epuisette-Emotion
J'ai croisé mon ex au supermarché, elle cherchait des pâtes et moi aussi, donc même pas moyen de faire semblant d'être pressé. On a parlé normalement, elle m'a demandé si j'étais toujours aux poissons et j'ai raconté un truc sur les incubateurs beaucoup trop longtemps. Elle a souri comme avant, ça m'a fait plaisir sur le moment. C'est après, en rangeant les courses tout seul, que j'ai eu un petit coup de moins bien. On s'est pas quittés en se détestant, parfois je trouve que ce serait plus simple pour savoir quoi ressentir. J'ai rien envoyé. Je lui souhaite pas de galérer, c'est juste que j'avais oublié comme c'était facile de parler avec elle.
chapchap-Emotion
Mon cousin a fermé seul le kiosque et tout était juste dans ses comptes, mais je lui ai quand même posé trois fois la question sur une opération. Il a fini par me dire que je pouvais recommencer toute sa journée si je voulais. J'ai fait une blague, il n'a pas ri. Ça m'a vexé sur le moment, après j'ai eu honte, parce que c'est moi qui lui ai demandé de prendre plus de responsabilités. Je suis fier de lui, seulement quand je vois la caisse j'ai vite le cœur serré et je cherche ce qui pourrait manquer. Je lui ai envoyé un message pour dire que son travail était bon. Il a répondu merci grand frère, très poli, et cette politesse m'a encore dérangé.
针箱-Body
早上穿胶靴的时候，右脚怎么都觉得别扭，还以为膝盖又不利索了，脱下来一看，是袜子在脚底卷了一道。平时出门急，这点不舒服就忍着，走到村里才知道磨得疼。今天重新穿好，在院里走了两趟，腿脚其实还行。下乡回来按规矩换鞋洗手，妻子给我留了一盆温水，我把脚泡进去才觉得脚底发胀，提针箱走坡路的时候反倒没留意。水慢慢凉了，人坐着不想动，肚子却先叫了。她在厨房喊饭好了，我说马上，还是多坐了一会儿。一天到晚摸牲口的腿，自己的两条腿难得这么闲放着，怪舒坦的。
kerf-Emotion
The potter asked if I'd come along to see another person's exhibition, not shift a shelf or carry boxes, just have a look with her. I said yes and then nearly asked what she needed me for. Didn't, luckily. Enjoyed the afternoon, though there was a bowl I wouldn't have put thirty dollars on, let alone what they wanted. She said I could keep that observation between us. Fair enough. Nice being included in something that doesn't require a tool bag. We had a coffee afterwards and she talked about a glaze for ages. I understood about half. Didn't mind the other half much.
کانچ-Mind
کراچی سمندر جانے کی بات پھر نکلی۔ میں کہتا ہوں کام ہلکا ہو تو چلیں گے، بچے پوچھتے ہیں کون سا دن۔ اب حساب لگاتا ہوں تو کرایہ الگ، کھانا الگ، کام کی چھٹی الگ، اور دن طے ہی نہیں ہوتا۔ بیوی کہتی ہے پہلے ایک تاریخ سوچو پھر خرچ جوڑیں گے۔ میری عادت الٹی ہے، پہلے سب پیسے پورے نظر آئیں تو بات کروں۔ اس طرح وعدہ بہت پرانا ہو گیا۔ آج بیٹی سے کہا کاغذ پر صرف سفر کا خرچ لکھ دو، باقی بعد میں دیکھتے ہیں۔ کاغذ جیب میں ہے، ابھی کسی کو خوش خبری نہیں دی۔ سمندر کا نام سنتے ہی چھوٹی اپنے جوتے ڈھونڈنے لگتی ہے، اس کو پھر انتظار نہیں کرانا چاہتا۔
bumwadroll-Emotion
A client asked whether going back to school at my age had been brave. I said it had mostly been expensive, which got the laugh I intended and ended the question. Driving home, I wished I had answered less defensively. She wasn't calling me an elderly mascot; she seemed to be considering something of her own. I'm touchy about the subject because I want people to ask about the building, but I did spend years hoping somebody would ask why I hadn't tried architecture. Both things appear to be true. I don't owe a speech about courage, though I could probably have allowed her more than one sentence.
duedate-Mind
Cataloguing my father's books was supposed to be a matter of titles, dates and the notes he left in the margins. Instead I keep stopping to decide what he meant by a small question mark beside an otherwise unremarkable sentence. There is no way to look that up, which is inconvenient for my preferred method of living. I have started separating what I can establish from what I merely suspect. The second list is longer and more interesting, but I don't want my great-niece to inherit my guesses labelled as his opinions. I did very little actual cataloguing this afternoon. Three books, one argument with a dead history teacher, and no settled verdict.
slickerbrush-Emotion
My boyfriend asked if I wanted him to come to my next bout, and I did the whole casual sure-if-you-want thing even though I had already checked whether tickets were still available. He doesn't know all the rules yet, which is fine, Mom still cheers when I get sent off. It's the idea of looking into the crowd and seeing somebody who specifically came for me that makes me stupidly happy and also a little suspicious. Eight months and I still catch myself waiting for the nice part to run out. Haven't said that to him. Told the dog, who immediately found something more interesting in the gutter.
blueplaster-Body
After night shift I take off the factory gloves and still feel the cold between the fingers. In the van I put both hands on my legs before driving, not squeezing them, just waiting until they feel like mine again. Today at the allotment the sun is already on one side of the shed. I sit there with the flask and let the warmth come through the sleeves. The wrist clicks when I lift the cup but I can hold it steady. I am tired in the eyes more than in the legs. Only water the plants, no digging, then home. My youngest puts her hand on my cheek and says I am cold. Eleven years in sandwiches and still not properly defrosted.
کھلا_پیسہ-Body
آج پوتی کے بالوں میں تیل لگاتے ہوئے وہ فرش پر بیٹھ گئی اور میں کرسی پر، پہلے کی طرح ساتھ نیچے بیٹھنے کو دل کیا مگر پھر اٹھنے کا سارا بندوبست یاد آ گیا۔ گھٹنا صبح سے کچھ گرم سا تھا، چلنے میں اتنا نہیں جتنا کرسی سے اٹھتے وقت کھنچتا ہے۔ اس نے سر پیچھے کیا تو میری انگلیاں بالوں میں آرام سے چلنے لگیں، دکان کے سکے گنتے وقت ہاتھ کچھ سخت ہو جاتے ہیں، یہاں نرم نرم کام تھا۔ چوٹی پوری ہونے پر وہ فوراً بھاگ گئی اور میں وہیں بیٹھی رہی، ہاتھوں میں تیل کی خوشبو تھی، کریم کی ڈبی آج کھولنے کی ضرورت ہی نہ پڑی۔