Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A memory of a lost friend and snow in sunny South Africa?



She pushes against the door and it swings open slowly, silently, predictably. The quietly cold smell inside is how she had imagined it would be and she tries to brush off the feeling of turning around and running away with a shrug.


The lady at the reception desk personifies the feeling of the room with her tired and outdated attitude as she hands over a clipboard with paper work. It is quite a list for such a short stay, she thinks by herself while she completes the forms robot-like.


She has a burning urge to wash her hands, but doesn't want to leave her seat. Maybe, if she sits here quietly she'll go unnoticed and this day will pass like the one before and the one before that. Maybe then she'll just disappear as each hour follows the next until eternity. She wants to stay in this chair.


A hand touches her shoulder. She looks up. The lady in the blue scrubs has an expressionless face, but she has amazing green eyes. Like the mieliefields back home on the farm. There is a flash of impatience from the lady and she gets up slowly. This is really going to happen. If only she wasn't so alone. After this day in this hour, this minute she will never be the same again. They say there is always the feeling of something missing. She'll probably get used to it; what could be worse than the feeling of not being loved in return anyway?


"Everything went well. Just take this prescription and if you feel any discomfort or sudden bleeding come back immediately."


That's all there is to it, really. A pill for sorrow, a pill for heartache, a pill for emptiness. If all these pills were combined, would they take away all life's pain for good? Science might be the answer to all life's miseries, she smiles wryly as she thinks of him.


The water tastes bitter; she imagined it differently and it could have been. If only she wasn't so alone.


My front yard looking like an ice rink

Moving on to other things. Snow in September in South Africa? Marvellous, some of you might say. It's not snow, but hail and it's not marvellous, it's bloody awful! Never again will I be singing I'm dreaming of a white Christmas whilst stirring a pot of fudge whilst sweating like an overweight hippo in the desert. This side of the planet is known for its blazing sun and beautiful beaches which usually means pleasant weather. This was anything but pleasant.


Looks like a cotton wool factory launched its opening in my backyard


My once beautiful spring garden now looks like the battlefield of an angry golfer using hail as a cheap substitute for golf balls and I was not amused by the fact that His Royal Demanding and Her Comfortable Highness refused to walk on what looks like Frosty's diarrhea, let alone get to their business which means I had to use a tray as a kind of shovel to clear a patch of grass in the middle of the night.




Her Royal Highness: high on sleep and comfort

Does he LOOK amused to you?


At least that saves me a trip to a winter wonderland somewhere abroad in the future. Can we get three hurrays for money saving tips, Mother Nature style.

29 comments:

Andrea said...

What a strange combination in this post.
Who? What? Why?

Dan said...

I think I get it, but I am not going to say anything because I am probably wrong. Which does happen quite a lot actually. But that was some wonderful writing there.

Cool photos. The hail looks....... cold. And totally out of place.

Your dogs look cute, the bottom one looks very high maintenance. Am I right or is it the other way round?

rubbish said...

No wonder the dog doesn't look amused if you left him out in all that hail. That's just plain cruel ;)

Ed said...

I have no idea what the Hell you're talking about, but it was all very well written, so that's a WIN.

Josefine said...

I love that. Sad.

On a not so sad note, I tagged you for a meme thingy on my blog. So take that!!!

tennysoneehemingway said...

That hail looks amazing. No it doesn't, it looks awful, sorry. Loved the first piece. And I also think I know what it was about but won't say because, if you didn't, then you didn't want to make it public. Also, I could be wrong.

Anonymous said...

I really liked the contrast, and the writing. That's all I came to say. :)

tennysoneehemingway said...

Sorry Ladytruth; this is completely off topic and absolutely nothing to do with this post but I was reading back through some of my comments and I just wanted to answer one of yours. It was my rant on hospitality and I think you're completely correct; the customer does deserve respect, but only the respect they give out. Sure, if you have some sullen teenager grunting your order, then you have every right to treat them like a dick, because that's what they are. But, if you have someone who is being professional, answering your questions thoroughly and not being condescending, but you choose to still treat them like a dick, then, as far as I'm concerned, you no longer have any rights. Sorry this is so late and so off topic but I just wanted to reply properly.

ladytruth said...

AlpHa B: I got a message from my friend the other day asking me how things were and so on and so forth. She had an abortion a few years back while she was working on the Isle of Mann and it was always such a burden on her heart that she eventually broke down. And my depressing story was about my 'broken' garden :( What a comparison, I know!

Dan: I'm sure an intelligent guy like you did figure it out. The hail was a real pain as the Maltese kept jumping against the window trying to catch some of it through the glass while the Jack Russel was freaking out into a shivering-fest. As for the high maintenance part? You're spot on about that too!

Rubbish: I think the Jack Russel would've died from a heart attack if she were to be outside dodging giant hail balls, but the Maltese might have enjoyed it as he loves playing catch.

Ed: I specialise in Confucius ;)

Josefine: alright, alright, I'm taking it! Loved reading about yours; witty as always :)

Tennyson: I'm sure your suspicions are spot on; I just didn't want to make it too obvious. As for the hail: we haven't had this type of hail storm in a very, very long time and it really was as thick as snow. Well, as thick as I think snow is as I've never actually seen any in real life ;)

Matthew: it's good to see you back in action. Thanks for stopping by :)

Tennyson: you're right in all four categories. I think it also depends not only on your training, but also on your personality and how big a tip you want at the end of the day. We went to this restaurant last week for breakfast and the waiter totally stuffed up our order, but he apologised politely and followed the right etiquette for that situation too. We still gave him a good tip as we know waiters are only human and could have bad days like anyone else. It's just about how you handle yourself in situations like those that make or break your career in the hospitality business, right? Thanks for replying to that comment; I'm sure you have a million and one stories to tell about your experience in the business ;)

Judearoo said...

A delightful mix, my dear. Hope you're friend is finding life a little easier now.

The Peach Tart said...

The first piece of writing was very gripping. The hail doesn't look like much fun but those precious dogs do.

Ekanthapadhikan said...

That was a good write up on well, many things. Loved the way you describe things. And your dogs... They are lovely...

Odd Jeppesen said...

I stopped reading after, "If only she wasn't so alone." I didn't want the mood broken - not by something cold, white and wet.

Maryx said...

'His Royal Demanding and Her Comfortable Highness'

ROFLMFAO!!!!!
Thanks for the smiles! I love that!
Was this with that storm the other day? WOW. We had a huge one here in Centurion but not as much hail though. It really DOES look like a cotton wool factory gone back. =D

Alyson said...

That was a great piece of writing. While I never had those kind of feelings during that time in my life, I still understand them in others. It's difficult for everyone, save the emotionally crippled and selfish. Yep. I know.

Your poor dogs.

Thanks for the offer of meds. If I ever get the chance to visit you, I will, but not for the meds....for the wonderful company and conversation. And maybe booze.

Stacey J. Warner said...

Excellent bit of writing...sorry to hear about your beautiful garden!

ladytruth said...

Judearoo: we don't talk about that time in her life often, but she is married now. Not starting a family yet, but she is happy again.

Peach T: I think they may just have a sneaky suspicion about how precious they are to me and take advantages of that fact ever so often. Then I just mention the name Cesar Milan and they roll over in submission ;)

Ekanthapadhikan: thank you for the kind words. But you know what they say about dogs and their owner? If the dog's cute, so is the owner. If the dog is a bit hideous though, the owner will claim that it was a stray which he merely saved from certain death. Ah, the ego of mankind ;)

FTOZ: good call on that one. Luckily there are pictures for when you become a little curious :)

Mega: yes, I'm sure it was the same storm, but luckily the sun came out for the first time again today. Good bye depressing weather, thank goodness!

OWO: I'm just glad you're feeling better and writing again. I was just talking about you today when Chris came over because you're his favorite blogger; you were the second blog I started following and I use to read your posts to him. Now he asks about you all the time, he finds your blog funny, sharp and informative sex wise ;) So when you do come to visit someday I'm sure he'd be very happy to such an extent that he'll supply an endless amount of booze. Win win situation :)

staceyjwarner: I felt pretty sorry for myself and my garden as well, but two of my petunias have already recovered. Just shows you: life goes on, right?

NR said...

U really know the art if writing...it was very well written n expressed.
This is my first visit to your blog...really loved your work, will definitely come here again!!

take care!!

Jenno said...

Goodness, what a storm! Would've been interesting, but I don't think I would like to be there right now, either!

Unknown said...

I'll give you more than three Hurrays. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!

Especially loved the bit with the pills.

Kaitlyn said...

wow <3

ladytruth said...

Nazish R: compliments replacing the usual greeting? Nice ;) Welcome and thanks for leaving your comment; you're more than welcome to come back.

Jenno: combine hail and heavy thunder with lightning and that just equals heart attack material. But true to our nature this side of the world, the sun is shining again and all will be well with the world soon ;)

Jeve: you are too kind *blushing profusely* The number of hurrays you did indeed give me is the age I will always claim to be ;)

Kaitlyn: oh dear, now that can mean one of two things: you have never seen such beautiful, adorable and lovable dogs before in your entire existence or you admire my commitment by using a tray as a shovel. Being egotistical and all, I'll assume both :)

JennyMac said...

It was haunting and heartbreaking...I like your imagery in that first piece.

ladytruth said...

JennyMac: why, thank you :) Whenever I read something I want to see it as though it were in front of my eyes; if I write what I like to see, I thought maybe I'll be pleasing some readers too :)

The Caped Tirader said...

Hmm...I tried to comment on this the other day, but I guess it didn't work. Miss Lady Truth, as difficult the subject is, that is simply one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I've read in quite some time!!

As for the hail...it sux

Sharon McPherson said...

Great writing. Great story. Great choice of picture (Vettriano?). Well done. :)

You were kidding when you commented on my blog that you hoped I wouldn't find your's boring. ... Not so, love it.

Thanks for your comments, by the way.

Anonymous said...

What a transition! The cute amused doggie made the post more amusing :)

Hurray x 3!!!^^

Farnnay said...

Wow. The first part was just so descriptive and disturbing....


And I'm sorry about the hail. that does suck. But isnt it supposed to be summer over there now?

ladytruth said...

Caped T: I'm glad technical errors didn't keep you away though :) I second your last statement wholeheartedly!

Sharon: good spot on the Vettriano :)

Sashindoubutsu: he is in his teenager years now (in doggy years) and sometimes it really shows. As it did that night, being difficult and rebellious and all.

Constructive A: it's rain season in these parts now and hail sometimes comes with the territory, so to speak, but this was indeed a freak storm which beat the last one five years ago damage wise. Things are looking better already, though :)