The Shades of Spring

Meet The Protagonist

"Strategy is empty without change, empty without passion, and empty without people willing to confront the void," Sidra sat back in the chair, "Opinions?"

"None," Hafsa answered truthfully. "Seth Godin is a great author. But his works aren't for me."

"Indulge me this once."

"I indulge you all the time. If that was a sport, I'd be the world champion. "

"That doesn't answer my question Haf. I'm waiting."

Hafsa groaned and drew a breath.
"He's right. He has a concrete foundation to his expression. Happy?"

Sidra smiled at Hafsa; her eyes crinkling with a hidden humour the latter failed to detect.
"That's exactly what I thought. But in a rare coincidence of your off-hand, frustrated answers aligning with the right answer, you get to walk away. I take it you didn't pay attention to the words at all?"

"True," Hafsa conceded. "Nobody is nuts enough to read those books and debate points."

Sidra threw back her head and laughed. "This is why you're my favourite to annoy. Come on, Haf, say it. Your conversations with me are the highlight of your day."

Hafsa was barely able to conceal the smile, "Like the time you confused me with some infinity question?"

"Yup," Sidra lapsed into silence, allowing Hafsa to examine her friend more closely.
There were no telltale signs of exhaustion or discontent in her features. As always, Sidra didn't look what she felt. Hafsa didn't know Sidra as much as it was the other way around, but she knew enough to say Sidra was a private person, going out of her way to help others and quietly shouldering her responsibilities with no audible complaints.

"How's the new job?" Hafsa questioned.

"It's good. Alhamdulillah. The kids are okay. Except one boy - he's got some issues."

"Are you actually going to do all three? Library, school and tutoring?"

"I didn't tell you?" Sidra waved at a library patron across the room, "Katie hung up. She won't be able to adjust the twins' schedules to suit me."

"Aww man....That's bad."

"I know right?"

Hafsa narrowed her eyes at an aisle, "Gotta bounce Sid. Kevin looks like he can use some help."

Sidra checked her watch. Twenty minutes to shift start. She went back to the book she was reading as the afternoon library comers trickled in.

Myrethorne Public Library was a beautiful structure rising in the middle of Myrethorne Green in Crest Falls. Sidra had always thought the city name a bit much. Welcome to Crest Falls, where citizens are literally Crest Fallen.... But the city was very friendly and had a large reading body who took the daily faithful trip to the public library.
She had been working at the library for just over two years, and a month ago, she had got a job at a local school.

A life far from easy had taught her to look for and appreciate the little blessings in life that built the term happiness, which otherwise would have fallen into ruins if not for a content and patient heart. At twenty she already had quite a few high bars to overcome, more for herself than for what society thought. Sidra worked two jobs; the library and tutoring a pair of autistic kids before joining school and being laid off by the twins' mother. But such was life.

She was deeply immersed in the book and Seth Godin's narrative that she barely noticed the young man who approached her.

"Hello," he said.