Thursday 12 October 2017

Friendship




Every idiot alive is on the roads today
Grey drizzle streaks the windows.  That windscreen wiper scrapes and squeaks
Going to be late.  My gritted teeth are giving me a headache.
I pull into the car park.  My colleague taps the window.
"I'll make coffee" she says.
"Haven't time." I growl.  She shakes her head at me and laughs.
"Two sugars in yours," she quips and walks away.
I mutter under my breath, stare at my phone.
A number starts to dial itself under my fingers. 
I nearly stop it...and then I don't.
A ring, two rings, three.
"It'll be the answerphone," I grumble, cradling the phone.
And then it isn't.  And my friend is in the car with me.
We don't say much.  Never do, really.
He makes a joke, I laugh.  Asks about my husband, mother, son.
We say - again - we must meet.  Try to not make it so long.
I ask about a mutual friend - the news not good.
We hold each other invisibly for a minute - a hug of many miles.
He says something kind, we both smile.  Say our goodbyes. Hang up.
Actually - it's not raining any more, is it?
My headache seems to have trickled away with the rain.
And I'm not truly late
I lock the car, walk into work.
That coffee she's made smells really good.




Words copyright Sister Tiberia 2017

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