When I Met Polly

Chapter One

The sea sizzled along the sand. I inhaled the air.

"Hello-my-name-is-Abi-A-Abigail," I say slowly. No that was far too slow and I stuttered. This is what I do everyday, I just practice saying these words, I've been doing it since I was 9 years old, I am now 14 and still I struggle to just form the simplest of sentences aloud. In my head they are so easy to think, but when it comes to articulating them my tongue just does not work with my brain to say them properly. I sigh and take a deep breath. "H-hi- my -n-name I-I-is..." I trail off and sigh. "Good morning my name is Ab-Abi-a-a," I just can't say it as I try desperately to force my name out. I breath in, I'm not giving up, I nearly had that sentence. "A-Abigail," I smile as I finish my name. "Abigail," I repeat with more enthusiasm "h-he-hello- my n-name is Abigail," I sigh and continue to stutter the words.

Then I trip over something round on the ground, I manage to retain my balance as I look down at the object: a rather chewed up tennis ball. Then a sheep dog bounds over to me and retrieves the ball, it looks up at me with it's sparkling eyes. I look around the beach, which is seemingly empty. "Where-h-have you come f-from?" I coo, if drops the ball at my feet and backs away looking at me expectantly. I look down at the ball and crouch down and pick it up, It is slightly slimy but it doesn't bother me, I gently toss it and the dog excitedly bounds after it. I smile slightly but then realise I can't get distracted I need to master at least one sentence this afternoon. I take a seat on the pebbles and look out at the salty sea.

"Hello m-my name is-" I am cut of a once again the chewed up ball is at my side. I look up at the dog who is once again waiting a little distance away from me. I sigh and lightly laugh as I pick up the ball and hurl it into pebbles behind me which it runs after. Then immediately after it runs back to me, I do the same again, and again, and again until the dogs breath becomes heavy and it takes a seat at my side. I once again examine the beach to look for possible owners, but no one is there. I then develop an idea. What if I use the dog as a substitute for an actual person and practice talking to it. I take an intake of breath and turn thoughtfully to it.

"H-hello," I sigh and start again "hello-my-name is Abigail," I smile as I complete the sentence successfully. "Hello my n-name is Abigail," It gazes up at me with it's twinkling little eyes, I gently stroke is and it excitedly rolls over and so I pat it's stomach. "Hello, my name is Abigail," I repeat. Just before I begin to repeat the sentence when something moves behind me. I turn in alarm.

"Nice to meet you Abigail, my name's Polly," says and old woman, who appears to be in her eighties. She possesses a warm cheerful smile. I feel my cheeks burning and my heart pounds.

"U-uh h-h-h-h..." I give up trying to form a sentence and sigh disappointedly as I look down again the ground.

"Oh I do hope I didn't scare you," she stated and her accent sounded welsh. I shook my head.

"N-no-it's okay," I assured slowly. She nodded and smiled, she then looked to the dog.

"Here Sheperd!" She called and he waddled to her side. "He hasn't been botherin' you 'as he?" She asked. I shook my head.

"I-l-like-dogs," I said. She smiled.

"I see you down 'ere a lot," she stated. "Most youngens like you be out with their friends," she pointed out. I shook my head sadly and averted my gaze to the ground. I didn't have any friends. "Ah well, nice out 'ere," she said, I nodded in agreement. "I best be getting home, my stew will get cold. See you another time Abigail," she said, I smiled and nodded. As she walked away I whispered very quietly so she couldn't here "yes see you soon."