Writer's Notebook

Standing in front of the photo George's mind went back those twenty years... back to Margaret smiling back at him as he captured her sunshine smile, her hair blowing slightly in the wind, her eyes sparkling as they teased with him. That had been their one date together and George had never understood why she'd never wanted to out with him again. They'd remained good friends, but every time he suggested something special, she'd declined.

What was she like now? Would he even recognise her? From his brother he knew that her lot had not been an easy one. If only... but regrets were of no use now. They had made their choices and lived their lives. And his hadn't been a bad one. If only he'd found that someone special to share it with. Reluctantly, his eyes left the vision in front of him. He was in no mood for browsing around the rest of the exhibition and so he turned and left, greeting the smart lady at the entrance desk in passing.

Margaret hadn't really noticed the stranger when he came in. Over the past few days she had seen too many different people to care. Maybe, some had been at school with her; in her class even. Strange that you can spend five or six years with someone and yet fail to recognise them twenty years later. Not that she'd ever had that good a memory for faces.

The stranger was now standing intently in front of her photo. That intrigued her. Was it someone she knew? Pity she couldn't see him properly from where she was standing.

George had been head over heels in love with her when he took that photo. And she'd enjoyed being with him. But when he asked her out again, she refused. "Slow and steady wins the race..." as the saying goes, but back then Margaret hadn't been interested in the slow and steady. She'd wanted excitement. And excitement was the one thing George didn't have to offer. So she'd looked elsewhere and found it; so much of it that she'd got burned, leaving her scarred for life.

As she looked, the man turned and made his way towards her. Greeting her kindly he stepped out into the street, whilst Margaret remained rooted to the spot in shock. And by the time she did react, it was once again too late.

Let's just hope for them both that all good things (including meetings) really do come in threes, and that the next will not be twenty years in the making.