The Green Hat

An Advent Calendar of Stories

December 07 2014

The Green Hat

Penny Rogers

Gin and bitters

Pandora coveted the hat. Its summer green brim matched, even enhanced, the butterflies in the Stella McCartney dress she had bought for the garden party at Buckingham Palace. After yoga she made sure she left the gym with Helen. Walking towards the car park Pandora casually remarked ‘I do like that hat of yours. May I ask where you got it?’

Helen smiled. ‘It’s a one-off I'm afraid. At least I think it is. I got it in a flea market in France. Cost me all of 5 Euros.’

‘What a stroke of luck.’ Pandora turned towards her Audi. ‘Could I buy it from you? I'd give you £30.’

Helen laughed. ‘No chance. I've got plans for this beauty.’ She climbed into her elderly Land Rover and chugged out of the car park.

In desperation Pandora offered to swop a pair of nearly-new Louboutins for the longed-for hat and upped her offer to £100. Helen shook her head and wore her hat at every opportunity. In the end Pandora had to make do with a Gabriela Ligenza.

Everyone went to the party on November 5th. All eyes were on the Guy. He sat on top of the bonfire dressed in a dinner jacket and jodhpurs, a scarf tied securely around his neck. But Pandora's eyes were fixed on his head, for there on top of the misshapen face perched THE hat

Orange tongues licked the distorted body, smoke enveloped the hat.  Pandora launched herself onto the pyre.

About the Author

Penny Rogers writes short stories and flash fiction. She was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize for flash fiction in 2013 and has had stories published in Writers’ Forum, Paragraph Planet and Bare Fiction.