This is my take on Erika Martins journaling 101 course for Week # 4 - Reflective journaling. If you would like to view Erikas site you can from
here.This is an old photo I found when I was 17. I remember that jacket was a moss a dark green color, iIgot it from a second hand shop and just loved it. My mum hated it and told me it looked like carpet!
This is what the journaling says:
Not many people know this story, I am sharing and revealing a little of myself with all of you……..
It was about 4:30pm on a beautiful summer’s afternoon. Jan and I sat on the corner bluestone fence, having a smoke and a chat, watching the traffic speed by and sharing a joke or two. We were both seventeen and went to the same high school. We really didn’t have a care in the world. Except for boys! We really cared about boys!
Suddenly we both heard a rustle in the bushes surrounding the white weatherboard two storey home and turned at the same time to see what it was. A cream Labrador dog burst out and came rushing towards us. He was whimpering and howling and pawing at us. I thought he may be he hurt, but he looked ok. I patted him on the head but he kept whimpering and howling.
Jan had always been scared of dogs, (I think one bailed her up when she was young and bit her). So, we got up, butted out our smokes and started heading to Jan’s house, which was up the hill from the weatherboard house.
Old Bob lived in the house, he had lost his wife many years ago (I think she died of cancer). You only saw Bob very occasionally, usually when he was out the front of his house raking leaves, watering his plants or mowing. Bob was a harmless cranky old man. He lived across the road from a primary school and I think the kids used to tease him, so he preferred to stay indoors. His daughters would fetch his shopping, clean the house and take him on outings.
Once back at Jan’s house which was about 12 houses up the hill from Bob’s we sat down and watched some TV. I was asked to stay for dinner, so I rang home to get permission and organised to get picked up later.
Later on, Jan and I were doing the dishes, sharing a few laughs with her older brother. Her dad came in from the lounge room exclaiming that the police were on the doorstep looking for us. We exchanged blank glances and headed for the lounge room. Three plain clothed policemen introduced themselves and told us they were from Heidelberg CIB (Crime Investigation Bureau). They asked both of us our whereabouts that afternoon. We told them about the smoking on the fence, the dog, walking home and watching TV.
At this stage my mind was racing trying to think of things I had done recently which would explain the questions from the crime police. I don’t think they were there for not handing in your homework late or pinching a few dollars out of my mum’s purse to buy smokes. I was worried and intrigued.
The police told us that Bob had been bludgeoned to death that afternoon around 4:30pm. Someone had seen Jan and I sitting on the fence…talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!
I think at this stage I had burst into tears. Poor old Bob.
Thanks!
Cheers
Shazza
