Taking 100 Words

Taking the Plunge

Here I go. Leaping into the void; a white-knuckled grip on the guidelines. Are they positioned correctly? I don’t even know the right terminology to use. I peer down, striving to see something that will reassure me, encourage me on, but all I find is that I know less than I thought I did a moment ago. At least no one can see my face. I check all my vital signs, and practice my breathing. In, hold, out, hold. I pause and tell myself that at worst, I’ll need to be rescued. I plunge into my first on-line university meeting. ֍

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Taking a Breath

Silence? Astonishing. I thought it had vanished decades ago. I listen again, my ears pressing outwards like bat’s ears searching for sonic waves. Nothing. For once the wind isn’t playing percussion with the leaves, and the building isn’t creaking in the glare of the sun. Rain isn’t beating down on the roof. I’ve found my piece of heaven. No roar of traffic in the distance. No sirens or alarms. No chainsaws, guns or hungry cows. Just silence and my heartbeat. Peace and quiet. I can finally breathe. For a moment or two. Then I’ll put my hearing aids back in. ֍

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Taking the Mickey

I gasp for breath, laughing openly at him from the balcony. He runs wildly in circles after the trespassing steer, swearing furiously and wielding a length of black plastic pipe like a deranged circus trainer. It is our fault entirely. Had we been thoughtful about the placement of our seedlings, even more generous with the hay, this would never have happened. We could only hope the gum trees would survive. I half expected our hearts to seize; mine from hysterics and his from outraged exertion, but we learn another crucial farming lesson. Flimsy circular fencing doesn’t keep hungry cattle out! ֍

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Taking a Break

Woah! What am I thinking? I need time out. I need to walk away before I open my mouth and spray the room with poisonous barbs. I’ll find a peaceful diversion. Something harmless, soothing and repetitive, like the ironing. And when I’m gainfully occupied and settled, I’ll ask myself a few sensible questions. Is it really world-ending? Am I just over-thinking things and focusing on stuff rather than what is really important? Is it worth more than our relationship? Seriously, it is just a tube of toothpaste. In the scheme of things, who cares if he left the cap off? ֍

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Taking the Cake

You’ve done it now. That was the ultimate play. A masterful demonstration of strategy and tactics, executed with quiet determination and apparent deference. A hand gesture here, a slight incline of the head there, a gentle chuckle at just the right moment and voilà – you won. I had been outmaneuvered by an expert, and I thought I was pretty good.  You, my friend are a maestro. Twenty years ago you would have been seen as a child prodigy, because skills like yours aren’t achieved even with a lifetime of practice. That final, luscious piece of Black Forest Cake is yours. ֍