Wherever I lay my hat - Free flash fiction story
Are you familiar with the saying ‘when life gives you lemons?’ Well, it didn’t just give me one or two, but a whole lemon grove.
And that sourness remained with me as I bounced from place to place, settling nowhere for more than a short while. Which, when I think about it, was for the best, as the places I inhabited were dumps. Dark patches of mould grew up the walls like a two-dimensional tree, while the windows were always wet on the inside. Still, I told myself it wasn’t forever and kept my head down, hustled hard and never stopped believing that I would find my perfect home. And I did.
I had admired it from afar for the last few months, and when the opportunity to move in presented itself, I took it.
The place was not only the American dream, but it was my dream.
As I crossed the threshold, I marvelled at the beautiful array of coloured flowers that ran alongside a maintained, white picket fence. The lawn had a perfectly sculpted look and walking on the smooth concrete driveway was a pleasure. Not a single loose chipping or stone.
My eyes widened as I finally saw the expansive garage at the side of the building. I guessed there was enough room for three cars. Not that I even had one. That sort of consumer debt wasn’t for me. I smiled at the possibility of one day filling it with tools, or maybe I would convert it into a den or a bar.
I continued to walk around my new home. My faded baseball cap shielded me from the early morning summer sun, but allowed me enough visibility to take in every inch of the property’s facade.
After admiring the long, rectangular rear garden, I pushed open the French doors and allowed the subtle hint of lavender to caress my nostrils.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled that sweet smell and allowed it to clear my mind. The effect was instant as my muscles relaxed and my worries dissolved. I savoured the moment, then continued exploring the four en-suite bedrooms, pool and the most elaborate home cinema setup I had ever seen. My jaw ached from smiling.
If only I could have worked out how to use the fancy coffee machine, then I really would have felt like I belonged here. That was a minor detail though, and by the time I was halfway through my bottle of liquor, its sharp taste helping to take the edge off a stressful day, I had long forgotten all about it.
That evening, my muscles still ached with the day’s exertion caused by moving in. I tossed my worn cap on the La-Z-Boy recliner and collapsed down onto the plush leather sofa next to it. A wave of indulgent comfort enveloped me and absorbed my aches.
I turned on the television and jabbed at the volume button. I had no neighbours nearby, so figured why not treat myself to the full immersive experience? Content, and a little wasted, I drifted off to sleep.
Whether it was because of the booze, or the deafening roar of an action movie playing in the background, I didn’t hear the front door open or the people entering the house.
“Who the hell are you?”
With the back of my sleeve, I wiped the rheum away from my eyes and stared at the strange faces, unable to reply to the simple question. And then reality hit me. The homeowners must have cancelled their holiday.
Shit.
Looks like I’ve got to move again.
