Category SoCS

SoCS March 26/16 – real

freyathewriter 4 Comments

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‘The truth of the matter is that there is no one reality. We all see and remember events through the filter of our own perception’.

Callie remembered when she heard that bald statement as a rookie, a wet behind the ears, oh so very green new recruit at the Security Force training college. It was far too many years ago now to even want to remember how young she had been then, but it still resonated every time she sat down in the windowless room to scrutinise the latest batch of security footage.

Once upon a time, the films had been grainy and only rendered in colour if you were lucky, with no sound at all. Many places were blind spots, with no security cameras in evidence for vast swathes of the country. Now, highly detailed sound and vision was the order of the day, every street, every field, every mountain recorded for posterity. Yes, actual posterity. There was no escape. The media lauded the fact that this sceptred isle was by far the most surveilled place on earth, that no crime would ever go unpunished again, for even the sacred space of home was on the record. All citizens were safe. Apparently.

Callie sighed, rubbing her gritty eyes in frustration. This wasn’t what she had trained for. This didn’t fit her admittedly naive idea of truth and justice.

Yes, the cameras filmed everyone, everywhere. But perception, reason, justification, reality meant nothing to these digital, soulless entities. They couldn’t understand or interpret human emotion. A camera was judge, jury and executioner these days. So much for innocent until proven guilty.

She took a deep breath, and turned off the camera scrutinising her as she worked. She had 3 minutes to destroy the footage she was analysing. Enough was enough. Their reality was no longer hers.

—–

Here’s this week’s entry into Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Those who know my writing, will understand that often as not, I like to head to the dark side. I think that this qualifies!

Please head on over to Linda’s blog to read all the delicious creativity that can be found there.

Thank you once again to Linda for creating this vibrant community!

SoCS March 12/16 – ball

freyathewriter 1 Comment

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She’d gone and done it again, failed to keep track, heck, she’d even written the damned thing in her Filofax, diligently, neatly, in her bullet journal style that had been keeping her life organised for the past eighteen months since things had gone so awry.

But this past week had been so damned hectic – work demands, her bloody sister nagging at her to be a good aunty for a change and babysit the nephew that she really, really couldn’t bring herself to like, for all his spoiled, only-child ways, and then – Leonard. That damned man, swanning in and out of her life like a willo-the-wisp, and even harder to grasp hold of especially when she needed his presence the most.

She took to her bed for an early night, ignoring the pile of dirty laundry, ignoring the dishes soaking in greasy water, hunks of soggy tomato and flecks of ground beef, ignoring the dust bunnies gathering around the dining table legs. Tonight, it was all about her and reruns of Law & Order.

“Yo, Jen! Where the heck are you?”

Leonard. Calling from the pavement below, decked out in black tie. What the -?”

She hauled open the obstinate sash window, grasping her nightgown tightly around her neck against the chill night air. Damn. She must look like hell – no make-up, hair all mussed up, and she was sure there was a smear of chocolate ice cream across her cheek.

“We’re late babe. Why aren’t you ready?”

“For what? You’ve been out of contact for over a week. I thought you’d disappeared on me… again.”

“Don’t be a fool. Come on, glad rags on my girl, our chariot awaits!” Leonard swept an arm out and Jen followed its arc to the limousine shining under the streetlight below.

Oh hell! The ball. Tonight, tonight was The Ball.

Yes, she had forgotten.

She had dropped the ball… again.

—-

Here’s this week’s entry into Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Please head on over to Linda’s blog to read all the delicious creativity that can be found there.  I hope you enjoyed the read.

Thank you once again to Linda for creating this vibrant community!

 

SoCS Feb 27/16 -food

freyathewriter 2 Comments

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He drooled. He actually drooled.

There I was, minding my own business at my usual window seat in Mokka. Saturday morning (early, of course), this was my ritual. Large latte, pain au chocolat, a glass of water. Yes, I know, indulgent, but heck, I work hard all week. This is me time, before I head off into town, to pay bills, do the weekly shop and then return home to take Lizzy to hockey practice, collect Saul from choir practice, and dismally, if I’m lucky, sit down for ten minutes before preparing dinner. We all eat at different times now that the kids are somewhat independent. But most of my non-work life still revolves around them and their wants and needs.

But I digress. The boy was drooling. Watching every morsel and sip that passed my lips. At first, it was an annoyance, this close scrutiny. But then the fact that I was still wearing my scarf, even inside the coffee shop, that my super-insulated gloves were laid out neatly on the table and this little boy was only wearing a ratty old T-shirt and threadbare jogging trousers niggled at my conscience.

I made a quick detour to the counter and ventured outside. The little boy was trudging down the street in front of me.

“Hey!”

He turned round, his guilty look and the fear in his eyes haunted me.

“Sorry missus. Didn’t mean to…” He looked down, shuffling his feet.

I held out my hand. The triple pack of sandwiches balanced on my palm. “For you.”

He looked and frowned. “Don’t like cheese.”

I bit back the words. Ungrateful little sod! But no. He was only a boy, after all. A hungry, cold, little boy.

“Will ham do?”

“Yes, ta. Fanks.”

He wiped at his runny nose with his bare, skinny arm.  “And some chocolate? And a drink?”

We all need to survive, somehow.

—–

Here’s this week’s entry into Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Please head on over to Linda’s blog to read all the delicious creativity that can be found there. This week, it’s all about food! I love food, and it loves reminding me of its presence by clinging to my hips and tummy! So, I thought I’d take a look at those who aren’t lucky enough to enjoy it in the same way. I hope you enjoyed the read.

Thank you once again to Linda for creating this vibrant community!