Loveday Writing

Write a story in which the first part describes a life as it then was, the second part describes a life as it now is.**

Shaker

Salt.

Otherwise known as sodium or sodium chloride, it has always been my favourite type of seasoning. I would add it to every meal I’d eat. But I discovered at my recent physical that salt didn’t love me back, in fact it has bitten me on the arse.

I couldn’t help but think of the words he used to give me my results, as I waited for the traffic lights to turn green. High blood pressure, fluid retention, other than my jowls, my love for salt wasn’t so physically hidden anymore.

The lights turned green and my phone buzzed. I knew it’d be either my wife, Sally, keen to know how everything went, or one of those reminder messages about my upcoming appointment with the dietician. I wasn’t in a hurry to find out, I’d be home soon anyway, in fact right now.

I pulled into the driveway and she was standing there waiting for me, clearly she’s already figured out how it went. She wasn’t the type of person to say “I told you so” but I couldn’t help but feel she wanted to.

My life has to be different now, especially my eating, but I have to change, especially for her. I’m doing this for Sally.

 

**Reference: Marsden J 1998, Everything I Know About Writing, Pan Macmillan, Australia.