Daddies and Sweets.

It’s
drizzling today – but at least it’s warm.
I sit, legs
dangling on the sandstone garden wall.
I am trying hard, 
to make my final sweet
last, until tea time
yet I somehow
doubt it will.

There’s
a man in with Mama who I don’t recall
ever seeing before.
They
are sitting side by side eating strawberries
I really hope they
save some for me.
Their voices are low – but every now and
again,
I can here Mama laugh.
She doesn’t laugh that
often – I guess
that’s how I notice it so, when she does.
I swallow my sweet, feeling annoyed with myself
for being so greedy.

I wish they would hurry up and finish whatever
it is, they’ve got to say.
Eventually I hear the sound of the
front door being rattled open.
Sometimes in the really wet weather
the door sticks –
Mama hit it with a pick axe once, made
 no difference other than it broke the handle.
For months afterwards we used a spoon
to turn the lock until finally an old friend
 came to fix it –
‘free of charge' Mama said!

Finally
side by side out they came  – he looked full of himself to me.
Mama acted  all surprised on seeing me.
Can’t think why – she had told me to sit there.
She
started making funny head gestures towards the house.
I jumped
down from the wall – but not before
the man  had
strolled  towards me.
I could smell those strawberries on his thick beer laden breath.  
He took some sweets from his pocket, holding them out to me.
Mama
nodded for me to accept – so I took them.
My fingers
soon expertly rummaging
in amongst the bright coloured wrappers
looking  for my favourite.
Some of Mamas words  got a
little lost as I unwrapped the sweets.
However, I think I heard
her say
‘Mary, say hello to your new Daddy’.
 I smiled – at least this one brings me sweets…