Ringgggggggggggg, ringgggggg ......
The ringing of the telephone permeated Lynne's senses as she edged herself out of the bath and grabbed the fluffy blue towel from the floor before hurrying to answer the incessant noise. It wasn't every morning Lynne had time to relax in the bath, but she could be sure that the very day she had no pressing engagements with the vacuum cleaner or the dentist or hairdresser the phone would spoil the moment.
"Hello," she breathlessly intoned down the plastic mouthpiece. No reply. "Hello, are you there?"
There was a silence from the other end; that silence evidence of a connection not terminated. Lynne wondered if she sounded abrupt in her greeting. She hadn't anticipated a phone call at that hour of the morning and after a late night catching up with Annie's news; she was not exactly wide-awake. Lynne didn't envy those who woke sharp at daybreak and had their housework completed by breakfast time. In fact she felt sorry for them. She never had the worry of what to do next. There were always chores that needed completing and not enough time in which to tackle them.
Lynne drew in a deep breath, relaxed and once again said, "Hello, Lynne speaking."
"Good-morning Lynne," a cheery voice responded.
A long list of names flitted through Lynne's mind. Who was it on the other end? Not one of her friends who phoned regularly and with whom she enjoyed a natter and general catch-up of the latest gossip. From the deep recesses of her mind a glimmer of light was forcing its way to the surface. Was it Heather? How many years since she had heard from her, yet she knew Heather lived on the edge of town? Heather was a busy woman. She was in this little group and that little group; her name appeared frequently in the local rag with details of her latest helpful community work. On the committee for Stop Smoking Now, secretary to a group that helped teenagers whose parents had given up hope for their offspring. These teenagers, more often than not, didn't need an outsiders' help, just a little extra attention at home.
"Oh, good-morning," Lynne replied, "lovely morning?"
"Long time no see," chirruped the reply. "It's Heather speaking."
"Heather, how are you?" Lynne hoped Heather wasn't recruiting her for some committee or other. Committees meant more time from Lynne's busy day, and committees were not high on Lynne's list of priorities.
"Fine Lynne, just fine," replied Heather. "I just thought I would give you a phone call."
"Good," replied Lynne. "And how is life treating you?"
"Oooh you know me Lynne, always busy. Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while."
Lynne smiled to herself. For a while! It must be 30 years since she had passed more than a few words with Heather. They had worked in the same office upon leaving school, but Heather was ambitious even in those days, quickly working her way up the office hierarchy from junior to personal secretary to Mr Williams.
Lynne, content to stay in the typists' pool met Roger and married just before her 21st birthday. They lived in their modest, homely bungalow and raised three children who now had all left home to make their own way in the world.
Heather had married one of the junior partners in a legal firm. The marriage failed when Heather met an out of town judge whom her husband brought home to dinner. He had a wife in the city, and after a brief fling with Heather, departed when promoted to the High Court in the capital. Heather re-married a highflying businessman and from all accounts led the life of a social butterfly.
"It has been years Heather," murmured Lynne. "I hope life is treating you well?"
"Never been better," gushed Heather. "Later this morning a landscape gardener is coming to give the garden a make-over. Cottage gardens are so old hat now, and Eugene decided, with a little nudge from me, that an Italian garden would be wonderful.
You do know Lynne that our property lies so well to the sun and is sheltered from the prevailing winds. Of course we paid a lot of money for this life-style block. Are you still in the same little place? It must be almost over taken by industry now? I hear there is a vast growth of engineering firms springing up everywhere down your way."
Lynne stifled a yawn. Ho-hum, it seemed as though Heather was on one of her little excursions into being unkind. Lynne had heard, via the grapevine, that Heather was wont to unkind comments. Still, surely that didn't warrant a phone call?
"You are keeping well Lynne?" Heather enquired.
"Never felt better Heather," Lynne hid a little smile and winked at Annie who had entered the room. "I am enjoying a visit from Annie. You remember her? She is our second eldest and celebrates her 25th birthday tomorrow. Before heading home to Washington and her hubby and little son, she found enough time to visit her father and I for a few days. She has been here on business."
"Oh," replied Heather. Heather hadn't time to rear a family in her pursuit of a life of the rich and famous. "That's nice."
"It's wonderful," replied Lynne. Roger and I are so immensely proud of her. Did you know she is ambassador for the Red Cross and in that capacity travels worldwide in the hope of persuading governments to increase their aid to poorer nations? Of course it is all pie in the sky, but she does her best, and such a selfless task is to be admired."
Lynne looked at Annie who was gesticulating wildly in an effort to work out who her mother was speaking to.
Lynne could sense Heather's evaporating warmth, but was curious as to the reason for the call.
"Heather, is there anything I can help you with?" she enquired.
"Well," replied Heather, "I was wondering if you have any baby clothes to donate as I am looking after a young family which has not long moved into the area. They are new settlers from Asia and find the temperatures a trifle cool. The baby I am especially worried about, and as you have long finished having a family, wondered if there were any little jackets or bootees you could donate?"
"Oh Heather," Lynne replied, "I am sorry, but as you say, it is over 20 years since my last baby and I donated all the clothes in decent order to the Salvation Army years ago. So sorry to be unable to help."
"Thank you Lynne. There is someone at my door. Byeeee."
Lynne placed the receiver back onto the wall and leaned, shaking with laughter, against the chair.
"Mum," said Annie, "was that Heather? What on earth did she want?"
Lynne folded her hands carefully over her pregnant stomach, giggling as she replied, "She was fishing Annie, fishing."
The ringing of the telephone permeated Lynne's senses as she edged herself out of the bath and grabbed the fluffy blue towel from the floor before hurrying to answer the incessant noise. It wasn't every morning Lynne had time to relax in the bath, but she could be sure that the very day she had no pressing engagements with the vacuum cleaner or the dentist or hairdresser the phone would spoil the moment.
"Hello," she breathlessly intoned down the plastic mouthpiece. No reply. "Hello, are you there?"
There was a silence from the other end; that silence evidence of a connection not terminated. Lynne wondered if she sounded abrupt in her greeting. She hadn't anticipated a phone call at that hour of the morning and after a late night catching up with Annie's news; she was not exactly wide-awake. Lynne didn't envy those who woke sharp at daybreak and had their housework completed by breakfast time. In fact she felt sorry for them. She never had the worry of what to do next. There were always chores that needed completing and not enough time in which to tackle them.
Lynne drew in a deep breath, relaxed and once again said, "Hello, Lynne speaking."
"Good-morning Lynne," a cheery voice responded.
A long list of names flitted through Lynne's mind. Who was it on the other end? Not one of her friends who phoned regularly and with whom she enjoyed a natter and general catch-up of the latest gossip. From the deep recesses of her mind a glimmer of light was forcing its way to the surface. Was it Heather? How many years since she had heard from her, yet she knew Heather lived on the edge of town? Heather was a busy woman. She was in this little group and that little group; her name appeared frequently in the local rag with details of her latest helpful community work. On the committee for Stop Smoking Now, secretary to a group that helped teenagers whose parents had given up hope for their offspring. These teenagers, more often than not, didn't need an outsiders' help, just a little extra attention at home.
"Oh, good-morning," Lynne replied, "lovely morning?"
"Long time no see," chirruped the reply. "It's Heather speaking."
"Heather, how are you?" Lynne hoped Heather wasn't recruiting her for some committee or other. Committees meant more time from Lynne's busy day, and committees were not high on Lynne's list of priorities.
"Fine Lynne, just fine," replied Heather. "I just thought I would give you a phone call."
"Good," replied Lynne. "And how is life treating you?"
"Oooh you know me Lynne, always busy. Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while."
Lynne smiled to herself. For a while! It must be 30 years since she had passed more than a few words with Heather. They had worked in the same office upon leaving school, but Heather was ambitious even in those days, quickly working her way up the office hierarchy from junior to personal secretary to Mr Williams.
Lynne, content to stay in the typists' pool met Roger and married just before her 21st birthday. They lived in their modest, homely bungalow and raised three children who now had all left home to make their own way in the world.
Heather had married one of the junior partners in a legal firm. The marriage failed when Heather met an out of town judge whom her husband brought home to dinner. He had a wife in the city, and after a brief fling with Heather, departed when promoted to the High Court in the capital. Heather re-married a highflying businessman and from all accounts led the life of a social butterfly.
"It has been years Heather," murmured Lynne. "I hope life is treating you well?"
"Never been better," gushed Heather. "Later this morning a landscape gardener is coming to give the garden a make-over. Cottage gardens are so old hat now, and Eugene decided, with a little nudge from me, that an Italian garden would be wonderful.
You do know Lynne that our property lies so well to the sun and is sheltered from the prevailing winds. Of course we paid a lot of money for this life-style block. Are you still in the same little place? It must be almost over taken by industry now? I hear there is a vast growth of engineering firms springing up everywhere down your way."
Lynne stifled a yawn. Ho-hum, it seemed as though Heather was on one of her little excursions into being unkind. Lynne had heard, via the grapevine, that Heather was wont to unkind comments. Still, surely that didn't warrant a phone call?
"You are keeping well Lynne?" Heather enquired.
"Never felt better Heather," Lynne hid a little smile and winked at Annie who had entered the room. "I am enjoying a visit from Annie. You remember her? She is our second eldest and celebrates her 25th birthday tomorrow. Before heading home to Washington and her hubby and little son, she found enough time to visit her father and I for a few days. She has been here on business."
"Oh," replied Heather. Heather hadn't time to rear a family in her pursuit of a life of the rich and famous. "That's nice."
"It's wonderful," replied Lynne. Roger and I are so immensely proud of her. Did you know she is ambassador for the Red Cross and in that capacity travels worldwide in the hope of persuading governments to increase their aid to poorer nations? Of course it is all pie in the sky, but she does her best, and such a selfless task is to be admired."
Lynne looked at Annie who was gesticulating wildly in an effort to work out who her mother was speaking to.
Lynne could sense Heather's evaporating warmth, but was curious as to the reason for the call.
"Heather, is there anything I can help you with?" she enquired.
"Well," replied Heather, "I was wondering if you have any baby clothes to donate as I am looking after a young family which has not long moved into the area. They are new settlers from Asia and find the temperatures a trifle cool. The baby I am especially worried about, and as you have long finished having a family, wondered if there were any little jackets or bootees you could donate?"
"Oh Heather," Lynne replied, "I am sorry, but as you say, it is over 20 years since my last baby and I donated all the clothes in decent order to the Salvation Army years ago. So sorry to be unable to help."
"Thank you Lynne. There is someone at my door. Byeeee."
Lynne placed the receiver back onto the wall and leaned, shaking with laughter, against the chair.
"Mum," said Annie, "was that Heather? What on earth did she want?"
Lynne folded her hands carefully over her pregnant stomach, giggling as she replied, "She was fishing Annie, fishing."
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