Kevan Smith - Glow

Sitting in a big comfy chair Charlie looked out the window of his mummy’s house, well, soon-to-be his house, and wondered how to best handle this new found position that circumstance had landed him.  He has known about this job his whole life.  He has, literally, been in training, in rehearsal but on the wings of this job for his whole life.  He has always known that, one day, he would hold this position.  The major downside was, that for him to get this job, his mum had to die.

Since he was born; for all his infancy; all the time he waited alone and lonely with his nanny when mum and dad where overseas for months at a time; all the time he was at school either here in the old dart or overseas at one more posh educational institution he had known.  Whether it was snow skiing or yachting; in the marines; or navy; or air force; on parade or jumping out of planes he knew his next job.  He had chased or been chased by kangaroos; seen wild bears; even had a koala piss on his uniform.  But never away from his mind or heart was that he would, one day, get the top job over his own mother’s grave.

She was a tough old bird.  Sweet, pleasant, adored by millions, but never suffered fools or had anyone to even dare to get the wood on her.  Even dad made sure he walked beside her one pace behind.  She was even tougher than her own mum.  Everyone was sure she was going to last forever.

All he had to do was to keep breathing; marry the right, nice (acceptable) girlie; pump out a couple of ankle-biters; not go mad – or be caught going mad; and the job was his. 

73 years later he was still waiting.  Hiding in plain sight; on the wings; in the shadows, dotting his “I’s” and crossing his “t’s”, not ruffling feathers, especially mummy’s, and looking as intelligent as he could.  He had to speak with every self-important, belligerent world leader; every fawning fop wanting ingratiation; be pleasant, be intelligent, always on guard to not embarrass mummy; and never say the wrong thing – ever!

But now he sat in the predawn, knowing today the greatest woman on earth, his mum, was going to die. Tears ran down his cheeks, heart crumpled, eyes swelled, whole body sank.  He was saddened to disbelief; overwhelmingly with both grief and joy; totally befuddled what to do next.  How was he going to stand in the grief; hold his head up to present and acclaim his lifetime position while being crushed inside?  He had no idea how, after her historic sunshine, he was going to glow!!