Yesterday

Tell Me a Story


YESTERDAY - a collection of ten heartwarming stories.


Contents:
1. The Biker
2. Take Your Partners
3. Forget-Me-Not Days
4. Ben And I
5. A Stroll In The Park
6. Seal Of Approval
7. Tomboy
8. Past Mistakes
9. The Punch And Judy Man
10. The Otter Boy


The Biker
There had been another motorbike-mad lad, who had been special. He’d always had mechanical bits and pieces hanging around, particularly when a teenager. She’d forced herself to join in his excitement, but how she came to detest motorbikes.

Take Your Partners
It was while the lights were down, while they were dancing round very slowly, that he posed the question. She enjoyed the atmosphere, felt as if she was drifting on a cloud. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, she knew how to savour it – yet she didn’t count on the repercussions.

Forget-Me-Not Days
Gran’s notion of her lifestyle had been that it was a rucked old sack in need of smoothing out. She had the ability to put everything into perspective, did Gran. Now there would be no more weekly visits, no more melting moments of magic, no more Wednesday advice.

Ben And I
Mum had been in a foul mood before I left, but I couldn’t really blame her. After our angry exchange, she started on the baking as if it were unarmed combat. Flour powdered everything, and I knew it would be best if I left her to it. Dad might have to suffer her wrath while I was away, but that couldn’t be helped. I wasn’t Mum’s favourite person at the moment, and when swords are crossed everyone has to suffer.

A Stroll In The Park
The little girl brushed her as they passed the big iron gates. For some reason she instinctively knew who the girl was. Suddenly memories flooded in. Memories? A minor indiscretion? Such a small term to encompass tragedy.

Seal Of Approval
The room was dark with shadow. Green velvet curtains, against tiny windows, smothered the daylight. The dark green carpet was well on its way to being threadbare. In the middle of the room, stood a round table covered with lace. An old long-case clock ticked away loudly in the hall.
“It’s great,” Kevin said, open-mouthed. “Just like a haunted house I saw on the TV... Is it haunted?”

Tomboy
Rita rummaged in her bag. She was around fifty and had what Grant once described as a ‘well-worn’ face. Not that he’d meant it in a derogatory way, it was just that… well, she looked sort of…. comfortable.
Because of the way she dressed, she probably appeared older than her years, but she had a pleasant personality, a sensuous voice, and was the mainstay of the local amateur dramatics society. She also had the dubious distinction of being the mother of Dominic Jenning.

Past Mistakes
She searched for a clever reply. It suddenly struck her that Mum was right, she did treat life too lightly. Now was as good a time as any to start being a little more serious. She cleared her throat again, but it didn’t clear the commotion in her head. She knew that what she did now, might affect her life forever.

The Punch And Judy Man
A dozen conflicting feelings raced through me. It was ridiculous that mere words should conjure so much emotion, should drag so many memories into the rawness of the day. You’d think at my age I’d be able to control them. It isn’t as if I haven’t had practice, but it’s hard when I’m caught unawares. It could all have been yesterday, yet sometimes it seems as if it was I00 years ago. I still want to cry, even now.

The Otter Boy
At the bottom of the hill, just before the wood, an old bridge crossed the brook. She paused for a while, watching water babble beneath. Running water fascinated her. She could stand for hours watching it gurgle and chatter – but the water held a secret.