Right under your nose

Rudolph was bored.  He hated summer.  His job was over for another year, he was stuck here with nothing to do but sit around and scratch himself. 

The sound of a bicycle bell broke the stillness.  Aha, the postman!  He walked down the path to the letterbox, almost prancing in his eagerness to see what had arrived.  Anything to break the monotony.  Bills for the boss, pizza coupons (although who would deliver to this god-forsaken place he didn’t know), and some sort of brochure by the size of the envelope.  He ripped it open with his teeth and pulled out the contents – a catalogue for the local community college.  Flipping through, he glanced at the list of courses on offer – yoga, aromatherapy, thai cooking, pottery…

Pottery…  That one sounded like fun.  He’d seen a rather romantic movie scene involving a potter’s wheel with clay flying everywhere.  Maybe he should take the course – maybe he’d be lucky and find someone there who could love him for himself. 

It was difficult to find someone to go out with him – he was rather infamous around the town these days.  Ever since that man had written a song about him.  It was hard to find someone who could look beyond the rumours and get to know him.  He scratched his distinctive nose and sighed, wishing for a companion to love.

He was startled out of his reverie by a face peering over his shoulder at the catalogue.

“Hey Donna,” he greeted his friend.

“Hey Red”.  She smiled shyly and peered up at him through her long lashes.  “That ballroom dancing course looks like fun.  Wanna come along with me?”

Rudolph smiled in delight.  Sometimes the things you are looking for are right there under your nose.

Word count: 292