Fast Fiction: Only Yesterday
So who was the father of bare-legged Susan’s child?
Richard Mallinson tells a tale of undisclosed parenthood.
To read more of Richard’s Fast Fiction please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/fast_fiction/
'It seems like only yesterday,' the woman said.
'What does?' asked the man.
'The fire . . . when Vic Hall's shop went up in flames.'
'Yes, during the war ... we thought it was a German bomb but it wasn't, was it? It was the hot sun that caused the blaze.'
'Hm, so it was . .. the hot sun.'
'And do you remember the girl Vic adopted, called Susan, wasn't she? All of us lads were keen on her and chased her round - '
'Trust you to mention her. She was a right little tart, that one. Always playing up to the lads .. . leading them on.'
'Oh, she was innocent enough . . . she just didn't realise the effect she was having on us with those, er, bare legs, did she?'
'Of course she did, silly. She knew all the time . . . And she ended up in the family way, just as my dad always said she would . . . Then she married Vic's son, Jack.'
'Yes, Jack was keen on her all along but he wasn't the father, was he? If you remember, she always said it was, er, your dad, didn't she?'
'No, I don't rem - '
'Well, it doesn't matter very much now, does it?'
'No, I don't suppose it does . . . Let's go for a walk, shall we?'
