On days of frustration, beware the futile fury that burns when queues are as long as red tape and parking spaces are few. On days when nothing’s achieved, beware the muted rage that despises the stranger for taking your place in a lane or a line, that resents the day for passing. On these dogContinue reading ““Do not despise the day of small things””
Tag Archives: Christmas
No Ghosts This Year: A Story of Advent #1
hen holidays came, it would be okay. But for now Philip just had the long waiting days. The sun deceives us, he thought, into believing it’s holidays before it is. Last weekend he had made the mistake of sitting out on the verandah with his book, like he used to do with his sister inContinue reading “No Ghosts This Year: A Story of Advent #1”
Damascus Road Prayers: Advent 1
He rose up like a shoot before Him, a shoot from the parched earth; something spoken secretly occurred openly today. (St Ephraim the Syrian, Nativity Hymns 1) TV screens bear children’s prayers to a jolly man in red. My wish list is as full as my cupboard; my spirit is silent today. From department storeContinue reading “Damascus Road Prayers: Advent 1”
Pageant Part 9
Excited though everyone was about the pageant – the first that would not consist of a mawkishly sentimental song which they would all have to pretend to enjoy – the real feature on which everyone’s anticipation was focused was the fact that Grant and Sue would be there together. “I bet she thinks he’s changed.”Continue reading “Pageant Part 9”
Pageant Part 8
There were two more rehearsals before the day of the pageant. The children whose parts had been changed and who had new lines to learn were willing to go along with the secrecy demanded of them by Kim because they felt sufficiently special now that they had been promoted from entirely superfluous extras to speakingContinue reading “Pageant Part 8”
Pageant Part 7
“They drive me up the wall,” said Kim, when they were back at her house. “Tell me about it,” said Craig. “They’re worse than the kids.” This was not the first time that town friction had almost ruined something Kim had tried to do. The Book Week parade earlier in the year had very nearlyContinue reading “Pageant Part 7”
Pageant Part 6
Perhaps a word needs to be said here to clarify the past. Difficult though it always is to untangle the truth from everything that everyone else has said, it needs to be recorded that, though Grant had seemed to all intents and purposes to become what is commonly called a nut, he and Sue hadContinue reading “Pageant Part 6”
Pageant Part 5
While Braydon and Kassie debated the merits of his drinking Coke, Braydon’s teacher was in a debate of her own. The town grapevine was more efficient than any telecommunications network could manage and the news had already reached her that Braydon’s father was in town. Kim was relatively new to the town. Moving to VictoriaContinue reading “Pageant Part 5”
Pageant Part 4
Grant looked at the mug, then up at Sue. “Thanks for the tea,” he said. “No worries,” she replied. “When do the kids get home?” “Soon.” “How are they going?” “Not bad.” Then, “Braydon fights too much.” “Does he?” “Yep.” “I’ll have to have a word with him then.” “You can try.” A pause. TheContinue reading “Pageant Part 4”
Pageant Part 3
Braydon felt conflicted about his father. Over the years, he had taken something of a bullet defending a man whom the whole town hated. But his stories of his father’s superpowers had done nothing to aid the cause. When he had told his friends that his dad was coming to town that Christmas, they hadContinue reading “Pageant Part 3”
The Consolations of Writing 