Frenzied Love

It was his birthday. Did Molly know that? Was her tardiness deliberate? Mike thought back to their first chance meeting just over two months ago now. They had met at a bus stop on one of those beautiful spring mornings when the air was crisp, but the sun was shining. Molly had stepped out of the sandwich shop in St Clements and almost walked straight into Mike, her gaze focused on the ice cream she held in her hand.

First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity.
~ George Bernard Shaw

Mike had noticed Molly’s dress before he actually noticed her. Her attire was not something you could miss. It was a bright red with cream polka dots. He followed the line of the dress up to Molly’s face. Beautiful cerise lips instantly caught his attention and her electric blue eyes made sure he didn’t look away even for one moment. She smiled then and apologised for nearly ruining his jumper with her strawberry Cornetto.

“I’m sorry, I nearly walked into you.”

“Not a problem,” Molly had said still unable to look away. He noticed her Texan accent. “Can I get you another?”

“I shouldn’t really be eating ice cream,” Molly replied. “I’m going to a barbeque.” 

“Not on Chapel Lane?” Mike had asked hoping she was going to the same event he had been heading towards.

“Why yes!” She said pushing a platinum blond curl behind her ear.

The afternoon that followed was fuelled with alcohol, then followed by a frenzied evening of love making, which soon resulted in Molly moving into Mike’s one bedroom apartment above the games shop on the High Street.

Mike lit a cigarette and inhaled the smoke deep into his lungs. He loved the first draw on a freshly rolled cigarette. The nicotine hit was exactly what he needed this morning. He saw Molly sashaying towards him wearing something blue. He paid no attention to her clothes these days. Mike noticed how men turned to look at her as she passed them by. Her favourite perfume, something sickly and sweet, filling their nostrils and making their heads turn. Mike shuddered how he could have gone from loving someone so completely to despising them in less then ten weeks. ‘It’s moving too fast,’ He heard his sister’s words of warning ring in his ears.

“You’re late,” Mike snapped as Molly approached him.

“Am I?” Molly asked; her voice like nails on a blackboard.

“The pub. My birthday.” Mike said

“I have to change. Carry on without me.” Molly waved her hand across her face trying to dissipate the smoke that Mike was blowing in her direction.

“But I have waited for over…never mind.” Mike stubbed his cigarette out under his foot. With clenched fists he walked head down towards Cowley Road muttering obscenities under his breath. He had made up his mind he would break up with Molly today, but then he had said that to himself for the past two weeks. It was just that he hated to be alone.  As Mike debated in his mind, loneliness over a life with Molly, he saw a pair of yellow shoes that made him look up. A five foot four brunette stood in front of him eating a packet of crisps.

“Sorry, I nearly walked into you,” she said.


About the photo: While doing one of my course assignments, I stumbled upon this gentlemen on the High Street in Oxford. The whole setting and him sitting, smoking, without a care in the world, against the red of the store front was just picture perfect.