The Rainbow at the dark side of the moon - for David Allen

As eccentric as ever, this took a little getting into but seemed to flow o.k. in the end. Hope you enjoy it.


'I found the end of the rainbow on the dark side of the moon', a Pink Floyd lyric? A quote from a drunk Irish man? Who knows but it was twiddling round and round his head like a hamster on speed.

"Damn hamster" he muttered, thinking to himself but actually saying it aloud,  thus raising an eyebrow or two from the other people waiting at the bus stop.

"What's he done?" Said a little voice

"What?" His head spun round to see a small girl, about 5 years old with large blue eyes questioning him.

"What's who done?"

"Your hamster"

"What hamster?"

"The one you just said a naughty word about"

His mind was obviously in slow mode, until it finally clicked.

"Oh that hamster, well erm..I don't actually have a hamster"

The girl wrinkled her nose and looked at him bemused, then shrugged.

"My friend Bob has a hamster, he is brown and bites. His name is Snuggles and I don't like him" she said.

"Sounds like a damn hamster to me" he quipped without thinking

Oh if looks could kill he would have been vaporised in an instant from the glare her mother gave him. Sensing the gaff the little girl struggled to smother a giggle behind her cupped hands.

"Oh!..er.. sorry..er..flowers are pretty aren't they, do you like flowers?

What nonsense was this pouring from from his mouth. Honest gov I'm not inappropriate with children,  just a blithering idiot. Oh god even his thoughts were muddled and sounded dodgy. Best to shut up.

But you know little girls, once they have made a friend there is no stopping them. How else do you account for  a woman's seemingly innate ability to witter endlessly about anything and everything?

"I like daises, I can make daisy chains, my friend Bella made a really long one. Can you make daisy chains?"

Hmm a conundrum, should he, a grown man some 6 ft 2 admit that he can indeed make daisy chains (courtesy of having a sister, not some weirdo closet habit) or should he act all macho and say no. He took a quick glace at the lady he presumed was her mum. She was actually rather attractive, young, perhaps 30, slim, well dressed. What answer would she like? he pondered.

"Actually I can, my sister and I once made the longest daisy chain at our school"

Wow a new low. Bragging about making daisy chains. He hadn't seen that it any of the chat up line books.

"Florence come away now, leave the man alone, the bus will be here in a minute" said the young lady

Well that proved it, no chance of getting into her knickers!

"It's ok mummy, he's my friend" said Florence pulling a cute little pouty face

"She is alright, passes the time until the bus comes" he said

Oh wait was that a faint smile?  Hey hey chances my chances are are on the up. Quick conversation while she is still looking..

"I don't suppose you know where this quote  comes from 'I found the end of the rainbow on the dark side of the moon'? Its been bugging me all morning.

"It's the skittles advert, the one with the astronaut. Consider yourself brainwashed" she laughed

The bus pulled up, and he sat there for a moment feeling like a muppet. Of course it was the stupid skittles advert, he had seen it over breakfast. Still back to the matter in hand, she had laughed, so she liked him yes? Or thought he was an idiot? Why were women so difficult to fathom?

"We're going to eat pizza, want to come? Said Florence jumping onto the bus.

"No no he's busy" her mum interjected far to quickly

"Ah sorry, I'm offf to work" he lied "enjoy your pizza"

And that was that. They went upstairs and on got on with their day and he sat downstairs with his mind flipping between daydreams of what could have been and that darn skittles ad.

The End