The Paper Girl

Her picture was in ‘The Courier’,

A beauty with auburn hair,

I must admit I was taken in

As I sat alone, to stare.

Her eyes met mine with a knowing look

For her gaze was so intense,

Only a print in a newspaper,

I was making little sense.

 

I screwed the paper and tossed it out,

At least, it hit the bin,

But later I would scrabble about

For the piece that she was in.

I smoothed the paper and put the pic

Where it would be safe, and keep,

But found I still was thinking of her

At the sharp end of the week.

 

She showed again on the social page

Of that dreary rag, ‘The Sun’,

Was standing there in the background of

Some wedding that was on,

Again I scissored the picture out

And I put it with its mate,

But hadn’t a clue just what to do

It began to feel like fate!

 

I asked around at ‘The Courier’,

I asked about at ‘The Sun’,

But nobody seemed to know where she

Could be, though she seemed like fun.

‘She’s always there in the background where

The photo’s all get shot,

Then after the shoot is over, first

She’s there, and then she’s not.’

 

I started to hang about in clubs

And the places she might be,

I needed to salt her tail so I

At least, could set me free,

Her image was always staring, glaring

Stuck in my mind each day,

And then, I couldn’t get off to sleep

So I’d curse the night away.

 

Her face popped out of a magazine,

A poster, there in the hall,

Standing behind some advertising

Blurb, on the old sea wall,

I went along to the Seaman’s Rest

Thinking to have a drink,

And not too far, but along the bar

I saw… Well, who do you think?

 

I walked up behind her, shaking, quaking,

Tapped, and spun her around,

‘You wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through,

I’ve finally run you to ground!’

She smiled, and patted her auburn hair

‘Well, would you believe, it’s true!

Since I saw you staring into the page

I’ve been looking for you!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[roarke]

The mind does start to play tricks on us... a beguiling, yet friendly tale reminiscent of the saying "be carful what you ask for, you just might get it." then spun up with the feeling of being watched and viola, instant Kismet. Or some such. Great story telling David.

[A Soap Mess Stories]

Great storytelling David...a mysterious tale spun again...

[Barbz]

Imagine me imagining you imagining me........said she......

[R Smith]

I like the fate here David, seems like a meeting decreed in the stars, lovely rhymes and an image that will be with me for a while cos now i gotta keep looking at photo's in case she's there lol

[Avinash]

This one really gave the goose bump of different kind. It could have been one of the best romances ever imagined. Where reality meets imagination I guess we can find heaven as well or the opposite. This one will remain in the memory for long. Thanks for inviting to read this brilliant piece.

[emmajoy]

‘ She’s always there in the background where -- The photo’s all get shot,-- Then after the shoot is over, first -- She’s there, and then she’s not.’

What a wonderful ending! Yes, creepy though almost .. strangely plausible.. maybe.. who knows!!

As usual, David, you write your story in faultless metre, entertain readers with hidden clues and more than enough details, make the lips curl up in a smile or two then.. lure us to the end and silently request a re.read! Done! Many thanks for yet another great post. :)

[Marie]

I never thought of that. Does a picture see you lookin at it? Does it look back...?

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A story in few words that escapes the mind, well done, good read.

[Poppie Mira]

wow, i really enjoyed reading, nice.

[Jennie Baron]

I thoroughly enjoyed this as I do all your stories. A great read for early on a Monday morning, and the twist at the end is ingenious!