Daytime umbrella

They had dragged him here unwillingly. He understood every good reason to come; the grandchildren would have opportunities never afforded to him. He stood by as his children slaved away to give the younger ones any and everything. The so-called opportunities had soured into spoiling. They were brats. It was an imposition that he tolerated.

Slippered man

Had it been a good life? He wasn’t so sure. To everyone else he seemed accomplished, if he was truthful to himself, it was over compensating that had got him that far. The early traumas had spurred him to do better, but still lived within him like it was yesterday. Now that he had no real power to live up to, they cobbled him. It would take a mysterious turn of events to take him by surprise and realize that he still had more to give.

Walking under king bridge

Being asked to show someone the proverbial ropes was a notch down. Changing her outlook just made her feel foreign and out of place; her face, a mask with its plastered on, outlined smile, her clothing like semi soft exterior of a cockroach, chaffing as she tried to keep it together. With her position being usurped she thought hard and fast about her next moves. And they were to be deadly.

CBC cityscape

Cheerfully she embarked on her day with eagerness. In the face of city cool she wore her excitement on her sleeve. Other colleagues, also like her, from far-flung small towns, faked it like they had spent their lives here. They pitied her positivity and hid their hunger and desire to be the best. It was easy for her to spot the chinks in their armor, and with this knowledge she ploughed forth to win.

Gun poster

It was seductive. People would respect him like this, carrying the ultimate accessory. They would have no choice but to take him seriously. Reinvention could do it, he thought, but it would be a lot of work. He frowned thinking of the serious commitment involved. And lazily talked himself out of it.

Suede boots

She hated waiting and doubted he was worth it. Minute by minute led to further fuming. No one wants to stand around and her mother once said ringingly “never wait longer than 15 minutes for a man”. Other men were starting to look at her funny, slyly trying to make eye contact. She got madder, shifting her weight from leg to leg, trying to take a diffident stance. As he rounded the corner, sweating while he rushed, she melted and instantly forgot how she had steamed.

Tulip

She lay there as inert as possible, holding her breath but observing it all. It was her favourite spot, the one where she felt alive and in colour. This view eclipsed any fear and ugliness that had tried to find it’s way in. The beauty of it, textural and layered, bright and elegant, was her reminder.

Clothesline

He carefully surveyed what was destined to be his. The excruciating years of taunting and teasing, of hiding out in the dark corners and enduring bottom of the barrel status had ended. The scrappy gang of boys had grown up, most had left, he had stayed, begrudgingly at first, then with subdued acceptance. It had come slowly but the keys to the kingdom were finally his.

The urinal

It was a mistake bringing her here. He could barely smell the perfume in her hair anymore, just the acrid scent of men. That would not impress her. He stole a look at her face and saw that luckily she was ensconced in being with him, which was appealing. If he could get her out before she realized it he could delete this awkward moment and illustrate that she meant more. She knew that and never held this mistake against him.

Fan in front of face

She spent most of her time acting invisible, seeing herself in black and white. Hours were spent contemplating her bearings as she watched the rush of colours streaming by every day. It was starting to look desirable to jump into this river of life where the rest of the world seemed to be, but she remained cautious, occasionally dipping her toe in simply to test the temperature. When it felt right she stepped in. Her colour returned and she never looked back.

Creepy manaquin boy

He had left suddenly and silently. She picked up as best she could, running things with unconscious control. Numbness seized her like an evil puppeteer’s hand, forcing her way though the darkness. As the grip released she found joy in hidden moments of humour and soon others caught on making life breezy and bearable.

1970s playboy

He shrugged off his possessions without a second thought and faced his future with resolve. He thought his visual attitude toward life would be enough but he found he needed to support that. He shamefully hid the discrepancies since it glaringly clashed with the personality he was creating. That's what started all the trouble.

High heels

Things might change if her saw her this way, primped to the nines. Her desperation faded, as she owned this new self-presentation it to a point that she easily absorbed. The difference was empowering and she liked the power in the feminine sway it gave her. He instantly became less important.

Buildings and sky

Nothing would keep him down. The sky gave him that sign everyday and it was how he passed his time in a positive manner. These glimpses let him dream away while locked down in the concrete bunker that had been his hold for far too long. His mind went beyond the block walls to call up these images and imagine his future. It was a simple thread through the complicated web in which he dwelled.

Airplane

They had advanced much further than She ever thought possible. If only they knew how close they really were it would likely hobble their progress. They enjoyed the striving, the adventure of discovery and the press toward the unknown. Like fish swimming upstream, it had become innate. She let them have that knowledge, keeping the pure discovery of herself hidden.