Do you ever go past a house and feel its unloved-ness by its owners and wonder why. Are they time poor, not interested, disabled, not aware... that there is (yes) a big bright yellow plastic duck with a broken beak in their driveway. Sometimes we just don't notice things like that. Some of us would take pity on the duck, mend the beak or do a Japanese gold leaf paint job on it to appreciate the break and say that it is part of its beauty. Some would chuck it in the bin. But many down this street just ignore stuff. 

The house with the sign on that they do counselling but it's like a tip. The bungalow in front of them which has its gate off the hinge and infrequently has the bedroom light on. Tonight, as I walked the dog back, the light was off. The garden is overgrown and I know the daughter whose parents had the house previously who said it would have broken their heart to see how this once proud place had fallen to utter neglect and disrepair. 

There is another house whose bin contents have blown over into the front garden and weeks later, is not cleared up. Another one has a toy sports car, long broken and next door's brambles have fallen over it. His garden was a state but his wife passed away and he got ill and is trying his best to employ people to help him get it back to a reasonable state. It was her pride and joy. 

There is a lovely lady with gorgeous coloured hair who has a beautiful house, a shared ground flat, and she tends the front garden lovingly and has a pink Christmas tree and fairy lights all year round with hippy type curtains. I find it is such an interesting street to live in, yet frustrating too. There is a garage whose floor has partly caved in (the reason I saw eventually for cars not being housed in it) but the doors are wide open and bang in the wind (how can that not drive you crazy?).

So back to the broken duck. I have felt like one for a few weeks and finally am mending my exterior so that the inside is more buoyant and able to float in the choppy seas of life rather than sit on the sidelines, forlorn and forgotten, unable to ride the waves with abandon, knowing that I am resilient enough to face the brumal and buffeting winds.

Any broken ducks in your street?

Liz

A Moodscope member