A Fate to Fear I was my mum’s pet as most people used to think. She took me along with her when she went shopping or to see her friends. I even was a frequent visitor to her work. But no, mum didn’t c

A Fate to Fear
I was my mum’s pet as most people used to think. She took me along with her when she went shopping or to see her friends. I even was a frequent visitor to her work. But no, mum didn’t choose me as her companion because she preferred me to my siblings. The fact is that I was the quietest of her kids. She knew that I wouldn’t bother her with my childish babble or any requests. I would just be there beside her, and speak only when addressed or when there wasn’t anybody near.
So, there was I – a silent witness with dreamy eyes, absorbing the impressions and expressions of adult world. Indeed, those were various. You could hear a whole life story, exciting news of someone’s wedding, or a thrilling narration behind an ordinary purchase of a dress. Women are generally voluble and I sometimes happened to see them unite their sharp tongues and drive away some incautious man with their caustic jokes.
It is during those walks with my mum that I took notice of that woman. She was past middle age but not really old. She always reminded me of an old crow, a fat crow, to be more exact. She never joined a conversation and seemed not to be interested in any local gossip. She just said her “morning”, “what’s the time” or some other common phrase. Her presence hushed the merriment if there was any. It wasn’t dislike, the local folks somewhat shunned her.
Once I heard a neighbour say “God save me from such life!” glancing towards that woman. I caught my chance to satisfy my curiosity and asked mum “Why?..” Her explanation didn’t impress me greatly then but was striking enough to be remembered. She had four children and all of them died in their prime, and none a peaceful death. That woman outlived all her family. Thinking of that now, it horrifies me as much as it did my neighbours. Aren’t the children our future, the continuation of ourselves, the coming true of parents’ dreams? What can be worse than to see it all perish?
God save me from such life…

In my place, some women are believed that will bring curses, disasters and even death to their spouses or children through observing their features of the face and head. For instance, a woman who has a black mole nearly the tear duct brings a bad luck with her. It's said that men should avoid getting married them.

We wouldn't understand the grief of the woman in your story, the grief of seeing her children one by one leaving her world. I wonder how her life has been going on? I remember the story of Sandy McGregor whose three teenage daughters and a friend were shot dead by Richard Madrell in their Sydney home in January, 1987. After a while, he decided to make a change and his life was not sunk in pain and distress after this tragedy.

Thanks for sharing. I like your stories, keep writing. (Anyway, Do you think you entitle your blog?)

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Comments

Shah August 16, 2014 11:20

Inna ! you are good in writing as you good in gardening -:))
Inna August 15, 2014 5:48

An amazing quote,Masi!
Masinissa (ⵎⴰⵙⵉⵏⵉⵙⴰ) August 14, 2014 21:52

Well, she had children but they died and this is how it goes life and death. Unfortunately, the death of her children must be tragic. Anyway, I think that woman must be strong enough to resist the shock. Otherwise, she may try to commit suicide. Who knows? Sometimes, we, as human beings, tend to sympathise with the derived (children)and forget about the base (mother). This does not mean one is superior or inferior to the other. Above all, she didn't give up, I assume, and this is just amazing. Finally, I would like to end with quote "Ah! What would the world be to us
If the children were no more?
We should dread the desert behind us
Worse than the dark before." — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Megaparsec August 14, 2014 2:52

Maybe that women had thought about suicide a thousand times to end this pain. But she did not do that, and I'm glad she did not. I think it is really brave of her and I'm kind of curious about what gave her strength do endure this pain.
noaslpls August 14, 2014 2:23

What a sad life she had to endure. Not only she lost her entire children/family, she also had to endure being shunned by her own society. But I think it's common for some community to fear the 'unknown' and by shunning this woman, maybe they thought whatever bad luck befallen this woman will not befallen them too.
AH_TK August 14, 2014 2:22

"a silent witness with dreamy eyes, absorbing the impressions and expressions of adult world."

I like this sentence the most :)

great work inna .. you wrote in very entertaining way :)

btw, don't use "Bold" the next time :p
_Bia(noprvtplz) August 13, 2014 22:04

it was not her fault that she ahs survived 'em all...what she should have done?..to commit a suicide after having lost 'em all?....i felt kinda pity for her..who knows how hard it is to bear such a burden....anyway..Inna i liked your style of writing....
Inna August 13, 2014 18:46

The title is "A Fate To Fear"
I am Vietnamese August 13, 2014 18:16

In my place, some women are believed that will bring curses, disasters and even death to their spouses or children through observing their features of the face and head. For instance, a woman who has a black mole nearly the tear duct brings a bad luck with her. It's said that men should avoid getting married them.

We wouldn't understand the grief of the woman in your story, the grief of seeing her children one by one leaving her world. I wonder how her life has been going on? I remember the story of Sandy McGregor whose three teenage daughters and a friend were shot dead by Richard Madrell in their Sydney home in January, 1987. After a while, he decided to make a change and his life was not sunk in pain and distress after this tragedy.

Thanks for sharing. I like your stories, keep writing. (Anyway, Do you think you entitle your blog?)
Akash Ramtri August 13, 2014 17:14

Painful fact of life ....but then some things are there we have no control on it. inna it was a blog which made the whole story alive in front of me ,and Its a situation which makes a person very weak but then its matter of destiny ! :(

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