UGR - Better late than never (529 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.83 on 26 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Fey (View user info) at 2009-03-19 14:54:15 EDT
Birgitte was older, now. Perhaps even what might be called elderly, but she'd never thought of herself that way. Of course she noticed the lack of spring in her step, the silver of her hair a portent of winter years come, but that was irrelevant. The old cliché has it that you're only as old as you feel, and in that case she'd tell you that she grew into herself, as if finally fitting a child's garment bought too soon, at about age thirty or so.
The years had been firm but fair, definitely not unkind. Birgitte was an elegant, slender woman with timeless taste and an eye for the classical. She lived alone, not widowed never married, and was content. It wouldn't be the entire truth to tell you she'd never longed for the constant companionship of another, but the price had always felt too steep and the few men been who'd been close to her had been left behind; some mourned, fleetingly, some mourning. With the passing of time, they'd been reduced to fond but vague memories, all but one.
She'd filled her life with thoughts and people, colours and scents, moments worth keeping. He had contributed more than any other, which may be why she found it difficult to keep from reflecting on him now. Because, you see, Birgitte is dying.
No, hush your words of pity. She is not miscontent with this state of affairs, and she is in no real discomfort, so save your sorrow instead for those who must live in ways none should be forced to, or perhaps for the precious few whose lives will be the less for her passing, because she needs it not.
But she has one thing she feels she must do. So she has, on this beautiful spring day, carefully retrieved the adress she carefully collected, though she knew not why, all those years ago. She makes sure, with a simple phone call, that it is still current and goes to meet the red bus that has carried her faithfully for so long.
He opens the door barely a minute after her calm press of the chiming doorbell. He has changed, as has she, but is very much as she remembers him. She watches the polite reserve melt into surprise and then further evolve into something approaching joy. She smiles, and his returning smile lights, in that moment, the world.
"You left this at my house." Birgitte hands him a plastic bag with his socks and an old perfume, places a sweet, brief kiss on his cheek and turns on her heel. The sun glints in the curves of her silver curls as she walks to her busstop.
User Reviews
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2009-03-23 16:35:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2009-03-23 10:35:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Mr_Trollope (user info) at 2009-03-23 07:38:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Judgement (user info) at 2009-03-23 07:24:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by maiorano84 (user info) at 2009-03-21 22:07:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Better Nate than lever.
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-03-21 21:01:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"It wouldn't be the entire truth to tell you she'd never longed for the constant companionship of another, but the price had always felt too steep and the few men been who'd been close to her had been left behind; some mourned, fleetingly, some mourning. With the passing of time, they'd been reduced to fond but vague memories, all but one."
~~~~~~~
Impressive.
Submitted by BranDo (user info) at 2009-03-21 16:55:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
great, just great.
Submitted by Ducky (user info) at 2009-03-19 20:16:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
smiles
Submitted by YourNameHere (user info) at 2009-03-19 18:08:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by no1hasdis (user info) at 2009-03-19 17:03:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Birgitte? WTF kind of name is Birgitte? This would have been +2, but that name ruined it, I'm trolling this shit and burying it with -2's.
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2009-03-19 17:01:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2009-03-19 16:40:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-03-19 16:36:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:49:24 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:39:07 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:32:47 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
love the 4th paragraph
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EI should be President.
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He would grope all the girls
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like they wouldn't want that
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Well they'd be drugged, no choice.
Submitted by TheGoat (user info) at 2009-03-19 16:29:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very Good.
Submitted by SkullBiter (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:56:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nods
Submitted by sage104 (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:52:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well written.
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:49:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:39:07 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:32:47 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
love the 4th paragraph
-----
EI should be President.
---
He would grope all the girls
--
like they wouldn't want that
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:42:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome...
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:39:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2009-03-19 19:32:47 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
love the 4th paragraph
-----
EI should be President.
---
He would grope all the girls
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:36:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was delightful.
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:32:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
love the 4th paragraph
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EI should be President.
Submitted by UltraNinja (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:28:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
You would've had me for the win if she punched him in the face.
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
love the 4th paragraph
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:23:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I want to -2 this really bad and see you fly off the handle in some catastrophic, yet funny way. Say, why does HE have perfume?
Submitted by HateMudkips (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:10:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
...??? hehe
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2009-03-19 15:04:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ok, that's funny.