The Coat – Michelle Bowler 

Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS WRITER

Flora

Nelly always seems to know just what I need thinks Flora as she unwraps the birthday present from her sister. A warm green winter coat.

When Flora passes away the coat gets stuck in her wardrobe for a while and then gets taken to an op shop.

Cathy

Cathy thinks the coat is beautiful and will be perfect for winter. Dark green, made from wool. Big shiny green buttons. Long but not too long. Well looked after. And it’s the op shop’s half price day for students so it’s only $15. She likes the coat so much that she puts it on straight away. And it feels like the coat sighs as it wraps around her. Cathy has to rush then. She spent too long browsing and trying on coats and knows Nick will be pissed off.

A few months later when Cathy takes an intervention order out against Nick he snaps. He chucks all her crap, including the stupid green coat, into a box and dumps it at the Salvos. Take that.

Trish

Trish is dropping off old baby clothes at the Salvos when a green coat catches her eye. It looks like something her partner Cathy would wear. Trish can imagine Cathy wearing it when she walks round the lake with Charlie and Rosy in the pram. And she’s right. Cathy’s eyes light up when she sees the coat. ‘This was my coat. Nick must have taken it to the op shop when I kicked him out. I loved this coat.’

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