Tuesday morning

It was Tuesday morning at 8am, a cold winter morning, with the air cold. Her long straight hair was dyed black and she wore a red dress with black tights. The lipstick she wore was fire red and stood out against her pale skin. She entered the old building down the road from her apartment. Inside was a little cafe that made the best coffee on the block. She ordered a coffee and sat at a table with a window view. She loved watching others on their morning journeys. A tall man wearing a brown trench coat was crossing the road with his daughter in her school uniform. It looked like they were in a rush as it seemed he was tugging her along and she looked annoyed that he was doing what he always did.

‘Amelia wake up’ he mother shouted. ‘If you want me to get you ready you need to get up now as I have to go to work’. Amelia awoke quickly and put on her blue check dress, which was her school uniform. ‘Mum I want pigtails today’ she said. ‘OK’ her mother responded and quickly did the little girls hair while thinking about all the things she needed to do when she arrived at work. Amelia was five and could see her mother wasn’t really there. Her mother’s mind was always thinking about work. Her father entered the room and gave Amelia a huge hug. “Hello sweety, did you sleep ok?” Amelia replied “Yes daddy, are you taking me to school again?” Her father replied “yes sweety, and we must hurry up as i’m running late”. Her mother fed them both farewell and rushed to her car. Amelia hated her mother always working. But her mother reminded her that she wouldn’t have the nice things she did if she didn’t work, like her toys or her expensive dancing lessons. Amelia didn’t really understand why her mum didn’t stay home like the other kids mums at school. Her mum couldn’t come and help in the class like the other kids. Amelia sometimes felt older than the other kids in her class too because she was an only child so her parents always spoke to her like an adult. Amelia wanted so badly a sibling but her parents were so busy working. She wondered sometimes if she was a burden to their busy lives. Her father grabbed her bag and they rushed out the door taking the same route they always did to her school.

The coffee arrived and the girl wondered about that little girl, what her life was like. She was twenty and in her second year of university studying Art. She was thinking back to when she was in school and how she hated those morning ‘s. Amelia hated that her parents were both lawyers and workaholics. Her mother was never present when she was home and her father was always annoyed that her mother worked such long hours. They were both always trying to get her mother’s attention. As soon as Amelia finished high school she begged them to allow her to move in the city and get an apartment. Her parents were not pleased that she was an Artist either, but it allowed her to paint what she felt. She was able to express her emotions with her paintings. She enjoyed sitting and watching others every morning while drinking her coffee. This is what gave her inspiration for her work.