‘What do you think?’ David pushes his sun kissed hair back from his eyes. The motor boat cuts the water, chopping the reflections into glitter.
Diane knows she’s supposed to be impressed – by the mansion in the exclusive part of town, the PA hanging on his every word, the lingerie model wife (his third), the Rolex shimmering on his wrist.
But the sweet-hearted, sharp tongued boy she once loved is gone. How he would have hated the nipped and primped swaggerer he’s become.
‘I’d like to go home now, please,’ she says, wishing she’d never come.
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Written for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ Friday Fictioneers. Play along here.
Word Shamble 
I love this. I was there with her
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Thanks so much, Neil 🙂 It’s sad, but she’ll have to move on and leave him behind, I think. Sad end to a long friendship, I think. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Gee, that is tragic. I have seen so many people I knew from the past turn into people like David. Consequently, I have seen the opposite, too. I like the line about how David would have hated the guy he eventually became. That makes the story right there VERY interesting or sad or both. Is Diane his first wife or is she an old friend or former girlfriend?
Five out of five breaker waves. 😉
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Thank you – very kind 🙂 I don’t know if my younger self would hate me now, though I suspect she’d be disappointed she wasn’t going to end up with a large fortune, live in a mansion, be an eco-warrior … Yes, disappointment would probably be her overriding emotion.
I think Diane is a long time friend from David’s childhood – they shared a lowly upbringing, ran around together in their youth, drinking, getting into small amounts of trouble. Then David made some money and moved away, made more money, got some plastic surgery done – seriously changed his priorities. Now they have very little in common. Sad, but Diane will learn to let him go.
Thanks for reading 🙂
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I think my younger self would probably not believe what he would see. Yet, he wouldn’t be surprised, either. I have some friends from my youth I had to let go of. Then Facebook came along and … well, let’s just say declined the invites. BTW, one of my childhood friends I reconnected with … and she became a Beach Body Model. Ho-ly COW! She’s still very nice and she’s got grown children. I’d love to show her a tour of my work and have people say, “Kent! You’ve been holding out on us!” I’d say, “Oh, she’s just an old friend of mine.” Which is how I see her still.
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Oh this is great. People change. I wonder if we realize how changed we often seem to be to other people. Or maybe the change we think we see in others is the result of our own changed perception.
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Absolutely. I know I’m a very different person from the teenage me – thank goodness, because she was a bit lairy and an ignoramus! Thanks for reading Gabi 🙂
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Life has a way of changing people without them noticing.
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Very true. Other people see it more than we do. Not sure if he sees how unpleasant he’s become. Thanks for reading 🙂
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It is horrible watching that happen to someone. Well told with great imager, I liked chopping the reflections into glitter
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Thank you, Mick. Yes, not sure we see these things in ourselves, sadly. It’s always others that notice our metamorphosis into something we would hate. Thanks for reading 🙂
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This was well written, like
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Thanks Mike 🙂
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What a poignant scene, and so vividly painted! That he still seems to want her approval — and thinks this will do it — is the saddest part, to me.
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That’s a really good point no one else has made, Gabi. The daft man has lost touch with his old friend so much, he doesn’t even realise he’s got her completely wrong. It is sad, I think. Thank you for reading 🙂
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Thanks, Lynn. And if you’re going to mix up my name with someone else’s, that’s not a bad choice. 🙂
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Oh, jeez, Joy, sorry! Your comment was up from one of Gabi’s on my feed. So sorry – how rude of me. Just nipped onto WP from painting my bedroom, so my brain’s a bit fogged with fumes – that’s my excuse and I shall stick to it! Sorry again 🙂
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No biggie. You’ll have to call me much worse than that — and on purpose — for it to bother me! 🙂
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*Embarrassed face, head hung in shame* 🙂
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Well, I’m impressed! 🙂 Love the beginning.
Lily
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Thank you so much for the kind words – very nice of you 🙂
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Very realistic. I think this has happened to many of us. I think the friend she loved is still in there, but she needs to call him on being a fake.
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Yes, it’s a shame, isn’t it? I have a feeling they’ll just drift apart and he may never know why. Thanks for reading, Jenn 🙂
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People don’t usually change overnight, unless there is a major problem that occurs. It is usually very gradual….somewhat like aging. You live day to day, then one day you look in the mirror and wonder who you are looking at! (for me…it’s usually my mother! )
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Haha! I know how you feel – I keep glimpsing mine too. You’re right, though. Years pass and ‘suddenly’ you’re someone your younger self would no longer recognise. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Dear Lynn,
Thanks to Facebook and the internet in general, I’ve had the (mostly) pleasure of reconnecting with childhood friends. We now share pics of our grandchildren online. Quite a few surprises amongst us, some pleasant and some not so much. I said all that to say that I enjoyed your story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle. Yes, it certainly makes keeping in touch easier – especially if you’re now far apart. All the best, Lynn
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Great description, Lynn. How sad he’s got money now but in some ways is messed up. He’s going to lose a valuable friend. Good and well-written story. —- Suzanne
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Thank you Suzanne. Yes, a shame, though I think it still won’t make him realise how much he’s changed. Easier to see these things from the outside, I suppose. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Excellent story! Sad that he turned out to be such a “swaggerer” – it was inevitable that she would stop loving him. I have met people like him.
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Yes, a big shame – daft man. Thanks for reading 🙂
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It’s my pleasure, Lynn!
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