Two empty cans of soft drink, both with the ring-pulls snapped completely off.
Three-quarters of a mandarin, peeled, with some segments mashed. Five more mandarins still inside the orange mesh bag.
Small jar of peanut butter.
Side plate.
Coffee mug.
A baby’s singlet, stained.
A packet of wipes, unopened.
A large but nearly empty bottle of sunscreen; the only brand he’s not allergic to.
One ring-pull accounted for.
Two stale slices of Tiger bread, inside a perforated plastic bag.
Six chairs in two designs. Laminate, veneer, wood, and screws.
Crumbs.
At last the house is quiet. TV on, but turned down low. Lights off, except for one.
amazingly gripping ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Efi
DeleteTakes me right back - sitting amid the detritus of the day/week/month/life in the almost dark and late still bothered or maybe to tired to be bothered by that missing damn ring-pull! Got me right in.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lizz. I hoped that each detail would imply some untold story that I was too weary to tell.
DeleteI love this, Lesley!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob.
DeleteLove it. Captured so well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah. These are my Queensland holiday poems. Lots of kids, chaos and exhaustion.
DeleteThanks Sarah. These are my Queensland holiday poems. Lots of kids, chaos and exhaustion.
Delete