The lonely lady stood outside the stonewalled cottage plucking damp linen and memories that would never be from a nylon line whilst angry chickens clucked around her feet a childs voice crying in the distance the lady looks around an angry adult admonishing a sharp slap and harsh words heard in the drift over long empty acres then silence the lady turns the linen packed tight in a red plastic basket held close to her breast she steps back slowly towards the door leaving a small embroidered cotton cap on the floor