciously ..
C Gainsford © Copyright 2012
Click to set custom HTML
Click to set custom HTML