Scribblings
Patti had wanted to pursue art all those years ago,but her mother had dismissed her efforts as “scribblings” and insisted she take a more academic path. Dutifully,Patti had done as told. She thought about this often when,every weekday morning,as the kettle warmed to its task,she spent a few minutes drawing a small picture to insert into her daughter’s school lunchbox. On those occasions when she lost herself in her work,she felt echoes of regret. But then she’d picture Emily’s little face on opening her lunch and,just like that,the past went back in its box. – Words by Paul Connolly. Illustration by Jim Pavlidis.