Writing for Fun
February 2023
From My Window - Lynn Gale
I watched from my vantage point as the man from No 15 glanced around furtively, before emptying his carrier bag of empty bottles. He placed them into the bin one at a time to avoid making that tell-tale sound of glass on glass. Task completed, he headed to the gate, no doubt to replenish his stock.
By midday, a group of boys in low-slung jeans and thick-soled trainers had congregated in the car park at the rear of Tyndale Court. Shouting, smoking and heads bobbing and weaving in time to the tinny sound of music from a mobile phone.
Mum had rushed out the door two hours ago, late for work again at Flora’s Garden Centre, ‘Be a good boy, Charlie; I’ll be back soon.’ Since her argument with Dad, she always seemed to be putting in extra shifts. We’d moved into the small, cramped flat a week ago, and I hated it; I missed our house with our big garden so much.
Two girls had joined the boys, leaning against an old Ford Zephyr, the one with braided hair and pink leggings took out a packet of cigarettes and made a big show of taking one out,’Gotta light?’ she held it up to pink lips, looking towards the boy with a red bandana.
‘Sure,’ he smirked at his friends as he took a small lighter and flicked the wheel. A blast of flame shot up, forcing her to jerk backwards. The boys whooped and pushed each other.
‘Idiot!’ She screamed, ‘Why don’t you grow up!’
‘Ah, sorry, Kadie,’ He put an arm around her as she glowered at him. ‘It was just a joke.’
‘Not funny, Jaden.’ Her friend with cut-off denims and green boots gave him a disapproving look.
Laying across the window seat in front of the second-floor window, I contemplated my life. ‘It’s not fair. When we lived with Dad, I was always outside, only coming home for meals. Mum says it’s too dangerous around here, and I’m stuck indoors.’
The girls were dancing now, their movements in perfect synchrony. One of the boys joined in, over-exaggerating the steps. They laughed at his clumsy efforts. One of the girls glanced up, sensing she was being watched. She smiled when she saw me and gave me a wave. The smallest of boys gave me a two-fingered gangster sign and laughed.
The caretaker appeared, speaking to the group. 'People are complaining;' he told them, ‘you need to move on.’
As they sauntered away, the boys sounded off a few expletives. The girl in the boots gave me a last wave and a beautiful smile as they left.
I yawned and closed my eyes, ‘Who could I watch now?’
A familiar car pulled into the carpark, Mum stepped out of the vehicle, and then the driver climbed out. Dad! I jumped off the chair and headed to the door. After what seemed an age, the key turned in the lock and Dad was here. I leapt into his arms.
‘How’s my Charlie boy?’ he laughed, ‘I’ve missed you mate.’
‘And Dad’s here to take us home, Charlie, Mum smiled.
I purred in delight, back to my old haunting grounds, a perfect Cat’s life.