When Spades aren’t Spades.

It has been the longest time since I put anything up here and that is entirely as a result of fear and partly laziness. The following piece is loosely based on an incident that I saw happen. So, here goes…

 

The young man who was engaged in the scuffle was winning. Of course he would. He was stronger and heavier. People stood around looking in disgust at the spectacle before them. If said man had been among them, he would probably have passed judgement as well. He had no scruples, however, as he energetically hit the woman holding on to his shirt – delivering a slap here and a jab there. A few individuals tried to stop him but they failed in their attempts. He was enraged. He couldn’t hear the shrill voices of the women standing by calling him a coward and telling him to try someone his own size. He couldn’t hear the men telling him to stop and think about what he was doing. The only common feeling in everyone present was shock.

Few of those standing around would have understood that it didn’t begin on that day. It started the day he looked at the other girls with pretty hair and make-up only to visit her the next day when she was half ready. It started the day he started opening doors for every other girl except her because he felt she could take care of herself. And the day he coldly shut her up when she wanted to tell him about her day. The time he had rebuffed her advances and had told her he was tired. The night he had flung the dishes against the wall and left her in tears. The feeling of wanting to slap her when she tried to ask him why he was so angry.

The woman let go of his shirt and fell to the ground in a heap heaving dry sobs. She covered her face with her arms and a few of the women rushed to her to console her. He made his way through the crowd and entered the house. He didn’t make eye contact with anyone – only staring straight ahead. He couldn’t really understand what had happened but he knew that it had ended.

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    Most of us would agree that his actions were foolish but how many times do we end up doing things we never thought we’d do? Please let me know what you think.