Eight Days of Ether: every day a new theme and only 24 hours to submit.
Day 4 – Desire
Where Things Come From. Chocolates – dark and bitter and containing surprises such as a chilli-coated scorpion or a gingered locust.
Desire is sometimes, I think, about things we find ourselves valuing above almost anything else even though they’re often shallow and meaningless. But sometimes it’s about a deeper, more personal need, a longing for something solid, profoundly meaningful such as a connection with other people that is unconditional. This story, at first glance, seems to be saying a lot about materialism – showing off an acquisition of products – but really it’s about the second; the lonely, needy person who has no one to share anything with. Here’s the link
Dr Suzanne Conboy-Hill 
I loved this story. Beautifully written and a satisfying read.
Thank you, Irena. I was thinking that the concept of friendship has changed such a lot in recent years so that it’s much harder to define than it was. One sobering definition to me though is who notices when you’re not there and how long does that take?
“One sobering definition to me though is who notices when you’re not there and how long does that take?” Yeah, I read an article on BBC two days ago about the woman who lay dead in her house for 6 years, and all the neighbors thought she moved out. That’s drama, inglorious as it is.
Yes, I heard that one too. At one time, everyone (mostly) had milk delivered or papers and so bottles on the step or papers sticking out of the letterbox were a giveaway. These days, that’s nowhere near as common so people can just shuffle off unnoticed.