Copyright Bjorn Rudberg
Reaching the end, neither will fathom why they ever began.
“Have a nice life,” he’ll murmur, with uncharacteristic civility, returning his door-keys.
“Don’t be a stranger,” she’ll say, hoping to God he will, and resolving to change the locks anyway.
Perhaps she’ll expect that crushing wave of ‘alone-ness’, no longer being, or having ‘a significant other’. When it doesn’t happen, she’ll realise they’ve each been on their way somewhere, just sharing the ride for a while.
She’ll see him again, years later, both married then.
They’ll smile, not stopping to talk.
They’ve been good to go… for far too long.
Christmassy hats (for that’s what I saw) reminded me that this is a season of the year for reviewing the past and contemplating the future. So this piece reflects too many Christmasses during which both activities were studiously avoided. The lovely Rochelle guides Friday Fictioneers towards the end of 2017 with her characteristic aplomb. Thank you, Rochelle. It wouldn’t be the same without you.
castelsarrasin 
I love the way you twisted that last line
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Thanks Neil. 🙂 Merry Christmas!
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A time for reflection and it seems an amicable separation. Makes quite a refreshing change from the usual drama of Friday Fictioneers tales! A familiar slice of real life subtly told. Hope you have a Merry Christmas Sandra.
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All too familiar for a lot of people, I guess, Iain. Hope you too have a lovely Christmas.
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Yep, it happens
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More often than we tend to imagine, I’d say. 😉
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Indeed!
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The end was expertly done, Sandra. Good one.
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Thanks, Varad.
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Dear Sandra,
Absolutely stunning piece. So much said in a few words. I fear it’s a common story for many. I do understand why some couples divorce after 50 years…they no longer have anything in common. The last line is a slap in the face.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sometimes it’s so much easier than we’d have ourselves believe, facing the truth and taking back control. And sometimes it’s not… Thank you Rochelle, for your kind comment.
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…So, leave your partner now and beat the Christmas rush? Got it! Thanks for the sage advice. My embittered soon to be ex-partner also thanks you!
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Uh-oh. Don’t do anything rash on my account, Martin. But on the other hand… 🙂 Have the best Christmas possible.
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Breaking up isn’t always hard to do 🙂
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It’s not, but those who’ve yet to do it would never believe it until they have. Thanks for reading.
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Sometimes you just say “good-bye” and move on. Especially when you’re older, the prospect of not being in a relationship isn’t that scary.
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For young people, long term relationships take them out of a particular social set, all their friends are couples… it looks a bigger problem than it turns out to be.
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I think it’s a bigger problem relative to stage of life as a younger person where the general expectation is marriage/long-term commitment and having children. Once you’re at the “grandparent” stage, it’s not particularly critical if the relationship goes south.
That said, my parents married when they were both 20 and my Dad died one day short of his 85th birthday. Mom is lost without him.
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It was similar with my mum. But now, age 92 and five years after my dad’s death, she’s starting to genuinely enjoy some things again. I hope your mum also finds some zest for life again.
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This is the first Christmas without Dad so it’s going to be especially hard on her. Thanks, Peggy.
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This has a ring of familiarity about it for me, right down the very last line! Excellent.
Click to read my FriFic!
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Written from hard experience, Keith. As is most of my stuff… apart from the murder stories you understand… 🙂
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I adore your writing, Sandra.
This story too is no exception. Superbly told. I love the matter-of-fact narration here rather than the emotive narration that I usually adopt for my little tales.Very effective, indeed.
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Third person narrative lends a detachment. I originally did it in first person, but it felt wrong. I’m glad you enjoy reading, Moon.
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Loneliness. A sad thought
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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I’m sure it wasn’t all bad, just not enough good to hold onto. They’ll be happier apart than together, and they both know it. Masterfully written.
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Thanks Russell. I like that – not bad, just not good enough to hold onto. 🙂
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Excellent piece. Sad and contemplative. The road not traveled is filled with yearning and regret.
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And opportunity. Thanks for reading.
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Brilliantly done, Sandra. Having lived a very similar situation, it rings so very true. Sometimes we just exist together and know that we’ll both be better off apart. Another memory.
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It’s the time of the year for revisiting memories, I think. Thanks for reading, Dale.
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😊
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Love how they both felt glad that it was over… the changing of locks added so much. Sometimes it requires a lot of water under the bridges.
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Sometimes it does, Bjorn. Great photo, thanks.
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I always enjoy your third person pieces! Someday I’ll poke a toe into trying it. Very nicely done. Merry Christmas!
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Thanks for reading Alicia. Have a good Christmas yourself!
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I love the barely concealed antagonism at their parting and the veneer of civility. The contrast with the look into the future is very moving. “They’ll smile, not stopping to talk.” That really touched my heart!
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Edith. Have a good Christmas!
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What a refreshing take on not just the prompt but also relationships. It is so easy to forget that holding on can be much crueler and sadder than letting go and moving on at times.
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And it always looks so obvious after the event. Thanks for reading.
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Marriages often go this way. You spend years together without any real connection or bonds until one day you decide to call it for what it is and separate. I love that it was amicable despite the hidden true feelings, which I suspect reflects on the nature of their past relationship.
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Thanks for reading, Fatima.
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Good story! Insightful. Sometimes relationships outlast their expiration date!
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Indeed. It was lovely to have you back this week, Jan. 🙂 Have a good Christmas.
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It was a positive outcome for all in the end, even if they took too long to reach that moment of parting. They couldn’t quite pull apart, but knew they shouldn’t be together. I loved that even though we start sour – the lock changing is a telling detail – they both reach a better place with other people. Regrets – yes – but not enough to marr the future. A lesson learned perhaps.
Merry Christmas, Sandra
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It’s always so clear to outsiders, just not to those who can’t quite bring themselves to see it for what it really is. Have a good Christmas yourself, Lynn.
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Always easier to see the truth from the outside of a relationship. Thank you Sandra
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A stunning last line. Merry Christmas, Sandra.
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Thanks for reading Neel.
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I love how the beauty of life can be captured in snippets like this. This is so poignant and real. Life is all about reflecting ad seeing things for what they are and EVERY moment and person has it’s/their place no matter how sad its ending or its moment of remembering. Thank you – this was lovely x Merry Christmas! x
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Thanks Anna, and have a lovely Christmas yourself!
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Strange how that can happen, one minute sharing everything, the next two completely separate people.
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Life’s rich tapestry… 😉 Have a good Christmas!
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I believe Christmas stress often kicks a marriage into oblivion.
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Yes, sometimes the need to be festively happy reveals precisely the reasons why you can’t. Have a good one, Liz.
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Sometimes the people in our lives are just a season. We need every season, but eventually it’s time to move on to the next one. Both seemed to understand that and the necessity of moving on. Good for both of them. It’s time to try a different hat.
Merry Christmas!
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That’s good. just a season. Some of us have quite a few seasons under our belt, and hopefully it’s all leading somewhere good. 🙂 Merry Christmas to you too.
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Your story flowed easily with great depth. It contained much meaning with so few words. I love the part, “they’ve each been on their way somewhere, just sharing the ride for a while.” This resonates with me and I’m sure with others, as people come into our lives for a time and then we leave or they do. Creating moments that are only for a time and often for a purpose.
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Thanks for reading and giving me your thoughts Brenda. Yes, there’s something to be learned from everyone we meet. Even if it’s only how not to be. Have a good Christmas.
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poignant story. the last sentence said it all.
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Thanks for reading. merry christmas!
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Very well done. Time shows it was happening all along. Sounds like a good thing
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It certainly sounded overdue. Have a good Christmas, Laurie.
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You too Sandra!! 🎅
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Beautifully done with humour, sadness and drama all thrown in.
And with this line, “resolving to change the locks anyway”, some practicality too 🙂
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Never lose sight of the details… 😉 Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Sandra, this is a story well told. One that many people can relate to. Good job
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Thank you Susan. I’m behind with my visits this week but I’ll be doing something about that today. 🙂
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It happens like that (if you’re lucky) but it seems so odd that you can easily be so distant with someone you were so close to. Your story shows how perfectly natural that is.
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I passed the subject of this piece a few years back. He was entering a pub, I was leaving. We nodded. Thirteen years, and we nodded. But it was OK.
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Such a poignant end of year piece. I love that last line, and the idea of sharing the ride but not going forwards together. This is one to re-read and pull a little more from each time.
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Thanks Sarah Ann. I love that comment. Will be visiting yours later today.
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“They’ve been good to go…for far too long.” – I love that line!
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/tend-to-your-knittin/
Scott
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I wasn’t sure people would get that, but I think it’s a great phrase that says it all in a dismissive kind of way. Thanks for reading. I’ll be round to yours shortly.
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🙂
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That’s beautifully written, Sandra, with a killer eye for the significant detail. It’s a real model of how to write a Drabble.
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I absolutely loved your story. The line: …they’ve each been on their way somewhere, just sharing the ride for a while… that really resonated with me. Thank you.
I’m going to resume writing stories with FF in the New Year.
Happy Christmas!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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So much in so few words again, Sandra. Merry Christmas, see you on the other side
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I remember the feeling. At my time of life, I wonder if the BF’s of the past are still living. I’ve moved several times so have never met them again. Good writing as always, Sandra. Merry Christmas. 🙂 — Suzanne
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To me, the sadness lies in the anti-climactic outcome. But then again, such endings are better than explosive/dramatic ones for the people involved. Powerful writing, especially the first and the last lines.
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