The Inconvenience

This post includes a few pieces of writing on INCONVENIENCE.

Anne Erez

The water stopped.
"Well if you ask me it very inconvenient.I mean why not just have a normal celebration like all her other weddings?" asked James as he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a thick white towel from the hook on the wall, towelled himself dry and wrapped it around his waist.
His words were directed to his wife Sonia who was sitting at her make-up table applying the finishing touches to her immaculately made-up face. She stopped what she was doing and turned to answer him.
"Oh James, it's her wedding and goodness knows her husband to be is wealthy enough to afford a wedding like that and if that is what she wants well why not?" and she continued her primping.
"But it's not her 1st wedding and why does she expect everyone to go all the way to some tropical paradise? Probably will be another disaster like all her other couplings!" he exclaimed and walked towards the dressing room to dress for the upcoming function they were going to.
"But Barbara is my sister and I am expected to go and anyway I think it will be lots of fun with those crazy friends of hers. Always is. So I am going with or without you". She grinned and paused for a moment and looked at herself in the mirror.
 For all her confident words Sonia knew exactly what he meant. Her sister Barbara had been married twice before and had numerous close calls and long relationship in between. No one really believed that this one would be any more successful than the previous ones. But at least this time her groom was a much older, successful wealthy man who already had grown children and was only interested in enjoying their life together. Maybe this one would last? They certainly seemed to be very besotted with each other. But then again appearances can be very deceiving she reminded herself. And anyway she was planning on James not being around to spoil her fun.
"Well, I'm not sure I'll have the time to just take off for a few days especially in the middle of this new project. The timing is just so damn inconvenient for me" said James as he popped his head around the doorway from inside the dressing room.
"OK that's fine. You know you really don't have to come, darling. I am sure you will find it boring and anyway you need to concentrate on that important project you said". She sat still waiting for his reply and realised that she was holding her breath.  She tried not to remember the crazy antics she got up to last time these friends got together and the consequences for her.  So she continued to fuss with her long dark hair until it looked just the way she liked it and sat on top of her head with a few tendrils escaping around the side. It softened her face and accentuated her beautiful green eyes.
There was silence for a few minutes while he completed his dressing then he came to her with a grin on his face and put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze.
"No, no. I think I'll join you this time. Why should I let you have all the fun with that wacky bunch? But what's the dress code for a luxury beach wedding these days? Knowing Barbara and that current poor devil she is tied up with it will be elaborate no expense spared affair". Said, James.
"Yes, I believe she is thinking of that fabulous place with the villas over the water. Why don't you think about it and then decide? There's still plenty of time." Sonia sighed and tried not to show her dismay. She stood up and turned to view herself in the floor to ceiling mirrors on the adjacent wall. She was happy with her appearance in her black sheath dress with the narrow sparkling straps matching the long drop diamond earrings that James had given to her as a present on the birth of the first of their two children several years ago.
"You look fabulous my darling," he said as he grabbed her jewelled hand and planted a very exaggerated kiss in the air just above her fingers.
They gave their contact instructions for the night to the Nannie before going out to the waiting car that would take them to the city to the function which was important for their business. It would likely be the usual type of event with all the so-called dignitaries, both real and imagined, and the special overseas visitor high flyers. There was always an ample supply of excellent wines and a very elaborate food menu. They both knew from experience what their roles were at these PR functions and James left Sonia when he spied a potential client in the crowd.
He gave her elbow a squeeze and whispered to her, "OK now it's time to start working" and he moved past groups of finely dressed men and women towards the further side of the room. There was lots of low-level laughter and clinking of glasses around them.
 Sonia was quite content to move among those that she knew and preferred to be able to mingle with whoever she thought looked or sounded interesting. Sometimes she was even able to pick up juicy bits of information from the people who were hovering around especially after a few glasses of something or other. She took a glass of bubbly from the handsome young waiter who passed by and made her way over to the noisy group of six or seven people near the bar area.
"Hello, darling," said a tall blonde woman as Sonia moved towards her. She looked to be in her late thirties but Sonia knew was really a good ten years older with the help of everything she could manage including a very wealthy husband. She was immaculately dressed in a stunning very tight, very low cut red dress which moulded to her shapely figure. She lent over to air kiss Sonia on the cheek.
"Oh hello, Diane sweetie. You look amazing, as usual."  She returned the smile and glanced around the room. She moved in to whisper to her. The same social climbers as last months do on the Northbank I see."  They both laughed and turned around to the group who spread out to include them.
After an hour of the small talk and mixing the dinner was announced and they all proceeded to the dining room through wide twin carved timber doors. The huge room was decorated with fantastic flower centrepieces of red and gold on each of the twenty round tables of ten that were set out around the room. A small dais was at one end where later several speeches would be given and a three-piece string band played soft background music at the far end. By this time everyone was suitably relaxed and were weaving around the tables to find their allocated seats.  Sonia was turning to talk with a very dapper silver-haired man behind her and was heading towards their table in the middle of the room when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Hello, darling," said a handsome dark haired man quietly from a chair facing her. She gasped, looked at him and stopped but tried to not make too much of it. She could feel herself starting to tremble at his touch. "How are you Sonia?" he asked and as he stood up he dropped her arm but grabbed her hand and all the time staring into her eyes.
"What a surprise to see you here Peter," said Sonia with a wide smile on her face but she really felt very flustered. People were still noisily walking past to their seats and no one took any notice. She looked up and around quickly to find where James was and saw him sitting at their table further over in deep discussion with an Asian man that she didn't recognise. He had his back to her and was concentrating on his conversation.
"I hear we will both be going to some wonderful lush tropical island soon for Barbara and Ted's wedding? Should be an amusing few days eh?" He looked at her and then "Is James coming too?" He moved in closer and stared intently at her.  He raised one eyebrow and searched her face.
"Oh yes he says he is going to join us this time but you never know...." she replied and shrugged her shoulders. They both stared at each other.
"Oh how very inconvenient" laughed Peter and he released her hand.
"Yes, he thinks it is very inconvenient too". Sonia smiled and stammered. She moved off to join her husband at their table watched by the handsome dark haired man.

Sue Smith

Lots of things happen to try us
In the busy lives we live
Not everyone has the patience
To be able and willing to forgive

Many things are inconvenient
Like people running late
Others in such a hurry
They forget to shut the gate

Traffic is also inconvenient
Bumper to bumper along the road
Racing to get home to family
Always causes more stress to the load

How inconvenient to be low on fuel
That will make us later
But we must stop to fill up

As running out will make the stress greater

When the supermarket runs out
Of your favourite ice cream
That is very inconvenient
I’m sure you know what I mean

But all of these problems
Are nothing compared to some
We should be grateful for what we have
Knowing that more inconveniences will come