ME, Myself, I
THE STORY SO FAR: Travelling home by train one November afternoon, Ingrid is consumed with frustration at her life. Her much-loved son is at university, her ageing father relies on her, and her cherished husband is finally pursuing his dream career. For Ingrid, life has become a series of problems and she feels lost in a sea of discontent. Attempting to doze for the last few stops of her journey, Ingrid smells a familiar perfume and opens her eyes to find an elegant elderly woman sitting near her. The two begin a conversation during which Rose, the stranger, talks of how life works out for the best in the end. Interrupted by a message from her father Bob, Ingrid is slightly irritated by the news that he feels unwell. As the train arrives at their shared station, Rose disappears through the exit and Ingrid takes a call from her husband, Jack, telling her he’s called an ambulance for Bob.
Ingrid looked down at the bottle of perfume in her hand, its weight reassuringly heavy, its bevelled glass edges almost sharp to the touch. It was the most expensive at the counter. Could she really justify it? Hesitantly, she placed it back down. And then, just a few seconds later, picked it up once more. This was ridiculous. It was perfume. It was a treat. None of it was absolutely necessary. But life wasn’t always about what was vital, was it? Sometimes, you just had to pamper yourself. No
