James smiled at the woman that stood tall and confident at the end of the bar. He started to walk towards her, like a lion slowly eyeing up his prey.
As he approached her, he was trying to think quickly of something to say.
For he was not really as confident as his swagger made out him to be.
“Hello” he said nervously. Then suddenly a older gentleman appeared next to the woman. James, had a sudden sense of this wasn’t meant to be, so he quickly continued passed the woman and the man beside her.
The bar was busy that night and for James it was like looking into a sea of people.
As he was feeling a little uncomfortable at this point, he decided to make his way out of there. Now frantically looking around for an exit sign.
He hailed a taxi from outside the bar, giving his destination to the driver as he relaxed in the back seat. Settling in for the long ride home.
As the taxi passed familiar landmarks, feelings of yesterday came flooding back to James.
Looking through the window of the taxi to his left, stood a diner.
A familiar place that he use to know. It was a place that held many memories, ones that he couldn’t forget.
No matter, how hard he tried.
James and Clara had known each other since they were teenagers. Growing closer in their friendship, month by month year by year. Their personalities clicked straight away, with both of them having things in common and sharing a similar sense of humour to.
It was like two souls finding each other, through a connecting beacon of light.
As their friendship become stronger and they grew closer and loving relationship soon blossomed.
For years they were happy, with no sudden changes to their situation. As they were each other’s worlds.
Then one day the tide turned and the closeness that was once there, began to evaporate.
The diner had always been a special place for the both of them. A place where they could meet regularly, a place where they would celebrate their triumphs.
A place to go to when they each needed so desperately, to reconnect with themselves. Working things out in a single space, clearing out the debris, that was there.
James, felt the weight of those last few months, when they were still together.
He recalled the last words exchanged between them and he recalled how he felt in those forever lost moments from that time.
“How sad how something so special, can suddenly become so discarded.” those words spoken in his mind, rang like a loud door bell.
He pictured Clara in his mind, as he watched that scene play out again. As though watching it, for the first time.
As she raised her voice in frustration, with those last four words she’d spoken to him… “ I lost you too!”
James, reached into his pocket for a tissue and slowly wiped the sudden teardrops from his eyes.
He still felt the emotional torment that was still so apparent. Like a piecering knife straight into the heart.
Yesterday, has very much in the past for both of them.
As James, reached into his jacket pocket he read from a piece of paper that Clara had written on. saying…
“For all pain is relevant in life, as we go through everything that we do. We will adjust at some point in time, hopefully.”


(15/08/23)














© Josephine Daniels.