The Ant -- Some Let Me Make You

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Date Posted: 10:14:11 03/12/01 Mon
Author: Maggie
Subject: The Ant

I sat on my chair staring at a row of files arranged neatly on my shelf and sighed with satisfaction of having a tidy carol once again. Then I frowned as I realised now I would have to do some real work. I pushed back on my chair and balanced with the ease of one who practices a lot. My legs hung aimlessly, swinging sometimes to regain balance and I thought of the work most needed to be done and the easiest work to do.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, (sorry to sound so cliched) I saw a tiny movement. It was an ant, walking along the rim of the door perhaps trying to find a way out of maybe just keeping from the carpet which must be like walking through a thick and dense blue jungle, claustrophobic and inescapable.

I followed is still only with my eyes as if playing a game. Seeing how far I could keep it in my vision before it strained my eyes too much and I lost it. I put my feet back on the floor as I had been captured by the tiny black dot moving slowly away from me and I needed my concentration to keep in in my focus. Finally, I gave up. My eyes hurt too much and I turned quickly to face the direction of the ant to avoid losing it. I could see it clearly now and I knew no one else could. Such a small insignificant insect to us that could only take ones attention by accident and unknowingly. As I watched, it slid down the metal rim into the gutter where the screws attach the metal to the floor and I thought that was it. But then once again I saw it, a tiny head poking out of the gutter. I wondered about the power it must have but more importanly the determination and patience. Its journey must take so long. It continued walking along the rim sometimes wobbling and nearly tottering off the edge like a drunk attempting to walk straight.

I was fascinated by it for no real reason. It was simply getting on with its life oblivious of me and I thought, "whose life is harder?" But then it was gone. Sucked through the wailing crack between the two doors. Was that into hell for the ant, back into freedom or simply a continuation of normal life as it was for me as once again I pushed back on my chair with my legs swingly aimlessly.

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[> a piece which reveals clearly the frantic levels of effort year thirteen are currently putting into their work...:) good to see you writing again, even at the cost of passing your exams... i like some of the commentary in this, but it would benefit from more of your trademark descriptive work. -- si, 12:11:21 03/12/01 Mon

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[> I liked this and it got me thinking about the ant a lot and the next time i see one im going to follow it. -- james, 18:18:18 03/12/01 Mon

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[> [> ah, the marvels of literary criticism in action... while maggie will be inspired to think of the ways in which she has changed your life, james, as far as her writing is concerned it might be even more helpful if you were precise about /why/ you liked this. -- si, 19:19:26 03/12/01 Mon

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[> I guess i like it because of the obvious maggie thought that has gone into it. I quite like the detail of the little things in this as well such as the balancing legs on the chair, it helps create the image. -- james, 17:58:04 03/13/01 Tue

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[> i liked this too. i liked the subject more than the actual writing - as in i agree that this could have had more funky little descriptive pieces that your pieces usually have. -- zeina, 18:04:43 03/13/01 Tue

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[> I guess being familiar with school and Maggie makes the scene a lot easier to picture. The description of the ant itself is more interesting than the description of the watching game. As with James, the main effect of this on me was to make me think about ants. -- luke, 07:01:59 03/19/01 Mon

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