Teresa Hall
Never Give Up Hope!
The year was 1984. I’d just been laid off at my paramedical services part–time position, feeling devastated and worried about being able to make ends meet and keep my large, sunny apartment near the Scarborough Bluffs Marina. I loved to go for long walks there with my two small dogs as I nursed wounds from a recent breakup, quickly jotting down poetry with pen and paper carried in my waist pouch while plotting moves on how to obtain work in an extremely tight employment market.
I’d been so happy to land this job after several dead end ones and now the company needed to cut down on staff right before Christmas…
I made my way downtown to the Eaton’s Center and wandered aimlessly around trying to distract myself from the distressing news and became drawn to the perfume counter in Eaton’s.
After sampling several fragrances, I noticed a small ceramic pomander in the shape of a cottage-like house and picked it up admiring the pretty colours and smooth gloss. Tears suddenly filled my eyes as I faced the reality that I probably would never be able to afford that long sought after house in the Bluffs area – one of my favourite day dreams as I rode my ten speed bike through the tree-lined neighborhood.
I could hear my friends’ derisive voices as they often advised me, usually after a disappointing date. “You are never going to meet that knight in shining armour, riding his white horse ready to sweep you off your feet to ride into the sunset with. They don’t exist anymore!”
But I still believed.
“Would you like me to wrap that for you?” the young salesclerk asked. “Yes,” I replied firmly, handing her my last five dollars. This represents hope for the future and I will achieve this one day, I quietly said to myself.
After a few weeks, I was called back to the paramedical services, hired full time and after two years of this steady, not unpleasant work and a lot of dating, I finally met that knight in shining armour as I walked on the beach near the Bluffs Marina. We dated, fell for each other and two years later eagerly looked for a house in the Scarborough Bluffs area where he had grown up and also wished to stay in. I had been laid off again but this time landed a wonderful long term position at King and Bay Street, making an excellent salary with full benefits.
The housing market was very expensive, but after months of searching finally found a townhouse that we could afford.
After we moved into our new home, I unpacked my prettily coloured ceramic house pompadour, filled it with lavender and gave it a place of honour in the upstairs bathroom. We enjoyed our much loved home and garden for thirty years, filled with many happy memories of family and friends.
Never give up hope.
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About Teresa Hall
I'm more well known for my poetry than writing, with poems published in many venues, including Scarborough Arts Big Art Books, in Canada and internationally and also have been exhibited at the Bluff's Gallery, Agincourt Library and Carnegie Gallery in Hamilton. However, several of my short stories, fiction and non-fiction and humorous anecdotes have been published in Canadian Stories and Anubha Mehta's Blog. I prefer writing short stories rather than a novel or book, based on my own life experiences or people close to me and also write children's stories.
I've enjoyed writing both poetry and fiction, non-fiction since a young child. I grew up in a very artistic atmosphere where reading was strongly encouraged on any subject so I had a really broad knowledge of art, history and the world. I've always been interested in the environment which is a favourite topic for my poems but when it comes to writing stories I tend to write about that which is familiar in my own experience. I used to love listening to my parents tell stories of their growing up and our family history and have found that I've sort of carried on that tradition while also enjoying writing children's stories.