Short Story Competition Bellarine Writing Competion- June 2026. The prompt is the photo here, 750 words. Was recommended by judges and name published in the Ocean Grove Voice.

Perspective

‘Looking at something from a different perspective can uncover something unexpected.’ Leonard showed Mary a picture on his phone that he had taken last year on their anniversary holiday. Standing on railway tracks that seemed to go forever, straight past the trees, into the hills and disappearing as a dot in the distance.

‘I guess so.’ replied Mary.

They were a few wines in on a Saturday night. No TV, just a record playing in the background and chatting like they had done for the last 20 or so years. They would talk about deep things or frivolous tidbits. It was just the two of them connecting. Tonight though, Leonard was uneasy. He took a big swill of his wine and finished the glass.

‘You know the train tracks are straight, but then they look like they join in the distance. They appear bent, but you KNOW they are straight.’ Leonard emphasised.

The sentence hung in the air as Paul Kelly sung ‘Darling It Hurts’ in the background.

‘If you were at the other end of the track looking back at me taking the photo, from your perspective you see the same thing. You don’t see bent tracks becoming straight.’ His voice tailed off at the end.

‘Of course not. It’s depends on that persons perspective.’ Mary was not quite picking up on the change in tone.

‘Not everything that looks straight is straight.’

Still not quite getting it, Mary proffered, ‘Well there is that Hering effect or something…..’

Leonard interjected. ‘Sometimes things are actually bent when they look straight.’

Again, he let that sentence hang in the air while he poured them another Chardonnay. The record had finished playing and all Leonard could hear was the wine sloshing into the glass and the thumping of his heart.

‘Mary, this is not easy to say, and I will understand if you hate me forever.’ Leonard stammered his words, but they landed clearly.

Mary was quite taken aback but put her hand on his. She couldn’t imagine not loving Leonard. Whatever he had to say, surely, they could work through it. ‘What is it?’

He pulled his hand away from hers and grabbed his glass.

‘Mary.’ Leonard took another deep breath. ‘I am gay. I am attracted to men.’

Mary sat back in the chair, not sure what to say, what to do …. ‘What? I’ve turned you gay? Are you so unattracted to me now that you now look at men?’

‘No, no, no…. It’s not you.’ Leonard implored. ‘You are wonderful and I love you, but just not in that way. I have always been attracted to men, but I thought I could be fixed. We connected so well that I thought I would be cured if we got together. Then, if we got married, that would stop my thoughts. Surely, if we had kids, then I would have to be straight.’

Another moment of silence.

‘I now realise that I’m not broken and need fixing.’

Leonard continued. ‘I went to the doctor to see about my .. um .. problem being intimate. I thought he would just prescribe some tablets. Instead, the handsome young doctor cured my problem just by standing there.’

Mary drained her full glass of Chardonnay. Unable to speak, unable to fathom how their life, her life, had just suddenly changed. So many questions, so many thoughts.

‘I have never acted on it. I have been faithful, if you are wondering. I promised to look after you and I meant it. I … I just can’t lie to you anymore the way I have been lying to myself. I hope we can still be close friends, be amicable parents. I love the kids too and want what is best for them as well. I need to figure out how to tell them.’

The wine and thoughts blended in her head. Mary sniggered. The snigger turned into a giggle, then into a loud laugh. ‘Tell the kids? Tell the kids? Wow. Of course! Of course we have to tell the kids!’

Leonard was confused as to where this had turned. He had expected anger, disappointment, even just silence. But laughter?

‘The funny thing? You know what the funny thing is? They may be more understanding than you think. Stephen IS gay. HE has been too scared to tell YOU because of how he thought YOU would react.

Bloody hell, Leonard. How is that for uncovering something unexpected from a different perspective?’