Ordure & Regrets by Robin Wrigley,

 Hello Mummy, 

I regret that I have not been able to write before now. I had to wait and see how my  new job worked out before I told you. Some of it good but not all I’m sorry to say. First though just to let you know I’m keeping up my English learning. I learned two new words yesterday in the town library where I’m writing this letter. It is ordure and excuse me if I tell you, it means shit. I learned it so I could tell you all about the way the people are with it. First, I tell you another bad thing here is that there are a lot of dogs. Lots of people have one and when they walk with them if the dog has to do his toilet in the street the owner puts it in a little plastic bag and takes it home with them. But I was told by the man I work for they put it in special bins for them. He didn’t know why or could not explain it to me. I don’t think he wanted to talk about it. But here is the strangest thing: when a horse does his in the road, they leave it. I mean they don’t have so many horses like we have bullocks on the road, but you would think they could use it when they take so much care of the dog’s stuff. I did ask the man I work for why they don’t use the horse ordure, and he said something about growing roses which I didn’t understand. I think he was too embarrassed to have this to talk about it. I know you don’t like that I am working for Mister Suliman but honestly Mummy he knows I am not a Moslem, and he promised me that he will not ever try and convert me. I have also met his wife and his sister. They do not have any children and think of me as their daughter. So please do not worry. I am now a waitress as I have had a promotion from working as a dishwasher. I also learned that this is a plongeur in French this my other new word. I learned this from reading one of George Orwell’s books so you can see I am not wasting my spare time and will soon be applying for better jobs when I get some more confidence. The weather has got much better since my last letter as it is now spring in England and much warmer. How is Pappa now? Has he been able to walk a little yet? Please tell him I pray every night that he will get better and that I will be good child for him even if I am only a girl.

Your loving daughter,

Aisha 

About the author

  

Robin short stories have appeared in CafeLit both on line and in print on a regular basis. He has also entered various writing competitions but has yet to get past being short listed. 

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