Peter Butler

The Quiet Couple

Why do women with the fattest legs wear the shortest skirts? And now he's exhibiting the boniest of legs under the shortest of shorts. I suppose one shouldn't ask. But I don't know much about our neighbors.

I gather once he won a very important medal for killing a man in Korea. He buried it in the garden, and avoids local dignitaries who want him to talk about it to raise the profile of the village.

under fire
thinking of home
spring crops

She won a rather unimportant medal in the Mum's school race. She hangs it in the garage, where her husband retrieves it to polish occasionally. Wears it round her neck once a year at charity stalls.

after the applause
thinking of home
the tap dripping

Nowadays they potter at home, emerge on rare occasions to make guest appearances opening the local fete, if it isn't too far. The postman says they've slowed right down and keep to themselves, possibly because they haven't much to say.