A little catch up with me; I’ve moved to a
different apartment building just up the road, yesterday was my first day
settling in and unpacking. I was also sick yesterday with a touch of Pharaoh’s
Revenge. So that is why Cassie didn’t make an appearance on schedule. It’s also
why there hasn’t been much activity from me on this blog, which I will remedy a
bit this week.
I had another lovely review for Letters, which I will share here:
Customer Review
 Rediscovering Happiness,
By
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Letters to Myself (Kindle Edition)
“Letters to Myself” is a story self-rediscovery. It is the account of a woman emotionally trapped in an abusive relationship who needs a little professional help and the encouragement of enduring friendships to find a way out.
Advised to keep a diary of her thoughts, the heroin of this tale, Cassie, keeps a running story of her experiences: a story of her life from endless pains to cherished hopes. And she comes with children. Sheryl Lee offers such a realistic account of marital abuse—and the way Cassie rediscovers happiness and freedom—that one forgets this is just a novel. Did I say 'just'? Ms. Lee's work would make an exceptionally good study source for discussion in a support setting for women who find themselves, as Cassie, entrapped in a brutish and insensitive marital relationship. I might be one of few men who have read “Letters to Myself”—and I read primarily non-fiction. But I found myself thinking this reads like a real story of a real person. I kept my emotional fingers crossed that she would rediscover happiness. A great read! |
On Friday we are travelling so expect some
foreign blogs – well I know this is a foreign country but to me it’s become
more like home, so I don’t think of it that way any more. Next week we will be
in the UK, in a cooler climate. The UK is softer, pastel colours in my mind,
not the strong bright colours here.
Anyway, here is Cassie, out for dinner with
Saffron. This episode will give you an idea of why Saffron will soon have her
own book.
I studied the gaudy range of colours in the
glass that had just been set down in front of me. It came complete with a slice
of melon and a strawberry, anchored with a toothpick and attached in a way that
was not immediately clear to a tiny umbrella.
If this drink had been a wild animal I would have said it was either
poisonous or venomous, possibly both.
Looking across the table I watched Saffron take
an experimental sip of her equally virulent looking drink. Her eyes didn’t
cross and she didn’t fall off her chair, signs I took to be encouraging, so I
tasted mine. It was far nicer than it looked, but I was sure the combination of
potent spirits would be lethal if I drank more than, say, one.
“So, why are we starting our evening with these
cocktails?” I raised one eyebrow as I asked, even as I felt the kick of the
alcohol start to tangle with my tongue. I really wasn’t good at drinking spirits, it was why I generally stuck to wine.
Saffron smiled at me over her glass, her eyes
shining with a manic gleam I recognized with some concern. It signaled that she
was planning on throwing caution and common sense to the winds. I made a mental
note to restrict my own drinking – someone had to get us home.
“Why not? It’s been ages since we’ve been out
for dinner. It’s been so long since I’ve only had myself to think of that I
can’t even remember the last time. I’m always the responsible one in our
household.”
There was not a lot I could say to that since
it was true. They did seem to have an unequal marriage, with Ben the one to
enjoy time with his mates, and time away from his duties as a family man. Even
to me, looking in, it appeared as though he was not carrying his weight as a
husband and father. Plus of course I knew how lonely Saffron was. And now here
she was looking rebellious. My own disaster of a marriage aside, I was pretty
sure that if one rebelled from one’s marriage, there was a problem.
I turned over several responses in my mind but
none seemed satisfactory. In the end I decided that tonight was a night for
solidarity, and raised my glass.
“Bottoms up then,” I said, proceeding to take a
cautious sip through the tiny straw provided.
Saffron narrowed her eyes at me, took out her
own tiny straw and the umbrella, ate the fruit and then knocked back half her
drink. “Ready for another one?”
Her eyes were looking a bit glassy already,
unusual for Saffron who could hold her liquor. It made me wonder.
“Saffie, have you eaten today?”
“Nope, wanted to really enjoy dinner.”
“Right, well how about we order our starters
now?” Food seemed like an excellent idea.
Saffron shrugged. “If you want, we can order
another cocktail while we’re at it. I like the look of this one.” She stabbed
her finger at something called a Skittles cocktail. I studied the layers – red,
yellow, green and blue. It looked innocuous enough but I was sure it was anything
but.
“OK Saffie, but what would you like to eat?
Shall we get herb bread, and perhaps some bruschetta too?” Bread was good for
soaking up alcohol wasn’t it?
“Sure, and we’ll get some more drinks.” She finished
her drink in two large mouthfuls, then eyed my glass, still half full. “Come on
Cassie, you’re going to fall behind.”
“We may as well order the whole meal while we’re
at it don’t you think? And maybe some wine with the meal.” My attempt at damage
control, wine had less alcohol than those cocktails.
“Good idea. You choose the meals and I’ll
choose the wine.” Saffron waved over the drinks waiter and ordered two Skittles
cocktails, flirting outrageously with him as she did. She then picked up the
wine menu and studied it.
Right then, so getting blind drunk was
definitely Saffron’s goal tonight and she was going to pursue it with single
minded determination. This should be interesting.
