Affectionate Anarchy
She slammed the door. The silence following her absence left a ringing in his ears.
He sat there for a while,just looking at his image in the mirror above the mantlepiece. Then he shook his head and stood up to get his coat,to go to work.
"Blue." he thought,sitting in the backseat of the car."Of all colours, blue?"
Again he looked at himself in the rearview mirror and shook his head once more. The eye contact didn't help;he didn't have the answers. He could ask himself the same questions over and over.
He entered the building,waving at the security agent at the desk.
"They make them younger everytime!" " Yes,who else would do the job, all strutted up,broad shoulders and a smile." " He seems to like his job then,I bet he doesn't have a problem with authority?"
He looked back from the mirror in the restroom.
"Yes" he said outloud "I am talking to myself."
"The bad thing however is that I don't know either."
As the day filled mercifully with the distraction of problems demanding to be solved,the "blue thing" didn't leave his thoughts. Images of whispering lips behind curtains,big bulging eyes, belonging to those who enjoyed the never ceasing waterfall of gossip. And worst of all;the thin mouth of his once beloved blaming him for yet another disaster.
His secretary didn't say a word when she found him watching the skyline;standing in front of his wallsized window. She just put the papers on the corner of his desk and discretely but quickly vanished.
"He is not in a good mood sir, I would wait untill tomorrow!" The man stopped in his tracks,took his cellphone,whispered a few words and then nodded his head at the worried face of the secretary of the president.
"Define,not in a good mood?" he asked. " I think it's personal,sir."came the answer softly.
Eyes locked;the question was silent;the answer was a double sigh.
"Going in!" the man said feeling less determined than his words indicated.
He opened the door after a short sharp knock.
"Mister President"He stopped and stood 'at attention' even though he never was remotely connected to anything concerning the military.
The man at the window turned slowly:his shoulders bent,a puzzled look on his face.
"Yes,tell me,but be brief! It is time to go home!"
Still standing as if he swallowed a broomstick, the man rattled off his report.
"Good. That is good. So it is all solved then?"
" Yes sir. Just tidying up some odds and ends but all is well."
"Good, let them bring my car around please."
The man turned swiftly on his heals and closed the door behind him with a "'Yes sir!"
He was alone again in the big room.
He tilted his head and said outloud "Blue?" Furrowed forehead,narrowed eyes,puckered lips' Blue!" He sighed and a little smile appeared. "Blue? Maybe navy blue?"
Driving home through the night the smile stayed and broadened.
Coming in,he shook his head "No,I ate at work. I'm not hungry,thank you. Yes,I am allright" he smiled.
The house was silent after the woman left.
He was tired. Watching the news while sitting in the comfortable chair that,he knew, would be the cause of him dozing off before the weather forecast came on. He didn't hear her coming in,but felt her presence. A long arm,ringed fingers and a hot cup of tea appeared before his eyes. He smiled.
"So" he said "Let me see the blue hair?"
"I can't Dad" a cheerfull young voice said.
"So you didn't do it? Out of love for your old dad?"
"Well,you know I love you;and you know I listen to you!"
"That doesn't mean,young lady, that you obey!"
"Correct Dad! By the way," the smiling face blocked the commercials on the television "What do you think of pink? They were all out of blue!"
