Lindsay and Sarah are two young mums in their twenties. They work part-time in an old peoples’ day centre. They are two very different characters. Sarah is cool, trendy, sexy and rather fiery. Lindsay is a rather boring, geekish hippy-type. The two girls fall out over some minor issue. The consequence of which leads to Sarah humiliating Lindsay.
Lindsay was a bit of a worrier. She tried not to watch the news, as she knew that she would get obsessional about some new disease. Recently bird flu had been in the news. At work she instantly volunteered to go to a conference to find out about it. Since having a child and her long-term boyfriend leaving her, she had even more time to focus on health issues. Apart from washing her hands every hour and eating only natural food she had also given up all alcohol. In many ways she was 25 going on 60. She didn’t wear make-up and mainly wore sensible clothing with an occasional bright scarf and sometimes a ‘funny’ tshirt. Her mousy hair had been shoulder-length since her childhood but recently she had it cut in a bob. Somehow this accentuated her larger than average mouth and roundish face. Not that she was an unattractive young woman. She had a slim figure, a small but pert bottom and well rounded 36c breasts. They had shrunk a size giving birth but were still something that caught men’s eyes. Lindsay was in the market for a new man but it could be said she wasn’t marketing herself to her full potential. Whilst alone in the bath she often enjoyed touching herself. Occasionally she had brought herself to orgasm using her fingers but wishing that it was the real thing. All these aspects together often made her a bit depressed and overwhelmed. At home in her flat she often found herself getting tearful. At work she often felt that her colleagues didn’t pull their weight and lacked commitment. She always sought other people’s opinions, took account of their feelings and was co-operative. It frustrated her that others didn’t always do the same for her.
Sarah was a much freer spirit. She had grown up quite a bit since having her child some two years previous. Whilst she did grow her own vegetables and avoided alcohol she did smoke about ten cigarettes a day. Sarah generally had a smile on her face and had a positive outlook on life. She didn’t watch the news and enjoyed listening to music. She lived with her child’s father who was fairly good boyfriend. She was aware of his failings, including his occasional flings with other women. He was often drunk and thus not always great lover. This made Sarah a bit sexually frustrated at times. So much so that she had sent off for a discrete vibrator, which she kept hidden in her underwear drawer. Whilst her boyfriend was out drinking with his mates she would retire early to bed with her special friend. She comforted herself with the thought that there were a lot of worse men out there, and in the main they were happy. Sarah stylish thin blonde hair touched her shoulders. She was about a size larger than Lindsay apart from her breasts which were only 34a. Her clothing was trendy and as sexy as it could be for a carer in an old people’s day centre.
In the main Sarah and Lindsay got on. They didn’t socialise but sometimes talked over lunch about their children’s development. Other than that they didn’t have much in common. Sara was a couple of years younger that Lindsay but saw her as someone much older. At home she would joke about her various obsessions. Lindsay had problems with Sarah. She felt that she was the worse employee. It was her that often failed to communicate correctly, or to simply tell her what was going on. It was one Wednesday morning when Lindsay had enough. Sarah had not tidied up after herself. Lindsay mentioned it to her. Sarah took offence at the way in which Lindsay spoke. Soon they were both outside the fire exit taking it in turns to trade insults and complaints. A manager overheard the commotion and they were both ordered to get on with their work. In turn the manager got each one in the office and calmed them down. Then she got them in together, they all had a friendly chat, and finally they both apologised to each other.
Lindsay was happy with the outcome. She hated conflict and tried to avoid it. She felt that the air had been cleared and that the issues had been dealt with. Sarah on the other hand was very upset and livid. She felt she was back at school being told off by the head teacher, and it was all Lindsay’s fault. At the end of the meeting she put on a brave face, She then rushed down the corridor, tears in her eyes. Once outside she quickly found a quiet place and sat down through her tears rolled a cigarette. She then took quick puffs between her sobbing. After giving herself some ten minutes and another cigarette she was ready to return to work. The rest of the day passed without incident but Sarah’s mind was in overdrive.
‘That bitch Lindsay will pay for this!’ Was a recurring thought pounding her brain. She had been made to look stupid and she hated that. It reminded her again of her worse school days. There were so many teachers pets like Lindsay. More articulate, more brainy, more goody-goody, more conventional and always believed. She hated them then and she hated Lindsay now. It was Sarah’s boyfriend who had his ear bent that night as Sarah ranted on for what seemed like hours, whilst angrily chain smoking her rollups. He knew not to try and reason with her and just made her the occasional cup of coffee.
The next workday Sarah found herself making the off negative comment about Lindsay’s work. Pointing out to her fellow workers odd things she hadn’t done. Those that noticed her comments put it down to her being a bit tired or the time of the month. As the days went by Sarah continued to try assassinating Lindsay’s character a little more. Spiteful comments about her dress sense and lifestyle and negative words about her quality of work became almost an hourly occurrence. So much so that her colleagues had to pull her up on it. She thought better of it. The problem was that the tirade of verbal hatred was a release valve for her. For some two weeks she just kept her thought to herself and her boyfriend. She tried to avoid Lindsay when she worked the same shift it was very difficult. Lindsay just carried on as though nothing had happened and that made Sarah all the more angry.
It was late on a Friday some three weeks after their row when things took an ugly turn. Lindsay and Sarah had both been working the late afternoon shift. Everyone else had gone home and the last clients had left the building. Sarah locked the main door as a minibus collected the last few. She then went to the loo, brushed her hair and applied some make-up, before returning to help Lindsay tidy up. Lindsay made a comment about her being ages.
‘Actually I was only gone five minutes…. I am entitled to a toilet break..’ quipped Sarah sarcastically.
The two young women soon started to trade accusations. Lindsay had to muster all her strength to keep calm and make her points. Sarah had no such worries about self-control. She was soon shouting and almost screaming with anger. Lindsay could see that there was little point in trying to reason with her. After about five minutes of rowing Lindsay just said,
