three.
“He simply didn’t live up to our expectations — is all. I admit he almost did. But there was always that little bit missing. Pity, I must add,” said Mrs Spencer to a friend of hers, in the nearly industrial-sized kitchen in her summer residence, making sure that the staff of the catering service busy filling trays with finger food wouldn’t overhear her — not that they were interested or, two of the three present at the time, had the necessary level of English to understand the host’s whispered words in a noisy environment.
— —
“Looked like it’d never finish. But then, all of a sudden, it did,” were the unexpected words of Mike, 37, photo journalist working for major national press outlets, to Amanda, 23, final-year student of archaeology and not entirely sure what Mike was talking about, the exchange having been a shallow-but-good-natured pillow-talk after a night that they’d both forget very soon, although while they had their heads resting on those pillows, they might have entertained different ideas, some of which could have been described as ‘future prospects’.
— —
“She was your mother. You’ll never forget her. Or how much this is costing you,” Dr Bern, to his son, Dr Bern, walking solemnly in the first row of mourners, following the hearse of Mrs J. Jones, two marriages after Mr Bern, the elder, reminding his son, Dr Bern, the younger, that Mr J. Jones, or any of his family, would never have the funds to bury his (Dr Bern’s, the younger’s) mother, or the intention to pay, even if they had the money for that fairly expensive burial in the country’s capital.
*
All three utterances saying precisely the same — if you ask me. “I’ve not been around, I’ve been absent. Damage was made, it occurred, no matter the intention. Hugs, unseen tears of forgiveness and tentative attempts of reconciliation might be necessary, or welcome, at least.”
‘Meaning,’ in my opinion, has not much to do with the words offered as explanation or relief. ‘Meaning’ does not emerge as your vocal cords formulate the sounds that make up what a voice recorder may capture. ‘Meaning’ had been established ages ago or will become relevant in the future, at a point in time neither the speaker nor the listener will be able to place with any certainty.
*
Just a note to self.
