This is an extension of a previous character description that I have extended. Who knows, maybe the next post will be a finished story!
The jingling increased in volume with each step. Then it stopped and was replaced with shuffling and a clatter as something was placed or dropped to the ground,
“Can I have a hand please?” followed by a knock knock knock.
I opened the door. Her face was a foot off the floor, looking up at me as she grasped for a too-full tea tray. Everything on it was attempting to slide off in sympathy with the mousy lady’s glasses, which she now caught as they attempted their escape.
She grabbed the tray and wrestled herself into an upright position.
“Thanks, erm tea?”
I gestured at the sideboard.
“OK”, she put down the tray rather heavily and took an assortment of things from it. A large bunch of keys, a phone and some folded papers. She spun on her heel and attempted to make a hasty retreat.
“Wait.”
She tried hard to look collected as she recoiled, hastily smoothing a stray hair out of her eyes. The smile appeared too late and was forced.
“Sorry, yes?”
“Are you in a rush?”
“There’s a lot on today, so I want to get it all prepared. Sorry. Have I forgotten something?”
“No. No, that’s all fine. Our next break is at 12, can we have more tea then?”
“Yes, that’s on my schedule.”
“Thanks”.
She leaves in a flurry, the tray flapping at her side. The extra few seconds provided me with what I need. I extract a salt and pepper hair from the carpet and carefully wrap it in a tissue and put it in my neat pocket.
I make sure the door is on the latch, there are no windows, no glass pane in the door. The fluorescent tube hums softly, making a slightly electrified environment.
I work quickly. Take a sock out of my lap top bag, remove my heels, balance on the marshmallow of the padded chair and stretch it across the smoke detector that is in the centre of the ceiling. I then remove three yellow, stinking tallow candles from the bag, light a wick and start pooling wax into the extra saucer I requested. I move the lit candle across to another wick and hold it, dripping over the saucer until it catches, then stand it in the wax. Repeat one more time. Now there are three candles, with their flames dancing. I turn off the buzzing light and let the shadows dance up the walls.
I check again to make sure I look perfectly corporate today in a small hand mirror. My lips are red and sharply edged, my hair is smooth and gently waved. I smile slightly and place the mirror to the left of the candles. I close my eyes. You are going to have a great day, I whisper, as I begin to allow the shape of the young lady who brought the tea in, to form in the mirror of my mind.
As her wavering image sharpens, the candles flicker becomes steady, the flames’ light intensifying. I see her hastily checking her list, pouring coffee from a percolator jug into a flask. Her hand slips and the coffee splashes on her white blouse. She puts the jug down swiftly and swears, checks her watch and storms out.
“Calm.” I mouth. “Calm, feel the balm of time stretch and caress you. Remember that you are not being you today. You will not be remembered for making tea, but for something else. You are not this person, this is an act you are putting on to make money.”
She mops the front of her blouse. Looks at the mirror, her face is slightly tear stained. She turns on the tap and splashes her face whilst gulping at the icy water. She smiles at herself.
By the end of today I will have transformed this woman’s life. It usually just takes the seed of an idea to make the tendril of creativity grow, take over, envelope and strangle its victim. I might even have time to fit in one more ‘meeting’ later today. I will check to see what last minute bookings I can make later. But now… I check the time on the loudly ticking wall clock. 11am. Time for a cup of tea and then, when she comes back at 12, I can do some ‘face time’.
The jingling increased in volume with each step. Then it stopped and was replaced with shuffling and a clatter as something was placed or dropped to the ground,
“Can I have a hand please?” followed by a knock knock knock.
I opened the door. Her face was a foot off the floor, looking up at me as she grasped for a too-full tea tray. Everything on it was attempting to slide off in sympathy with the mousy lady’s glasses, which she now caught as they attempted their escape.
She grabbed the tray and wrestled herself into an upright position.
“Thanks, erm tea?”
I gestured at the sideboard.
“OK”, she put down the tray rather heavily and took an assortment of things from it. A large bunch of keys, a phone and some folded papers. She spun on her heel and attempted to make a hasty retreat.
“Wait.”
She tried hard to look collected as she recoiled, hastily smoothing a stray hair out of her eyes. The smile appeared too late and was forced.
“Sorry, yes?”
“Are you in a rush?”
“There’s a lot on today, so I want to get it all prepared. Sorry. Have I forgotten something?”
“No. No, that’s all fine. Our next break is at 12, can we have more tea then?”
“Yes, that’s on my schedule.”
“Thanks”.
She leaves in a flurry, the tray flapping at her side. The extra few seconds provided me with what I need. I extract a salt and pepper hair from the carpet and carefully wrap it in a tissue and put it in my neat pocket.
I make sure the door is on the latch, there are no windows, no glass pane in the door. The fluorescent tube hums softly, making a slightly electrified environment.
I work quickly. Take a sock out of my lap top bag, remove my heels, balance on the marshmallow of the padded chair and stretch it across the smoke detector that is in the centre of the ceiling. I then remove three yellow, stinking tallow candles from the bag, light a wick and start pooling wax into the extra saucer I requested. I move the lit candle across to another wick and hold it, dripping over the saucer until it catches, then stand it in the wax. Repeat one more time. Now there are three candles, with their flames dancing. I turn off the buzzing light and let the shadows dance up the walls.
I check again to make sure I look perfectly corporate today in a small hand mirror. My lips are red and sharply edged, my hair is smooth and gently waved. I smile slightly and place the mirror to the left of the candles. I close my eyes. You are going to have a great day, I whisper, as I begin to allow the shape of the young lady who brought the tea in, to form in the mirror of my mind.
As her wavering image sharpens, the candles flicker becomes steady, the flames’ light intensifying. I see her hastily checking her list, pouring coffee from a percolator jug into a flask. Her hand slips and the coffee splashes on her white blouse. She puts the jug down swiftly and swears, checks her watch and storms out.
“Calm.” I mouth. “Calm, feel the balm of time stretch and caress you. Remember that you are not being you today. You will not be remembered for making tea, but for something else. You are not this person, this is an act you are putting on to make money.”
She mops the front of her blouse. Looks at the mirror, her face is slightly tear stained. She turns on the tap and splashes her face whilst gulping at the icy water. She smiles at herself.
By the end of today I will have transformed this woman’s life. It usually just takes the seed of an idea to make the tendril of creativity grow, take over, envelope and strangle its victim. I might even have time to fit in one more ‘meeting’ later today. I will check to see what last minute bookings I can make later. But now… I check the time on the loudly ticking wall clock. 11am. Time for a cup of tea and then, when she comes back at 12, I can do some ‘face time’.