what else was there to do?

Not young anymore. Not old either. Tall. Good-looking. White hair. Jeans and a thick woollen sweater. Wandering down the street. Far away in your thoughts. Thoughts which would not loosen their grip on your mind. Questions that clawed at your understanding. To which there seemed to be no answer. So you shrugged your shoulders.

the gulf

Sitting in a caddie. Pink clad legs hanging over the edge. Tongue sticking out in deep concentration, the little girl was scribbling something on a pad. All of a sudden, she screamed with delight and proudly handed what she had just written to her mother. "Oh, thank you... that's lovely...", said Mum. But she didn't buy anything on the list her daughter had carefully elaborated.

it's the last time

He was standing at the shop entrance, begging. He came up to me, muttering something I couldn't understand. I shook my head. For whatever it was. And entered the shop. But they know how to put the guilt in you. So on my way out, I asked him if he was hungry. He nodded. "Would he like a sandwich?" Yes, he answered. And a coke. I told him that he could ask someone else for a coke. I would get him a sandwich. Which I did. I gave it to him. He took it almost grudgingly. Without a smile. Without a thank you. Not a sign of gratitude. Just a whimper asking me why I hadn't got him a coke.

one aim

Three boys yo-ing their way down the street.

Caps on backwards.

Jeans between their knees.

Voices as deep as they can make them.

As I passed them I heard one ask eagerly:

"And did she kiss you?"

like dirt

They were dragging him across the road. A man with no teeth, worn clothes and too much alcohol on his breath. By the tips of their latex-gloved fingers, two clean-shaven well-dressed young policemen were hauling a human who could have been their father across the street.

the difficult task of being an adolescent

He had pushed the limits of boredom so far that all he could bring himself to do was tap 'Happy Birthday to You' on his mobile with his big toe.

spring whispering

Today I saw one big bright red strawberry lying on an iced pavement. And a dark butterfly exploring a snow-covered field.