Daily prompt: The Clock

Daily Prompt: The Clock   http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/daily-prompt-clock/

Write about anything you’d like. Somewhere in your post, include the sentence, “I heard the car door slam, and immediately looked at the clock.”

I heard the car door slam, and immediately looked at the clock.  5.47 PM.  He was late, again, as usual.  No surprises there.  He rang the door bell and I composed myself for the inevitable excuses he’d make when I opened the door.  In a moment of caprice I picked up a paper party whistle one of the kids had plonked on the hall table when they’d returned from a birthday party days ago.  It was one of those roll up kind that extend when you blow them.  I opened the door.

‘So sorry I’m late,’ he said.  I blew the paper whistle in his face. It made a whining noise and  stopped centimetres from his nose.  He looked at it in surprise.  The whistle slowly deflated back to its rolled up state.  ‘I got held up,’ he said.   I blew the whistle again.  This time I had moved forward so that, fully extended, the whistle touched the tip of his nose.  I had blown harder and the whine was louder this time.  It sounded more expressive I felt. I turned and walked back into the house.  He followed.

I walked right through to the backyard.  A crow cawed from a leafless tree.  A white plastic shopping bag hung limply from a lower branch.

‘This is pointless,’ I said.  I blew the whistle again then tossed it away petulantly.

‘I agree,’ he said.  ‘It’s a story started by events beyond our control.  We played along for a bit but now there’s nowhere left to go.’

‘Let’s end it,’ I said.

‘Yes lets,’ he agreed.  He turned and walked back the way he had come.

‘It’s because there’s nothing on TV,’ I said by way of explanation.

‘There never is these days,’ he said and left the house.  I heard the car door slam, and immediately looked at the clock.  5.53 PM.  Amazing how little time it can take to change your life sometimes.

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