8/14/2019 Other People's Gardens - Alan Garvey.doc

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OTHER PEOPLES GARDENS

They were alone now. After the previous wee neither new what toe!pe"t. Helen stare# at Sally an# ase#$

%hat shoul# we #o now&

Sally shifte# her wei'ht$ #rew her le's fro( un#erneath her rear an# sat upstrai'ht in the plush ar("hair. A wea$ )anuary sun fell #own a*out herfeet$ "astin' the "lu(p of 'lossy (a'a+ines there into a sa# spotli'ht. She'lan"e# at the($ hopin' to lo"ate the wherea*outs of an arti"le on how tosolve all your pro*le(s in three easy steps.

The lease is in *oth na(es.

That "an *e re,written$ Helen replie#$ -uite "urtly. She stoo# up$ surveyin'the li(ite# #i(ensions of the sittin' roo(. Her eyes$ 'rey fle"e# with sea,*lue$ swallowe# the (ea're #etails in the furnishin's one #ehy#rate#potte# plant$ the too,s(all *oo"ases$ a three,pie"e suite she "oul#vesworn was sewn *y her (other. This house was 'oin' nowhere. Even the"offee ta*le was a*out to surren#er un#er the wei'ht of its "hain(ail suit of"offee rin's. The a""u(ulation of too (any (ornin's spent on the sofa*attlin' for the re(ote.

Sally *e'an to s"rape her fin'ernails "lean$ #roppin' the #irt into an over,si+e# ashtray stolen one rau"ous ni'ht fro( the lo"al *ar.

/( not too sure / want to stay. Too (u"h has happene# in this house tospen# another ni'ht here.

So where #o you want to 'o&

/ #ont now. Anywhere. / 0ust want to leave this *ehin#$ /( soun"o(forta*le with the situation as it stan#s.

An# the point is& 1ou nee# a roof over your hea#. 1ou "ant run away now.

The poun#,shop "lo" on its ha+ar#ous nail refuse# to shut up. Every(ove(ent of its han#s was a repri(an# for not #oin' anythin' or sayin'so(ethin' to fill the spa"e that silen"e too.

Helen re(ove# her horn,ri((e# spe"ta"les an# wale# to the lar'e$ frontwin#ow$ 'ivin' her 'lasses a -ui" ru* with a "orner of *louse.

8/14/2019 Other People's Gardens - Alan Garvey.doc

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Sally spoe su##enly$ harshly.

/( 'la# we #i# it.

Helen ins"ri*e# her initials in the #ust on the win#owsill$ trie# to re(e(*erthe last ti(e the win#ow was washe#$ *efore replyin'$

How #o we (ove forwar# fro( here& 2han'in' 0o*s$ "ity$ lifestyle$ younee# a lot of (oney *ehin# you for that sort of shift.

/ve save# a little on the si#e. /ts in a #eposit a""ount un#er (y (ai#enna(e.

/( not surprise#.

S"hool*oys ru(*le# throu'h other peoples 'ar#ens. /t was an o*sta"le"ourse lai# for their sport of fen"e$ he#'e$ ro"ery an# lawn. They left

*ehin# a wae of tra(ple# flower*e#s an# "hurne#,up turf.

Dis'ustin' "reatures3 Helen let slip throu'h her purse# lips. %hen one *ullof a *oy *ar'e# throu'h a *ush in their 'ar#en she *an'e# furiously at thewin#ow4 (outhin' the air *lue an# 0a**in' her forefin'er lie a stiletto atone little *rave who looe# *a". He replie# with his (i##le #i'it an# ranaway.

5astar#3

She "har'e# at the front #oor$ whippin' it open. Too late. /f she was in a"artoon she woul#ve seen #ust,"lou#s *ut she saw none. %in#owstwit"he# their *lin#s *ut (a#e no atte(pt to open. She hear# thesurroun#in' lau'hter fro( *ehin# every in#e"ent *ush an# i(pro*a*le treetrun$ thin 'rilles of 'ates an# low,slun' ti(*er fen"e. Their #oor sla((e#shut.

Helen stor(e# upstairs to swear at the *o#y on the *athroo( floor. Lyin'fa"e#own$ its ar(s 'ave the i(pression it ha# 'iven up$ *een *a"e# into a"orner too narrow to (anoeuvre a way out of. /ts sull was *eaten$ *ruise#

an# ha# "ave# in *eneath the wei'ht of *lows. This (an$ "la# in a "heap$navy,*lue ro*e an# *o!er shorts$ ha# lost his last fi'ht.