Sean Walsh

Wee Wet Blue Eyes

God, but she was a gorgeous child… I can just see her!..

Pig tails flying in the wind, freckles framing a ha’penny nose as she hop-hop-hop scotched with the other children, safe on a tarmacadam road, secure in a quiet cul-de-sac in snug suburbia…

I eased into second gear, swung round the corner, pulled up at our semi… I was getting out, reaching for jacket and brief case, when she sighted me… A squeal of delight and she was dashing forward, eyes dancing, face radiant, knowing I would turn to meet and greet her, sweep her up and into my arms, shower her with –

Suddenly she tripped, pitched, sprawled.
A stricken silence – then the pain, shock, sobbing embarrassment…

Oh, Daddy… Daddy!

I hurried forward… lifted, carried her indoors… the other kids turning away, suddenly quiet, awkward, nodding in silent sympathy…

There, there. Hush, love, hush. Sssshhhhh… Show me: oh, dear, dear…

Your poor palms and your knee, bleeding… Come on, now, come on…

Ssshhh, wee one, ssshhh… Sure, we’ll have you right as rain in no time…
I’ll sponge away the grit and grime and there’s  plasters in the kitchen
press where we keep the cough bottle and the linament…

No, no it won’t hurt. I would never hurt you, don’t you know that?..
No, nor let anyone else hurt you…
My girl, aren’t you?.. You got a fright, that’s what it is…

Hmmm?.. What’s that?.. Tripped? No, no you didn’t trip, Jenny.

No, the road jumped up and hit you, that’s what happened…

Bold. Bold road… There now, see?.. You’re smiling, again…

Yeah! And, and laughing!.. Jenny… My Jenny… Wee wet Blue Eyes…

 

(from Jenny One, Two, Three… chapter six of

Notes on the Past Imperfect.  Amazon books.

Also on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords.com)