Natalie Reilly-Johnson
@natalierj.bsky.social
310 followers 130 following 540 posts
Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Writer
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natalierj.bsky.social
If there was ever a story I wish I’d written, it’s ‘Yesterday.’ The premise is this: you’re the only person in the world who remembers The #Beatles. Do you ‘write’ their songs & cash in?

What? You’ve never heard of ‘Yesterday’?

*Checks Netflix. Nothing.*
*Starts typing* #vss365
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natalierj.bsky.social
If there was ever a story I wish I’d written, it’s ‘Yesterday.’ The premise is this: you’re the only person in the world who remembers The #Beatles. Do you ‘write’ their songs & cash in?

What? You’ve never heard of ‘Yesterday’?

*Checks Netflix. Nothing.*
*Starts typing* #vss365
a silhouette of a person walking in front of a wall that says ant
ALT: a silhouette of a person walking in front of a wall that says ant
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natalierj.bsky.social
The smell of incense draws me into the palm reader’s tent. Or maybe it’s the music.
“Standard or #deluxe?” says Psychic Sue.
“What’s the difference?”
“You get a hand massage with the deluxe.” She frowns at my palms. “I suggest you decide now.”
“Deluxe!”
Best massage ev… #vss365
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natalierj.bsky.social
She was the brightest True Spring in the online Colour & Style community. Her palette had empowered her to love herself. And leave her controlling man.

So when she posted a selfie in a dusty blue top, dulling her warm #undertone, we knew.

Someone was trying to dim her light. #vss365
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natalierj.bsky.social
He won me a fish at the fair.

It glinted as it circled the bag, & I saw it through his eyes. A prize for his prize.

But that wasn’t a goldfish. It was a #piranha.

“Back to mine?” I said, flashing a toothy grin. He was going to regret this. For I was no goldfish either… #vss365
a goldfish is in a plastic bag on a white background
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She walks away, her beautiful yellow #raincoat impossibly bright in the grey afternoon. It occurs to me that it always rains the last time I see someone.

“Wait!”

I run to her, arms outstretched, and check the label. I *have* to know where it’s from. Could be my last chance. #vss365
a woman in a yellow coat is walking down a street next to a saab 3 car
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Years later, at the reunion, our old pal Richard’s still full of #verve.
‘All this talk of getting old is getting me down,’ he says.
I laugh. ‘We’re gonna live forever!’
‘I think you should now by now,’ he says, ‘it’s just… melody & silence.’
And it definitely is. Maybe. #vss365
natalierj.bsky.social
She’s got a brother. Typical of him to be here now.
“Where were you?” he says. “We said we’d meet up in the year 2000.”
What’s he’s on about? It’s still the 90s.
Then he asks if I wanna dance & drink & screw, because there’s nothing else to do.
I shrug. “Whatever.” #vss365 #pulp
natalierj.bsky.social
“Step outside, summertime’s in bloom!” I say, but she just shakes her head & says, “There’s no other way.”

I don’t look back in anger. No, I don’t feel down. Now is not the time to cry. All I need are cigarettes & alcohol. #vss365 #oasis
natalierj.bsky.social
I felt self-conscious at the festival. Too old.

Until I saw the #libertine of legend, shirtless, clutching a can, still “looking rough & living strange.”

I raised my drink & my eyebrow at him across the crowded tent. It wasn’t too late to become a middle-aged shambles... #vss365
a woman is spinning a yellow hula hoop in front of a sunset
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I find a childhood relic: a pack of cigarette sweets.

We’d inhale sugary air & tap imaginary #ash away, playing at being grown up.

I sigh into the dust. “It’s not that glamorous.”

I take a fake drag & reminisce about youth.

“It was never that sweet,” the dust replies. #vss365
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Their eyes met at the staff Christmas Carols, beneath the harsh lights in reception. Two discordant voices - his flat, hers sharp. Her sparkly Santa hat #clashed with his festive jumper. Their teams were notorious rivals.

And yet, in that moment… love at first sight. #vss365
a woman wearing a christmas sweater is sitting in front of a laptop computer
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Brenda was crying.
“What’s up?” said Kath.
“Caught a whiff of my husband’s old aftershave. I #associate that smell with the day he left: grief.”
“Associate it with freedom instead,” Kath said. “I love the smell that reminds me of when mine went.”
“Davidoff?”
“No. Bleach.” #vss365
a blue spray bottle with a white arrow on the side
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He’s the perfect partner. Apart from the fact that every 30 seconds or so he freezes & breaks into an #advert.

I can live with it, though…

This vss is brought to you by Penguin. P-p-pick up an upgrade to Premium today.

…because I’m programmed to do the same. #vss365
a cardboard sign that says commercial break is in front of bunk beds
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He sat scrolling while she hung the washing.

She sighed. “I feel like this old pair of knickers these days.”

“What, saggy & faded?” he chuckled.

She felt something snap inside her. Her fingers tightened around the knife in her pocket. “No. The #elastic’s gone.” #vss365
a drawing of clothes hanging on a clothes line with the letter a visible
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natalierj.bsky.social
She’s got a brother. Typical of him to be here now.
“Where were you?” he says. “We said we’d meet up in the year 2000.”
What’s he’s on about? It’s still the 90s.
Then he asks if I wanna dance & drink & screw, because there’s nothing else to do.
I shrug. “Whatever.” #vss365 #pulp
natalierj.bsky.social
“Step outside, summertime’s in bloom!” I say, but she just shakes her head & says, “There’s no other way.”

I don’t look back in anger. No, I don’t feel down. Now is not the time to cry. All I need are cigarettes & alcohol. #vss365 #oasis
natalierj.bsky.social
“We’re engaged!” I said. Then, “Woo hoo!” Maybe that’s what triggered it?

“Well,” she said, “in the words of #Blur, it always should be someone you really love.”

“He is,” I said.

She mumbled something about dirty pigeons. Now all she does is watch afternoon repeats & the food she eats. #vss365
natalierj.bsky.social
“Step outside, summertime’s in bloom!” I say, but she just shakes her head & says, “There’s no other way.”

I don’t look back in anger. No, I don’t feel down. Now is not the time to cry. All I need are cigarettes & alcohol. #vss365 #oasis
natalierj.bsky.social
“We’re engaged!” I said. Then, “Woo hoo!” Maybe that’s what triggered it?

“Well,” she said, “in the words of #Blur, it always should be someone you really love.”

“He is,” I said.

She mumbled something about dirty pigeons. Now all she does is watch afternoon repeats & the food she eats. #vss365
a man holding a sign that says parklife
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natalierj.bsky.social
“We’re engaged!” I said. Then, “Woo hoo!” Maybe that’s what triggered it?

“Well,” she said, “in the words of #Blur, it always should be someone you really love.”

“He is,” I said.

She mumbled something about dirty pigeons. Now all she does is watch afternoon repeats & the food she eats. #vss365
a man holding a sign that says parklife
ALT: a man holding a sign that says parklife
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natalierj.bsky.social
I’d been drooling in the front row all night, & finally the drummer came over.
“The guitarist likes you. Sent me over to call you backstage,” he said.
“Damn,” I said. “I had my eye on the drummer. That’s a #conundrum, isn’t it?”
“No. It’s a bongo.”
I swooned. Funny too. #vss365
a muppet with red hair and sunglasses is playing drums
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Ex-Superintendent Carol’s former colleague had #sublimated his rage into a long police career.

Now that he’s retired, Carol wonders how he spends his nights.

The garden looks freshly dug.

He spots her eyeing it.

“Plenty of room for more to be planted,” he chuckles. #vss365
a man in overalls and a hat is watering plants with a watering can in front of a pool .
ALT: a man in overalls and a hat is watering plants with a watering can in front of a pool .
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natalierj.bsky.social
Gotta keep the old cannibal stories running… 🤣
natalierj.bsky.social
The room pressed in, damp and airless. The door was locked. Where was I?
I bent to look through the keyhole.

Framed by an elaborate #escutcheon, an eye peered back at me. A familiar one. Mine.

I blinked. It blinked too. #vss365
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They paused by the sign. “The last one didn’t say ‘dead end,’” said John.
“No, it said ‘picnic area,’” said Jill.

The watcher’s #scrutiny from behind the trees went unnoticed. “It’s both,” he muttered under his breath, mouth watering. #vss365 #vsspic
Reposted by Natalie Reilly-Johnson
vsspic.bsky.social
Welcome to #vsspic. Our new photo for the week of 9/27/25 is here. Don’t be stupid. Write a story of poem.
natalierj.bsky.social
My agent praised the “sonorous narrative voice” in my work.

“It isn’t so #sonorous at 3am,” I laughed.

At 3am, a text: “How do you make it stop?”

I reply, “Write a book & pass it on.”

The voice is probably cackling. But not in my head. I go back to sleep in blissful peace. #vss365
a kitten is sleeping under a blanket on a bed .
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🤣🤣 glad to be of assistance!