Second Character Sketch

This item is of a similar vein to the last one and the next two will follow the same form. The purpose of posting these isn't so much to garner comments on the writing, although these will be welcome, but more to get comments on the character itself - will it work, etc.

Sketch Two : Sally Gulford

Sally Gulford is a dumpy, agitated woman, aged in her early forties. She was born in Los Angeles in September 1966. Right now, she's in Timaru New Zealand, sitting in the main concourse of the shopping centre, trying desperately to contain her two exuberant young boys, while attempting to deliver an impression of concentration, trying to listen to her eldest daughter's latest tribulations of life. Time has not gone smoothly for Sally, the wrinkles gathering up around her eyes as squints over the narrow lenses of her thick-rimmed spectacles, trying to gain control over her offspring, without drawing any undue attention.

Sally is beyond fashion, beyond appearances, sitting astride the tiny platform the concourse calls chairs, legs spread wide, feet splayed openly to give her balance as she leans forward to catch the crumbs from taking a chunk from her muffin. Four bites and it's gone, the crumbs around her feet, the young boys once more causing her to peer disconcertedly over her spectacles. The cake gone, she turns to concentrate once more on her daughter, idly ruffling her hair as she leans her head to one side.

Her hair is a rich brown colour, the sort of brown most women pay for, but the richness is muted by the remnants of blonde. There is a hint of style, perhaps from a long-past hairdresser visit, when she did care about such things. She has no wealth to flaunt, no lithe figure to emphasise, no prestige to showcase, so she wears no jewellery, no make up, no adornments of any kind, with the exception of a watch, tarnished by age. The watch seems special, she often seems to unconsciously reach down to stroke it; perhaps it is a trinket inherited from loved ones, perhaps a treasure found in easier times. Her clothes are equally plain, leaving few hints of her life or status. Or perhaps, they reflect her life and status perfectly: simple and functional. The clothes hang from her figure which would be kindly described as ample. Her body is one that defies form, her behind spreads across the seat and hangs to each side, whilst her breasts mirror the image, both separated by an abdomen which refuses any attempt to keep it in shape. The clothes do little to hide her frame. If the truth be known, she is beyond caring whether it is hidden or on plain view. Today, she is wearing shapeless jeans with a blouse that was once white, now heading towards grey. Her stubby feet are housed in plain, flat, sandals which minimise the daily pain and pressure she feels from bunions that have been her constant companions since teenage.


Despite the lack of means or status displayed by Sally's clothes and stature, she drives a recent model Pajero 4WD. Like most 4WD owners though, the closest this lady gets to the bush is when she misses the driveway and ends up parking on the grass! Her home in Timaru, like her clothes, is functional and no-frills. When she moved in with her husband, they had been filled with enthusiasm and excitement as they planned to renovate and refurbish. For now, though, she copes. Nothing has changed - the blueboard still needs painting, so does the inside; the roof still needs replacing, so does the floor; the plumbing need renewing and so does she. The house does have one saving glory though - a bull-nose verandah, where Sally will sit whenever she can get some time for herself. This is her favourite time - doing nothing, just dreaming. Dreaming of what will be, what might have been. She reflects that her life seems to be full of wrong turnings and longs to succeed at something. It seems as though she is completely driven by defeat - having been defeated so often and the overwhelming desire to overcome the defeat.

I'm not sure what part these two (so far) are going to play in my novel. I think that Sally is going to be an "irritant" for Roy but I really don't know where this is going just yet ....