#unicorn challenge – October 4, 2024
She got out of bed and trudged through the living room. The place had been trashed. She supposed it happened last night. She was having a hard time remembering. She was so glad their daughter had been at a sleepover.
As she made her way through the house, it dawned on her that he was gone. His bed hadn’t been slept in. She opened the closet and his clothes were gone. A shelf in the bookcase was cleared out.
It was Monday, she remembered. The milk man delivered milk on Monday. She smiled and thought that they wouldn’t need half the milk they used in the past.
She felt embarrassed. It was 1975. The divorce rate in the U.S. was low. Divorce was still a social stigma. Most couples just stuck it out, supposedly for the sake of the children. Her own opinion was that couples married too young and didn’t wait to find the right person. That surely described her.
He’d asked her for a divorce last night. She agreed, but he raged and blamed her. She laughed when she thought of the milk on the porch and the old song, “Milk Cow Blues,” popped into her mind. She remembered part of the lyrics and it seemed she was living that song. She would not need as much milk delivered in the future. She walked to the door to bring in the milk and try to get back to her life.
NOTE: “Milk Cow Blues” was written back in the 1930s, but my favorite version is by Aerosmith
Thanks to C.E. Ayr and Jenne Gray for hosting the #unicornchallenge!
The Write Scribe 
Ha, I like this woman’s attitude – humour and determination.
And the views on marriage from the time of the story.
‘… for the sake of the children.’
Maybe sometimes that works, but very often it just leaves everyone in the house unhappy.
Good song too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kinda honest and kinda sad, Rosemary, but I agree with your MC that divorce is better than living together in disharmony or worse.
I listened to Kokomo Arnold’s original version of the song – pure genius – and then Elvis’s rockabilly treatment, which I loved too, so thanks for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Her determination will see her win through. Nice one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
a ‘winning’ combination for a story. the Seventies, music and at odds with the world.
what’s not to like?*
*both as Reader and Author
LikeLiked by 1 person
Staying together for the sake of the kids usually doesn’t work. Kids are smart. They know when something’s not right. It doesn’t help anyone prolonging the inevitable.
Loved the matter-of-fact manner of your story, RM. Well done.
There are a couple of versions of Milk Cow Blues on YouTube. Great fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like how you’ve woven in the little everyday details with the tragic story of a marriage failure. You’ve shown the difficulties but also delivered it with a tone of acceptance that shows she’s made the right decision, and her life, and that of the kids, will be fine now.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Margaret!
LikeLiked by 1 person