The Coat by Peta

I remember that donkey-brown coat, bought with my first ever paycheque. It was a beauty. Long and lush. I wore it everywhere. I remember how one girl in the office was so envious, green she was. She’d walk pass my desk more than was necessary and stroke the coat. I had to tell her off. Didn’t want her sticky mits on my gorgeous garment. And warm .It was so warm. I could have lived in the coat. It made me feel so safe. Wrapped up in it was like being surrounded by the bigs arms of a lovely man. Protecting me from all the evil in the world. Of course I was young and impressionable back then.

I had that coat for many years. It saw me through the end of my adolescence and into womanhood. It was my confidant. I could tell it anything and it never judged.

When I met Jake, my world changed. He swept me off my feet, in the same way the coat had done all those years before. He wrapped me up in his huge arms and loved me like no other. It was such a blessing. When he asked me to be his wife, I cried and cried so much I could not even respond. But he knew my answer without words. I wore my coat that day.

One day I was walking home from work. I travelled along a side road to escape the hustle and bustle of the traffic. I came across an old woman. She sat on a bench, the snow flakes landing on her grey hair. She was all skin and bones and shivering against the cold. Her clothes were old and clearly not warm enough for the conditions. I stopped and asked her if she was OK. She looked at me strangely and smiled in a way that told me no one had asked her such a question for a long time. I sat down next to her. Side by side we sat in silence, in the falling snow. A street vendor came past and I bought her a cup of coffee. Her face broke open with a warm smile as she greedily sipped the hot dark liquid. The steam rose and her nose turned red. I had to go. Jake would be worried. I said good bye and rose to leave. After a few steps I stopped and turned. Her tiny fingers clenched the warm mug which she held close to her face accepting the radiating heat. I retraced my steps and stopped again in front of her. Her tired eyes look up at me questioningly. I took off my lovely donkey brown coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Stay warm and well” I said to her in a soft low voice. “This coat has always protected me, it’s your turn now.”

I hurried off and didn’t look back. I can still remember the look of gratitude on her face like it was yesterday.