Sweet Olive - The Archive backlog 20.

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Who lives in this town?

Who lives on this street?

Do I know them? And they, me?

Or are we strangers – separated by word and mouth?

Heart and soul?

Uncle Anatole for example, the dapper? Is that his real name?

The man at number three certainly dresses sharply, today he is wearing his straw boater and a powder blue suit.

Freshly ironed.

His moustache is pencil thin and he always seems to be smiling, but….

Does he know Adele?

She lives opposite but I have never seen them speaking.

I like her hat. Is she an air-hostess?

And where does she get her hair cut? There is no hairdresser around here.

She would have to take the highway.

Wait.

A train is coming; the lights of the crossing are flashing through the rain.

Listen.

Can you here the bell?

Claude used to live there in the little house, and in those days he rang the bell by hand. People used to laugh when they saw him walk across in his slippers to close the gates, but they never saw an accident did they?

We can’t say that today.

We lost the cousins like that.

And she looked so beautiful.

Do you remember how her hair was flying with the wind?

The sun was shining – she had her sunglasses on so we couldn’t see her blue yes.

But we all remember them.

And he was so young.

Too young.

Where is Claude today?

Oh, they paid him well – even gave him a gold watch, but he would have preferred to have stayed on.

Is that progress?

They built a motel where his house stood and Olive took over.

No one blamed her.

It wasn’t her fault; she didn’t even know.

When she married the hotelier though, we didn’t even bother learning his name.

Was he French?

Do you remember that green cravat that he always wore?

It’s in the museum now.

It was a prize exhibit back in the day.

What did the label say?

You can cheat the gallows but the necktie will always hang you.

Jenny never really forgave him did she?

Was that when she left for the convent?

I will have to ask Bert. He will remember.

What is it that he says?

I look-a under your bonnet and I-a see your soul.

Lousy philosopher.

Damm good mechanic though.

It’s why I stay here.

I would have moved when Claude left if it hadn’t been for him.

And Olive of course.

Sweet Olive.

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