Monday 30 April 2012

Jack and Jill: Chapter One

I thought I would share this story in small bits. Hope you enjoy.




It was just another Tuesday morning for Jill. Her alarm clock began its beep-beep-beeping at 6am sharp. As is always the case, Jill put her feet to the floor without thinking about what she was doing. Heaving her slightly overweight frame up, she stumbled sleepy-eyed along to the washroom to pee and have her shower.
Every work day morning Jill showered, it was the only way for her to find consciousness. The hot water encouraged all her senses to come to awareness. It did not need to be a long shower, but on this early winter Tuesday morning, she was moving at a snails pace. After 30 minutes of suds and water Jill stepped from the bathroom to her closet to get herself dressed for another day of work.
Coffee in hand, work clothes on, lunch packed, and IPod in its case, Jill stepped outside. Bright winter sunshine forced her to squint as she dug through her purse to find her sun glasses. The air was crisp and the snow that covered the January ground was still fresh and white. Jill could not help but to feel the beauty of the day.



No one could describe Jill as anything less than pleasant. As she walked towards the bus stop located directly in front of her apartment building, she smiled softly as if she was remembering a pleasant encounter. When people walked passed her she always made eye contact and greeted them with a hello or some such phrase. At the bus stop, Jill stood shoulders-turned-in to fight back the cold as she waited for the 7:38am heading downtown to the city core. She worked in the London Life building on Queens Avenue.
Jill had been making this morning journey for 25 yrs. She planned to stay put now until she retired. She remembered when, as a young 30 something she had begun to look for another job thinking she was becoming stagnant at London Life.  Jill was never really sure what the prompt was, but at the same time she developed a discontent feeling, London Life offered her the first of a four promotions she had received in the last 15 years. She knew she was a good employee, a trustworthy employee. The type of employee who came to work early regardless of the weather, and who could be counted on to stay late when the need was there. She was focused and of sound mind. Jill knew this about herself. But where was that bus? At last; here it comes.

© Holly Ballantyne May 2012