| Something is wicked. Don’t touch. Keep away. Let’s talk by the kitchen window. Leave the casserole on the ledge. That’s very nice of you. It looks lovely. Miss you too. Now the people swerve like the dodgems I drove at the funfair when I was a kid. Kids stand at porches, signalling to friends they are still friendly. But now told they can’t be too close. Just close enough. Small talk is feared. A phone call is better. Not trying to be rude. Hugging is deemed almost sacrilege. We learn to cope. We are still here.What keeps us going is the constant commitment of people to help. There is selfishness. But what is taught, can be repackaged. Turned around to look at a new face. A kind face. |
| Ian Anthony is a writer/actor/director based in Dublin. Where he runs The Collective Productions and a networking and development group for emerging artists called The Collectives. He also writes short stories and poetry on his blog Provoke Them! |