Art by Katherine 2018
Mary was looking for a belt as her newish heather coloured trousers were much too big.
Suppose they fall off in church, she wondered.Why,I must have lost weight!
Now, her mind said, you are not going to church.
Well, she replied,you never know what I might do on a whim.
You can’t change me,her mind answered.
Am I schizophrenic,Mary thought?
No, her mind said, you are in touch with our unconscious
Mary decided to wear the trousers anyway topped with a blue silk top and pair of navy blue suede Mary Janes. She poured a jug of cold water over her head as she felt too hot.Then she picked up Good Housekeeping from the chair where her friend ~Annie had left it.
“What to wear over 50” it said.
Over 50 what?Woollen vests,fifty jumpers or 50 denier underwear?
The clothes were astoundingly expensive.Shoes £250,skirt £381.Top £560.
Well,Mary thought,I’ll just have to wear my old clothes.Anyway, they looks better than these; they are trendy but too obvious.
She rang Annie.
Oh, cried Annie,I thought it was Stan!
I know Stan was your lover,Mary said, but he is dead
Sometimes I forget,Annie replied.
Me too,cried Mary.Are you coming with me to Church?
We never go to Church,said Annie
Well, may be it would be a good idea to see what its like nowadays Mary muttered
Will we need hats?
No, you can go in pyjamas and trainers now!
That’s not very nice.Though God won’t mind,I am sure.After all, we were born nude,Annie said in a thoughtful tone
Don’t tell me you want to go to Church nude,Mary whispered
No,I am too fat and ugly now,Annie murmured
You are not ugly, to me .Mary said
Don’t tell me you are bisexual ,said Annie.
Everyone seems to be heading that way.Mary informed her
It’s just a cult,Annie cried
Do you mean occult?
I don’t know what I mean.I open my mouth and sentences come out
Not death sentences,Mary teased her
BTW I didn’t like that magazine.You can take it away.
Well,I will take it to church to read during the sermon,Annie decided
Things are more liberal now but reading Good Housekeeping in church is not right unless it is on your phone,Mary said.
Why is it alright on your phone? Annie said mulishly
Because it might be a sin but you are not corrupting others.That is another sin
Why,I’ve not heard the word “sin” for many years,Annie pondered
No, but sin still exists.You only have to look at the Middle East to know that.Or the Yemen, the USA, the UK.,Mary said saucily
Original sin is what we are born into in our society, so you might have been born in white South Africa and if you are white you are immediately going to pick up attitudes of a racist nature.And if you were black you would be oppressed by empathy with your parent’s oppression and grow up feeling inferior and maybe angry
And in England? Annie asked
Let’s not even go there! Mary replied
But we are there! Annie told her
It’s just a saying, a cliche and a funny expression
Can”t we be more original ? Annie asked in desperation
We could if we decided to make the world just and fair,feed all the children and close the armaments factories and the companies who make instruments of torture.And get rid of the tabloid press
A hard job,Annie said sadly
Well, the longest journey begins with the first step!
What an original idea!
And so pray all of us.
How my heart sings 