A Walk On The Wild Side (400 words)

‘I might as well be a tinned sardine.” The bus lurched to a stop. Grace’s chin met the large shoulder of the guy in front of her. One line of text from his book jumped out at her: ‘What will you do with your one wild and precious life”

‘Nothing wild in my life’ she thought, visualizing the stack of unpaid household bills. For a moment she wondered what being wild would entail.

‘Jumping ship to discover the wonders beyond these shores, with not one euro in my pocket?’ Grace’s smile was tinged with sadness and longing. Truth was responsibilities meant she was careful to colour her life inside certain borders and never, ever, step outside the boundaries. Besides I don’t do wild or mad, not anymore she thought, not since that one night of drunken madness resulted in baby Noah.

Though, she considered, I might become bonkers from stress, boredom or worse lose my patience with this whole system and run naked through the streets. Thinking of the stack of money needed to survive brought a lot of grey thoughts to her mind. Wearing them like a cloak she got off at her usual stop and trudged up the street.

Standing on the threshold of her front door step, she took a deep breath and walked into the grim reality of her daily life. One hour later and Grace was feeling that familiar tightness in her chest. The room was closing in on her. Two pairs of eyes followed her every move: a silent echo of the sadness she felt. For a moment she considered running away.

A glimmer of sunshine sneaked into the room, Grace turned and peered outside. The warmth and comfort beckoned.  Gran looked at Grace pulling hats and coats from the hooks by the back door, “Where are we going? We never go out after tea!”

Grace placed baby Noah on Gran’s lap saying, “Hang on tight to him. We are going to walk on the wild side.”

A puzzled look was shot her way, she grinned as she pushed the laden wheel chair through the door. Then standing in front of them she performed a dance.

“I am going to teach Noah how to make the most of this life, be it wild or precious, we have only one, let’s make it count, eh gran?” Giggling and chortling like two teenagers they set off for the park.

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