Good old days

My writing class was given the task of writing on the theme of waves. This was my effort

‘Dad, I’ve got your favourite. One of those jam doughnuts from the new bakery. I’ll pop it in the oven while I make a cup of tea. You’ve not got that old album out again. You’ll wear it away. I’ll buy you a new one for your birthday.’

‘No you wont, this is too special, so many memories. Go and make that tea and we’ll look at it together.’

Maggie smiled and kissed him on his slightly balding head.

Tea made, doughnuts eaten, with the obligatory jam spilling out onto lips, they settled together on the sofa.

‘If you don’t want a new album how about one of those camera phones. They take great pictures’

A look of shock, horror crossed his face.

‘You can’t put those things into an album, not the same’

He gently stroked the cover and carefully began to turn pages.

‘Look, there’s you and that seagull that stole your ice cream. We had to buy another one and eat it indoors in safety, away from murderous gulls. Do you think gulls were the inspiration for that horror film?’ They both laughed.

‘And there’s your mum. At our wedding.’ A sad smile crossed his face.

‘Strange, so many wonderful memories held in such a small space’

Maggie took over turning the pages, her dad’s arthritis making it difficult. 

‘I’ve not looked at this for ages. I’d forgotten how good they were. Who’s this handsome young man?’

He was immediately taken back forty years.

‘Come on Barry, it’ll look good. You’ll be well in fashion. Just look at the rest of the lads. You’ll have all the girls after you.’

At the pub, with mates.

‘Go to that place on the High Street. They do a great job.’

So Barry found himself peering through the window at ‘that place on the High Street.’

He’d almost turned away but the door opened, a strange chemical smell wafted out and he felt drawn in. The deed was done.

Maggie kissed his head again as he smiled at the photo of the fashionable young man attired in a black leather jacket, black polo neck, flared trousers and topping it all a very curly, very on trend perm.

‘I suppose you’ll be going for the tattoos next. A seagull eating an ice cream would be perfect.’

‘