bentenlaughing

She slowed her taxi to a halt at the crossroads. Like on a racetrack, cars tore by. We waited. The conversation was mundane but friendly. I began by talking about heavy downpours. La Nina, she said. I thought it meant droughts. Where you're situated near the equator or below it. She said.  She put her foot down on the accelerator. A mountain biker hurtled towards us. Like in the movies he landed on our windscreen. Fuuuck he grimaced at her. He stumbled away. Behind us, he limped towards his friend, another bike rider. We drove through the intersection and parked, shell-shocked.  Janice Slater   October 2023 

                                                              He stood using the furniture like scaffold.                               There’d been a number of attempts before.  Each one building his strength and confidence.  This time would be different, though.  It was his moment.  He looked up ensuring his audience.  Then, let go.  His little feet reconnected with the floorboards.  Their arrhythmic steps catching him by surprise.  Plod, splat, plod.  Cheers erupted in the background.  His face softened to a smile.  Wobbling took over as time slowed.  There was a pointless attempt to rebalance.  Knees buckled. Thud.  He’d almost made it across t...

  His trolley screeched around the corner; a look of oblivion on his face. It was inevitable that they would crash. But she jerked back at the last second.   They stood still.   An apologetic smile from her. A look of blame from him.   He held his ground, demanding her move. He was used to taking up spaces.  She obliged and shrunk into the aisle.   Triumphantly pushing his trolley past, he continued on.  He had not learnt his lesson.                                                                                           Cassie Crowther 2023