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Absent
Absent
Terry left his work boots at the door,
that sorry expression on his face,
with lines of weary ageing misplaced
on the floor by his boots or on his forehead for grieving. His daughter, Jayne,
was aborted or that's what he was told. Now here he was meeting Jayne and his
very own grandson for the first time. No one speaks over tea
and biscuits. Jayne’s not sure what to say, a golden ring hanging from her necklace that he
bought in his twenties and disappeared when Michaela, her mother, left. Terry never thought
Michaela would give it to the daughter that he never had a chance with, that never knew
he loved her. Terry’s arm was in a sling and his eyes were filling water. His grandson
played 'toy cars' on the floor. Jayne watched him fondly, and Terry wished it was her
playing on the floor, some ten years before, when he should have been a father. [/font]
Terry left his work boots at the door,
that sorry expression on his face,
with lines of weary ageing misplaced
on the floor by his boots or on his forehead for grieving. His daughter, Jayne,
was aborted or that's what he was told. Now here he was meeting Jayne and his
very own grandson for the first time. No one speaks over tea
and biscuits. Jayne’s not sure what to say, a golden ring hanging from her necklace that he
bought in his twenties and disappeared when Michaela, her mother, left. Terry never thought
Michaela would give it to the daughter that he never had a chance with, that never knew
he loved her. Terry’s arm was in a sling and his eyes were filling water. His grandson
played 'toy cars' on the floor. Jayne watched him fondly, and Terry wished it was her
playing on the floor, some ten years before, when he should have been a father. [/font]
Published 1st Apr 2011
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Anonymous
1st Apr 2011 10:39am
This is incredibly powerful and I'm not fully sure why. I'm resolutely child free but there was something very tender in this piece that rose above mere human regret or folly. Thank you
1st Apr 2011 11:09am
