WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE
Knowing You Flash Fiction by Dianne Ascroft
Karen lifted a couple of notepaper sheets from her desk drawer, set them on her
clipboard and retreated to the sofa. It was ages since she had handwritten a
personal letter; work correspondence always took priority. She had heard several
weeks ago through her brother Peter, back home in Letterkenny, that her friend,
Sarah, was receiving chemotherapy. She was sure Sarah would welcome the
distraction of a letter and it would be relaxing to take time out to write to her. Work
was so relentless.
Karen rested the pen on the paper for a moment then began in a bold, decisive
hand. Dear Sarah, You may be surprised to receive this letter. I know I’ve let our
contact slip in recent years. But when I heard you were ill I thought it was time I got
in touch again. How are you doing? I hope things will soon improve on the health
front for you.
I got an invitation to our 35th school reunion in May. I would have liked to go but
couldn’t get away from the office. A crisis always arises when I plan to do something.
Did you go? Was there any good gossip?
She tapped the pen against her cheek as she thought how to continue. Although
we’re rarely in contact now I often think of you. Increasingly my mind goes back to
the great times we had before I left home. Her pen flew as she reminded her friend
of all the fun they had had before she moved to Germany. She leaned back against
the sofa, remembering those days. Sarah was an integral part of her favourite
memories and had been the one person she really trusted to confide in. When her
first boyfriend, who she had thought was the greatest love of her life, had dumped
her she wouldn’t have got through it without Sarah. Her friend put everything in
perspective for her. She always had.
You’ve always been the one person I can really count on. It’s just as I write this
that I’ve realised how lucky I am to have you as a friend and I regret I’ve let our
friendship slip. She hadn’t meant for the letter to turn so serious but she decided to
follow this train of thought. Knowing you is a very special privilege.
The post dropping through the letterbox interrupted her thoughts. She went to the
door and lifted several bills and this week’s edition of the Donegal News. The
newspaper arrived reliably four or five days after it was printed each week. She tore
off the plastic wrapper and scanned the front page. The central story caught her eye
and she sucked in her breath. Popular head teacher loses her battle with cancer.
Sarah’s shorn scalp in the photo under the headline was startling but her eyes had
the warm, wise look Karen remembered. She stumbled to the sofa and slumped
down, the newspaper clutched in her hand as she gulped in air between sobs.
20 | S e p t 2 0 1 4