Friday, June 8, 2012

Footballers

Footballers was published in the West Australian Newspapers about forty years ago. It was one of the first stories I'd had published. You can imagine I was thrilled to bits to read my story in a state newspaper. Sadly, the West Australian doesn't publish short stories and poetry now. Another avenue for writers closed. Footballers is also published in my download anthology, The Japanese Grandmother.
I've included an excerpt from the story. You can read the rest on my website www.authorsden.com/laurellamperd

Kenny saw his father’s football trophies in the cupboard set high on the kitchen wall. Tarnished with black smudges, the silver cups gleamed dully in the afternoon sunlight shafting through the kitchen window. "You'll be up there one day too, fella," his father would say as he gave one of the silver cups to Kenny to look at.
Kenny ran his fingers over the writing. "What does it say, Dad?” he’d ask though he knew it by heart.
“Best Player in Southerners Football Team,” his father would say. 
“When’s Dad coming home?” Kenny now asked his mother. 
His mother snapped. “I don’t know. He’s too busy wasting his life and mine with his fool schemes. I told him to get out and do something. He’s not a famous footballer any more.” 
Kenny stopped listening and sidled through the door. He brushed up against the man coming in. 
The man was the new boarder. The neighbours would ask, “How’s the new boarder, Eileen?”
 His mother would say. “It’s a pleasure to have someone to cook for and who is on time for his meals.”
Download available from www.kindlebooks.com

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