2129. A creature of habit

Natalie was a creature of habit. She lived right next to a busy road. Naturally, in the evenings, once she turned the light on, she would drawer the drapes. People could see into the house once the light was on, and although she was never doing anything untoward, she didn’t want the passing world watching her read a book or looking at television.

However, when she was ready for bed she would pull the curtains open to let in the lights of streets and traffic. It was somehow comforting and interesting. Other people might find it annoying, but Natalie rather liked it.

Hers was a small place with just the one bedroom. The “front door” was at the back of the house and led straight into the kitchen. For some strange reason the lock on the door had broken. The locksmith was coming tomorrow. But Natalie, for just the one night, felt quite safe. She had jammed a carving knife between the bottom of the door and the kitchen linoleum. It almost acted like a lock. She prepared for bed. She opened the curtains.

There was a sign on a stake on her small front lawn next to the road. The sign read:

I’M IN YOUR KITCHEN.

1722. Sunflowers

Ghislaine’s next-door neighbour was Clotilde. To be honest, the boundary fence was way too close to Ghislaine’s house. It was only two or three steps away from Ghislaine’s sitting room window. Ghislaine planted some sunflowers in the space between in order to give a little privacy.

This worried Clotilde, not because it stopped her from looking into Ghislaine’s sitting room (she didn’t care about that) but because she loathed sunflowers. There was a good reason for this loathing. When she was seven years old her little sister had died and her parents put sunflowers on the coffin during the funeral. Sunflowers had become the unhappiest of flowers.

It’s not as if Ghislaine and Clotilde were enemies. They didn’t dislike each other at all. In fact, when the sunflowers weren’t there, Ghislaine and Clotilde would chat over the fence quite amiably. Clotilde decided to visit Ghislaine and tell her of her sunflower predicament.

Ghislaine understood perfectly. “Goodness!” she said. “I had no idea.” She pulled the sunflowers out at the height of their beauty despite Clotilde saying she would live with them for the season.

They reached a compromise; they bought a high trellis and together planted a beautiful yellow climbing rose. It was the perfect solution and gorgeous to behold!

This mutual and amiable conciliation reminds us all (surely) of today’s politicians.

1435. Demise of a film star

The legendary film star, Fortescue Langworthy, has died aged 97. What an icon!

Two years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Two months back he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and has been receiving experimental treatment in Mexico. He had just returned from Mexico when he came down with pneumonia.

The family have asked for privacy at this sad time.

The cause of death is unknown.