Just a Hint of Autumn: A Treasure-House of Reflections and Imagination.

By Barbara McCarthy

With seven decades of living behind her, Barbara came to writing about her experiences late in her life and her inspirational memoir, ‘My Windows, My Views …’ opened the flood gates and she hasn’t stopped sharing her stories yet. ‘Just a Hint of Autumn’ is a treasure house (meaning a place where many things of value can be found, and not a treasure trove merely containing a collection of valuable things), has imaginary tales and reflective stories from her open life and her open mind. There is truth and sadness in some of her stories, humour and insight in others. There is something for everyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Sep 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669831426

Book preview

JUST A HINT

OF AUTUMN

A Treasure-house of Reflections

and Imagination.

Barbara McCarthy

Copyright © 2022 by Barbara McCarthy.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and

such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/15/2022

Xlibris

AU TFN: 1 800 844 927 (Toll Free inside Australia)

AU Local: [phone] ([phone] from outside Australia)

www.Xlibris.com.au

845167

CONTENTS

Preface

Autumn

A Night To Forget

To Hear Or Not To Hear . . .

Spilled Milk

A Condiment Complaint

Not A Brave New World

Dystopian Story No. 2

A Spicy Story In Any Language—An Allegory

‘Ave A Larf?

On A Theme

In My Park

Easter Reflections

London Airport

The Eye Of The Beholder

Self-Reflection

Mary Had A Little . . .

Dreaming

Baking Bread

Ursula’s Story

The Blind Date—Two People Standing At Opposite Ends Of A Bus-Stop Queue

Seasons On The Wane

PREFACE

Just a Hint of Autumn—a treasure house

of reflections and imagination.

After writing My Windows, My Views . . . as a debut author, I practiced this newfound joy of mine, putting to paper all the things I wanted to share, all the half-completed thoughts and views lingering in my mind. It wasn’t difficult for me to do because I felt Just a Hint of Autumn coming at me in my long life, and I knew I had to write it all down before my life’s season changed.

I believe that seasons have always inspired me, the coming and the going of them, and the palpable changes in mood that sunshine and storms bring with each contrary part of the cycle. But there is more to life, even an old well-weathered life, than sitting watching the seasons come and go. There is still time for touching reflections, for imagination, for humour, for true-but-sad stories, and for fun fiction. I have tried to bring all that to this book.

I hope you enjoy it.

Barbara McCarthy

AUTUMN

There is a hint of change in the air, which is far too early. I am not ready. Summer has barely been here and is now fading away. I see in my mind’s eye the receding colours of sunsets melding into crunching leaves from skeletal trees and smoking fires. I must retune my mindset to be prepared.

I remember a beautiful word so rarely used: autumnal. Instantly, falling leaves are bronze and gold and shimmering, a fire is roaring in the grate, and the atmosphere is mellow. I think I might like this hint of autumn in the air.

A NIGHT TO FORGET

After seventeen years working on night duty in a hospital, there have been many memories I could share, many events that stand out as eminently recountable. ‘A Night to Forget’ could have just been one of them, had it not been so devastating to witness and its aftermath so tragic.

This was an ordinary night at the hospital, the last of four I had to work from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. to complete my