The Long Lunch, the Man of Constant Sorrow and the Remains of the Cheese
Three tragically amusing short stories revealing the pitfalls of marriage, friendship and romance after forty.
The Long Lunch - A slightly scandalous tale revealing the trials and tribulations of online dating for women over forty
…You’re divorced and over it. Been over it for a while, and you’re ready to meet someone new NOW. Someone completely, utterly new. A person from a different walk of life, preferably well-heeled, with no commitments, and no baggage ‘cause you deserve nothing less after all you’ve been through. But where do you meet a person, a real man, like that? It could be tricky ‘cause you’re in your mid-forties, and haven’t dated for nigh twenty years. Regardless, you have started looking. At work, and around your neighbourhood where, you realize, there’s simply no-one around worth the effort. So you widen the search, you’re contemplating going cyber where you could join a dating site. Apparently it’s great — you’ve heard, but not from anyone you know. Still, all those testimonials can’t be wrong; this just might be worth a try …
The Man of Constant Sorrow - A very public and altogether sordid tale of a 40th birthday celebration taking place at the races
… So. Your bestie is turning 40. Today. It’s half past two on a Saturday arvo and you and her and six other of her besties are piling into a maxi taxi, which seems pretty clean but still quite short of the splendor of the stretch limo you originally planned. However, the Event has been scaled down; four women were unable to make it due to family commitments of the usual Saturday afternoon kind, regardless of the six weeks’ notice. So. Out with the limo — ‘cause it would cost too much split between just seven people — and in with the maxi taxi, which is full to bursting with … mayhem you quietly observe, noting the time and thinking it’s a bit too early for the champagne. But champagne it is …
The Remains of the Cheese - A savory tale of bedroom secrets, moral dilemmas and the reckless consumption of far too many bottles of very cheap champagne
… You have this friend you meet with once a week. You’ve been friends for years, met a long time ago when you were both first-time mothers at a local playgroup. You just happened to enter the community hall at the same time, bumped into each other at the door. The kids were wearing the same outfit (Thomas the Tank Engine, a t-shirt and shorts ensemble with a hat thrown in) and it was as good a conversation starter as any. The kids have since grown apart, found new friends at their school but you’ve stuck at it despite your fickle kids who, let’s face it, haven’t been the focus of your friendship for years now. Playgroup dead and buried, you’ve kept up the deal on the strength of the wine and cheese evenings you take turns to host at each other’s houses when your husbands are out …
