Photographs And Still Frames In Your Mind, chapter 7
The next few days were a haze. He could remember little of what had happened. He had some how made it home and that was where he had stayed; in his room, feeling nothing but grief and guilt, until he noticed the battered note book on his desk.
He went to pick it up. What should he do with it? Keep it? She had given it to him. "Looked after it," was what she had said. He sat down on his bed and turned the pages, but when he reached the page entitled "What you call 'normal'" he stopped. There was more. And that was the first time he read its ending.
But now I think about it, I laugh!
'Cos I met someone who showed me
You're all trying so very hard
To be the ones that fit right in
And now, in my mind, I do
Because he also told me
It's best to be yourself
For what dose "normal" mean?
Had he really done that?
He turned the page and saw a sketch. Kate was in the center and there was he and Mike standing on ether side of her. They were all smiling, and at the bottom was written one word; "friends".
He turned the final page. Written at the top were the words "Good Riddance" and then in brackets; "Time of your Life", but nothing underneath. Was that how her story was to end? Just a meaningless title on a blank page. That wasn't right. This book, just like life, had to go on. This book was her life.
He had picked up a pen and started where she had left off.
***
Now as he sat there, in the dark by himself, he began to sing softly those words which he had written.
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
He had never been able to tell anyone that it was his entire fault. He could never bring himself to do it and had to live with the guilt every day of his life. He would never be able to forgive himself.
"Thought you might want some company," said a quiet voice from behind him, exactly like it had when he had been sitting next to Kate at the hospital all those years ago. He didn't need to look around to see who it was.
Mike sat down beside him and stared out into the distance with Billie. He didn't need to say anything. Billie glanced sideways at his friend who was quite happy to sit there in silence when he needed it.
Was that it? What he had been looking for? The solution had been right there beside him all this time. Was it so simple? He had kept it to himself for so long, letting it build up inside him.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The distant sound of voices had faded away. He guessed they had gone to bed. The breeze had died away, as thought the night was holding its breath in anticipation, willing him to do the one thing that he had put off for so long.
It was time.
"Mike," he finally said reluctantly.
"Yes," replied Mike.
"Do you remember Kate?"
He went to pick it up. What should he do with it? Keep it? She had given it to him. "Looked after it," was what she had said. He sat down on his bed and turned the pages, but when he reached the page entitled "What you call 'normal'" he stopped. There was more. And that was the first time he read its ending.
But now I think about it, I laugh!
'Cos I met someone who showed me
You're all trying so very hard
To be the ones that fit right in
And now, in my mind, I do
Because he also told me
It's best to be yourself
For what dose "normal" mean?
Had he really done that?
He turned the page and saw a sketch. Kate was in the center and there was he and Mike standing on ether side of her. They were all smiling, and at the bottom was written one word; "friends".
He turned the final page. Written at the top were the words "Good Riddance" and then in brackets; "Time of your Life", but nothing underneath. Was that how her story was to end? Just a meaningless title on a blank page. That wasn't right. This book, just like life, had to go on. This book was her life.
He had picked up a pen and started where she had left off.
***
Now as he sat there, in the dark by himself, he began to sing softly those words which he had written.
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
He had never been able to tell anyone that it was his entire fault. He could never bring himself to do it and had to live with the guilt every day of his life. He would never be able to forgive himself.
"Thought you might want some company," said a quiet voice from behind him, exactly like it had when he had been sitting next to Kate at the hospital all those years ago. He didn't need to look around to see who it was.
Mike sat down beside him and stared out into the distance with Billie. He didn't need to say anything. Billie glanced sideways at his friend who was quite happy to sit there in silence when he needed it.
Was that it? What he had been looking for? The solution had been right there beside him all this time. Was it so simple? He had kept it to himself for so long, letting it build up inside him.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The distant sound of voices had faded away. He guessed they had gone to bed. The breeze had died away, as thought the night was holding its breath in anticipation, willing him to do the one thing that he had put off for so long.
It was time.
"Mike," he finally said reluctantly.
"Yes," replied Mike.
"Do you remember Kate?"
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