Neighbourly Chat

“Lovely day,” she calls out to the neighbours

“Certainly is, come round for a coffee

And we’ll sit out”

So they sit and chat

About many matters inconsequential

And laugh about family foibles

Their son joins them

Young, newly qualified

In his first job and just home for the weekend

“We’re thinking about getting a carpet in the kitchen”

they say, “That special sort.  What do you think?”

“Oh it’s marvellous,” she says

“I got it last year but it has caused some problems.”

“Why so?” they ask

“My dentures don’t fit properly,” she says

“And as money was tight it was carpet or dentures”

They all laugh

Then in the blink of the eye

The son is on his knees at her feet

“Let me see,” he says with a deft movement of his hand.

She looks down and is mortified to see

her dentures lying in his hand

She had forgotten

He had qualified as a dental technician



Charlie’s Pencils

Here sit I

Within my hand an old photograph

“Not old” you cry

“Twas taken but yesterday”

“Old!” say I

For upon the face contained therein

I see but lines and wrinkles

and hair besprinkled grey – Old indeed!

And there sits he

with a quiet slow smile for each and all

upon his knee a pad, within his hand a pencil

His gaze strays from face to face

until it lights on the one whom his attention takes

He smiles! – He sees

both with his outward eye

and with the one within

from eyes to fingertips in but an instant

And later, curious

we turn the pages

and recognise here a smile there the hair

And then we turn and see a young woman

hair youthfully flowing lips in a singing smile

“Who?” say I

“You!” say all

Here sit I

Within one hand an old photograph

within the other a youthful sketch

Excitement bursts forth

my heart leaps within me

for now aware am I

that whilst camera cannot lie

Charlie’s pencils can!