Open Writing

Imagine: Reincarnation happens. Souls return to earth as if to a school or university, to learn Life’s Lessons. Between lives, they exist on another plane, perhaps somewhere among the clouds, receiving criticism and suggestions from each other on where they went wrong, and how they could improve their performance next time…

"Star-crossed lovers? Death-marked love?" snorted Romeo. "You really did a good job of ruining our reputations as level-headed beings, Will – at least on earth!"

"Yes – er – well..."

"Oh, Romeo, don't be so hard on the man!" exclaimed Juliet. "It isn't his fault he was sent to earth in 1550.”

"1554 to 1616, if you must know," interrupted the Bard.

"Whenever," said Juliet, waving the details aside, "What I was trying to say was that it was Will's mission then to entertain people, which he did, embroidering our story rather wildly in the process. He also got a taste of personal success as a bonus. On the other hand, you and I, Romeo, messed up! That's it, plain and simple, and there's no getting away from that fact. I mean – look at our case-study here.” She waved a scroll under his nose, setting the cloud they were sitting on rocking. “We were instructed to do three things: reduce the generation gap, heal the rift between the Montagus and Capulets, which had been cutting lives short for centuries and learn to get on with each other!"

"Well, we certainly managed that last bit okay, Julie! I mean, we fell smack in love at first sight," Romeo leered, "All that stuff that Will put so well about our lips being blushing pilgrims and what you said about a name being only a name, you know the bit..."

"That's just what I mean – here we are reviewing that life and bickering like mad again! But we managed at least one task," Juliet was serious. "I hear the Montagu's and Capulets became friends after we killed ourselves off like that, and the feud was stopped there and then. So that was well-done, at least. But our leaping out of life when the going became a bit rough – that was stupid. And do you call what we did then, ‘falling in love’? Lust, maybe… I mean – in the last four hundred years on earth, the two of us have been together for exactly one night of romance, and one of wedded bliss! No staying-power, that's your problem! I mean – when you thought I'd left you to it, you killed yourself!"

"Ah yes - but what a night of bliss! You were great, Juliet!" She blushed. "And what was that about no staying-power? What about you? The minute I left you alone down there, you plunged my dagger into your heart and joined me here!"

"Well – I mean - what use was it hanging around for another miserable forty or fifty years without you that time round? You'd gone and there was nothing left for me to do! At least I've learnt a few things my last two times on earth. You've just sat up here contemplating the clouds and carousing with Mercutio!"

"Children, children!" said Will, "Enough already! Arguing won't do you any good. Why don't you give it another whirl together on earth? Maybe you'll both learn some staying power – and if you've got time, you can do something about that generation gap!"

Romeo looked at Juliet, raised an eyebrow. She shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?" she grinned – a smile that made Romeo's heart turn over in spite of the way she annoyed him.

He grinned back, a boyish grin that made Juliet's insides melt. "But this time round, no priest, no nurse, no parents, no Mercutio, just the two of us. Having them around really made things complicated. Agreed?"

"Alright. But I refuse to fall in love with someone with a dumb name like Romeo! Times have changed down there! So, whatever you call yourself – not Romeo, please?"

"Okay, but then you'll have to change your name too, or it won't be fair. And no mushy stuff this time round - let's play it straight!" Romeo's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. He was restless. Maybe another adventure on earth would be fun.

"But," interposed Will, "if you change names, how will you recognize each other? It would be silly for you both to be down there and miss each other because of a name change. Oh, and while you're about it, what about being slightly older than you were last time round? You were such silly children, taking everything so seriously. Life is so intense when you're sixteen and fourteen. Maybe if you were older at the beginning of your love affair you'd have a little more common-sense, hmm? Handle things better?" He looked from one to the other.

Again, they looked at each other, golden eyes gazing into grey. Slowly they nodded in unison. "Being older's a good idea," Juliet said. "In my last life, I was twenty-five when I married. It was a good marriage - lasted forty years..."

"Forty years - with the same person! Heavens, Jule, how did you manage it? In earth terms, that's forever!" Romeo was amazed.

"That's what I meant about no staying-power! It's time you learned a thing or two, chum – and I'm going to make you stick to it, just see if I don't!" Juliet's jaw stuck out in a very determined manner.

Looking a trifle less enthusiastic, Romeo grunted. "Alright then, let's get down to the finer points. How on earth will we recognize each other?"

…to be continued next week in Here Comes Treble.

By Isabel Bradley © Copyright Reserved