Castle Writers
Out of the Cocoon
Athlone 2020
Mystery Man Mary examined the scruffy-looking man who was sitting directly opposite her in the cold, dilapidated waiting room of the bus station. His face looked vaguely familiar to her. He was tall and thin, had hunched shoulders, unkempt hair, with stubbly growth on his jaws and chin. She reckoned that he was in his early forties, something near her own age. Mary was a tall, large-boned woman aged forty-five. She had dark brown hair, cut in a youthful bob. She had blue eyes and a lively confident look about her. She was very sporty; she walked, cycled and had run some marathons. But her real love was dancing. Her week was not complete unless she got in at least two or three dances. She followed all the latest country bands and loved jiving to all the fast music. She couldn’t wait to get on to that dance floor! She was of an independent nature and somewhat restless and always said that she never intended to get married and she didn’t. The man stared back at Mary. The more she looked at him, the more she felt that she had met him somewhere, perhaps many years before. Although he had a slight menacing air abut him, Mary decided to speak to him. “Are you going on a holiday?” She asked, noticing that he had a rather large black suitcase beside him. “Yes” he said, “I’m going to Spain. I’m hoping to get a job there, maybe hotel work. There’s nothing for anyone in this darn country and I love the sun” he added quickly. “I’m going to Spain myself, on holiday” said Mary, brightly. I’m joining a group who do set-dancing there, in Benalmadena”. “I’m going to the costa too” he said, “Maybe we’ll bump into each other and have a trip around the floor together”, Mary smiled but did not answer. I hope you’ll be dressed up and look smart then, Mary said to herself as the bus arrived. She took a front seat and he went to the back. Mary met her friend and former classmate Nora at the airport. Nora was a fair-haired stylish lady of forty-four. She had a plumpish figure and was of average height. Apart from her family, nieces and nephews, she loved animals and had cats and dogs always. She lover Art and had many paintings to her credit. She also loved to travel abroad two or three times a year. She was a magnet to men with her easy nature, but somehow she had not met the right one to date. 49
