The bell lady
I can't exactly remember when it was that I first saw her, but it seems to be a long time ago. She precedes sighting with a constant ringing of a shiny silver bicycle bell, and she's always standing still when she rings it, never walking. The times that I've seen her walking, she's usually bent down low to the ground, pushing a mini-shopping cart full of junk. The funny thing is that her clothes are always clean and quite glamorous, with various colourful bangles, necklaces and rings glinting at a once sumptuous life, now long forgotten.
Sometimes she's muttering something to herself, which I'm never able to fully catch, but mostly she's silent, lost to the world. Nobody pays her any attention either, even when she's right in front of somebody ringing that crazy bell of hers, leading me to speculate that perhaps other people can't actually see or hear her. Maybe she's some sort of spirit or ghost, lost in limbo trying to make herself heard.
These thoughts were going through my mind one night, as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to take me, when I heard the bell woman screaming outside. I'm still not sure why I knew it was the bell woman, as I certainly hadn't heard her scream before, but somehow I just knew. I jumped out of bed and immediately tripped over my big cat, who in turn let out a hell of a screech before scampering into the kitchen. I called out to her, and half considered going after her to apologize, but another scream form the bell woman outside made-up my mind to continue my investigation.
I stepped over to my bedroom window and pushed it open, peering out of my second floor apartment into the dead of night. There was shouting now too, from what I could figure out two men. I couldn't see anything, as there was a building right in front of mine, so I had to rely on my auditory sense. Screaming from the bell woman, followed by frantic bell ringing, and then the two men hollering. What was going on? Should I go put my shoes on and venture outside? Was it dangerous? Could I be a hero?
As these thoughts flashed through my head, there was a huge explosion that threw me backwards, flying through the air and crashing into the far wall. I think I must have lost consciousness for a while, because when I came to all was silent. No more screaming, shouting or bell ringing. There was a thick fog of smoke streaming steadily through my window, which stank of sulphur. I was coughing and spluttering, trying to stand-up, but feeling rather dizzy.
Just then, I saw two huge green eyes come racing toward me - my big cat! She bounded over to me, opened her large mouth and clamped her jaws into my back, careful to just grab onto my pyjama top. She then took a great leap through the window, carrying me as if I was as light as a new born kitten. She landed gracefully in the downstairs neighbour's garden, and put me down gently. Boy, was I lucky to have such a strong cat!
She began licking my hand, and her rough tongue felt funny, making me giggle. I stood-up, and saw my neighbour staring at me through his window, his big fat mouth all floppy and hung open. I smiled apologetically, gave him a little wave and walked to the local 24 hour convenience store. All this excitement had given me a huge thirst, and I was trying to decide whether to buy a beer or soft drink. I just knew I'd never be able to get back to sleep now.
Sometimes she's muttering something to herself, which I'm never able to fully catch, but mostly she's silent, lost to the world. Nobody pays her any attention either, even when she's right in front of somebody ringing that crazy bell of hers, leading me to speculate that perhaps other people can't actually see or hear her. Maybe she's some sort of spirit or ghost, lost in limbo trying to make herself heard.
These thoughts were going through my mind one night, as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to take me, when I heard the bell woman screaming outside. I'm still not sure why I knew it was the bell woman, as I certainly hadn't heard her scream before, but somehow I just knew. I jumped out of bed and immediately tripped over my big cat, who in turn let out a hell of a screech before scampering into the kitchen. I called out to her, and half considered going after her to apologize, but another scream form the bell woman outside made-up my mind to continue my investigation.
I stepped over to my bedroom window and pushed it open, peering out of my second floor apartment into the dead of night. There was shouting now too, from what I could figure out two men. I couldn't see anything, as there was a building right in front of mine, so I had to rely on my auditory sense. Screaming from the bell woman, followed by frantic bell ringing, and then the two men hollering. What was going on? Should I go put my shoes on and venture outside? Was it dangerous? Could I be a hero?
As these thoughts flashed through my head, there was a huge explosion that threw me backwards, flying through the air and crashing into the far wall. I think I must have lost consciousness for a while, because when I came to all was silent. No more screaming, shouting or bell ringing. There was a thick fog of smoke streaming steadily through my window, which stank of sulphur. I was coughing and spluttering, trying to stand-up, but feeling rather dizzy.
Just then, I saw two huge green eyes come racing toward me - my big cat! She bounded over to me, opened her large mouth and clamped her jaws into my back, careful to just grab onto my pyjama top. She then took a great leap through the window, carrying me as if I was as light as a new born kitten. She landed gracefully in the downstairs neighbour's garden, and put me down gently. Boy, was I lucky to have such a strong cat!
She began licking my hand, and her rough tongue felt funny, making me giggle. I stood-up, and saw my neighbour staring at me through his window, his big fat mouth all floppy and hung open. I smiled apologetically, gave him a little wave and walked to the local 24 hour convenience store. All this excitement had given me a huge thirst, and I was trying to decide whether to buy a beer or soft drink. I just knew I'd never be able to get back to sleep now.
posted by TOK at 12:03 am
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