Fiction

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Joseph found himself at the old mill pond. It was about mid-day, and he realised he had not eaten since the previous afternoon. He was hungry, yet could not face going home and getting something to eat.
He skimmed stones into the water, getting up to four bounces before they sank. When another stone skipped six times alongside his, he looked up to see who was there.
“Morning.” the man said. He was aged somewhere between thirty and forty, with close-cut grey hair and a short beard and moustache.
“Morning.” Joseph said in reply.
“Who is she, then?”
“Who is who?”
“Come now, young fella. I may be a bit older than you, but I can recognise when love’s young dream has been shattered. Who’s the foolish girl who broke your heart?”
“Just… a friend.”
“I know, you’re wondering who I am and what it’s got to do with me. You’ve got a point. But you look like you have something to get off your chest, and I like to make myself useful where I can.”
“You hang around and let people tell you their problems?”
“You could say that, although it isn’t what I do for a career. Come on, what’s the worst that could happen if you tell me?”
“I suppose.”
“So, what’s her name?”
“Catherine.”
“A fine name. You like her, right? Or love her?”
“Love her.”
“And she doesn’t love you.”
“Exactly.”
“Been there, done that. Did she give you some sort of excuse?”
“She just likes me as a friend.”
“Ouch!” the man clasped at his heart, “The most painful rejection in the book! Now, what’s the actual reason she turned you down?”
“I think… I saw her with another guy, earlier.”
“Ah, the second most painful. Do you know the guy?”
“Used to go to school with him.”
“Well, at least it’s not a close friend. You’re wondering if you can get back at him, aren’t you? Wondering if you can get back at her?”
“Not at her. Just at him. I don’t want to hurt Catherine.”
“You just want to clear your own way in.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
“So, you want to clear away any obstacles in your path. Get rid of him, and anything else which might prevent her from running into your open arms.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, someone can love something that isn’t a person, just as much as they love a person. As long as there’s something other than you occupying her mind, she always has something else to turn to, to turn away from you.”
“That makes sense.”
“But hey, I don’t know the girl. You know her fairly well, you should be able to tell what’s occupying her. See if it’s something you can do anything about.”
“I should. I mean, I will find out.”
“Attaboy. Go get her.”
“Yeah. I’m not going to just let her slip away.”
“That’s the spirit.”
“Thanks. Hey, I didn’t catch your name.”
“I never threw it. You can call me Nick. Nick Beele.”

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