(aka Bike) Part 1155 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
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Lunch proved to be something quick–Welsh rarebit. After clearing up, I managed to get some survey work done and to remind all my volunteers about the upcoming dormouse survey, the last of the year. I sent out emails making sure we had a licence holder at every site we were doing, then it was time to collect the girls.
The week seemed to fly past. Gareth came to collect Stella once more and she went over to his place once as their relationship began to develop. It felt really good to see her dressing up and wearing makeup again. There was a spring in her step and she had something about her which even Tom noticed.
“You look nice, Aunty Stella,” commented Livvie.
“Why thank you, Livvie, you look pretty good yourself.” Livvie walked about the place with a smile almost as big as Stella’s. She’d paid all of the girls to babysit Puddin’ who was no trouble except when she was teething and then guess who got to look after her?
So for a week I lived with Lady Stella, becoming prettier and more confident by the day. “You know you saved Gareth’s job, don’t you?” she said to me on the Friday.
“What d’you mean?” I asked making up a bed for Phoebe who’d be here tonight.
“They’re making redundancies in Defra and Natural England.”
“Yeah, so what did I do?”
“He’s prosecuting the timber thieves, which you effectively caught and your help with getting the bank to pay for the fencing, apparently makes him seem to be involved with the business community, which they’re trying to encourage.”
“Oh good–I’m glad I’m doing something right. Pass the duvet cover please, yes the grey one.” I finished making up the bed while we talked. “Nice nail colour,” I said noticing she’d painted her nails.
“Gosh, Cathy, Gareth has given me a reason to live again and it’s really through you, thank you for letting me have him.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“C’mon, I know you fancied him and he rather fancies you, too...” As Stella droned on I had visions of a rerun of the Des situation. I still hadn’t told her that he’d left me his property and that I’d set up a trust fund for her daughter which all profits from the house went into, after repairs and refurbishments.
“I had nothing to do with it, Stella, other than working with him in his official capacity. That he asked you out, is nothing to do with me–I’m married to your brother–remember? And happily married, as well.”
“Methinks the lady protests too much,” was her reply.
“C’mon, Hamlet, help me carry this washing downstairs.”
The rest of the day was either talking to people about the survey the next day or getting the place ready for Phoebe, which Julie was looking forward to, although I told them they could only go to the cinema if they went out and no alcohol. She told me they were going to see some film about lesbians with Julianne Moore in it. Great, oh well maybe it will help her decide what she is–although I’m sure I saw something in the Guardian about both her and Annette Benning claiming they were straight. For goodness sake, they’re actors, aren’t they supposed to play anyone they need to, or is it especially challenging to do so to play someone who’s different to you? The world is crazy, too busy with its head up its arse concerned about its sexuality and what others will think rather than getting on with doing something called living.
I’d bought a turkey which I’d roast for tonight and do something with the rest of the meat tomorrow and Sunday. Tomorrow we could have turkey and chips–for those trying to wean themselves off meat–it would be the hell of cold turkey.
I had the bird in the oven from three o’clock and the vegetables started before I went to collect the girls. Sister Maria told me they’d sold most of the tickets for my talk on November 26th. I’d nearly forgotten all about it.
I left Stella in charge of supervising the rest of the veg while Trish and I went off to collect Phoebe, who was waiting for us at the bus station, with a used ticket. She gave us each a bone shaking hug and we got into the car.
“Lady Cameron, there’s something I’d like to ask you in confidence.”
I waited to start the car, “Okay, I’m not sure I can answer it, but I’ll try.” I assumed she’d spoken to Neal about my past–oh well, at least Trish knew about it and besides she was sitting in the back seat singing along with Kylie Minogue on her MP3 player and every so often very strange noises emanated from the back seat.
Phoebe blushed, “It’s a bit embarrassing,” she said very coyly.
“Please don’t feel embarrassed with me.”
“Okay, is Julie a boy?”
I blushed showing my embarrassment. “What makes you say that?”
“She’s got some dangly bits.”
“She showed them to you?”
“No, I saw them while she was sleeping, the bed cover slipped down and they showed through her nightdress.”
“Why don’t you ask her?” I asked.
“Um, it’s a bit personal, isn’t it?”
“I think it might be a bit personal for me to answer, too.”
“So that means she is, then?”
“Does it?”
“Yes, ‘cos if she wasn’t, you’d have said so.”
“Would I?”
“Yeah–wouldn’t you?”
“Would I?”
“I spoke to Neal and told him about you breast feeding, he said if you took the right hormones anyone could do it.”
“Ah, so now you think I’m a boy again? Are you sure you want to stay with us if we’re all weirdos?”
“Oh yeah, it’s like great fun, an’ I don’t think you’re weird, I like you.”
“So what about Julie, are you still happy to share a room with her?”
“Yeah, no probs–I don’t suppose she could get it up anyway–though part of me would like to see her try.”
“I’m not sure I can let you share a room with her, you’ll have to sleep in the dining room on the couch.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t allow underage kids to experiment with sex in my house.”
“What? I thought you were cool about all sorts of things being different yourself.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re wrong there. I have very conventional views on what minors are allowed to do. By all means try it when you’re eighteen and somewhere else, but please don’t embarrass me or abuse my hospitality.”
She burst into tears, “I wasn’t gonna do nothin’, honest–can’t I stay with Julie?”
“I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it now and I’d require an undertaking from both of you that nothing would happen. I’m a bit disappointed Phoebe.”
“Aw poo, I thought you were so cool an’ things.”
“I’m a parent, Phoebe, I’m also old enough to see beyond the barriers you have because that’s what I’m required to do, to see the consequences of certain actions, it’s the difference between being an adult and a teen. I’m sorry if it sounds boring, but that’s the way it is. Now if you want to stay, you can, but on my terms, or you can catch the bus back and I’ll call your mum to explain why.”
“What? You’d tell my mum you were a bunch of weirdos?”
“If it protected you and Julie, yes.”
“Wow, no shit.”
“Absolutely none at all.”
Comments
Consequences
Phoebe's just had a short, sharp lesson in consequences and the fact that Cathy is a responsible parent.
Let's hope that she, and Julie for that matter, learn.
Very well written as usual. It's 1240 in the morning; I can go to bed now I've had my fix of 'Bike'.
S.
Bike pt 1155.
Can't help but think that that girl is more than curious. But Julie is all for Leon. If Phoebe ever learns about that, wonder what she'll do? And Stella is hitting close about Des and Cathy. Hope she nevr learns the truth.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Now
THAT is a mother!
Yes, that issue is like a spectre that waits to wound us.
And it always seems like it re-appears when we are most vulnerable.
:)
Gwendolyn
Cathy Is Doing The Right Thing
Cathy is doing the right thing in taking a stand on Phoebe sleeping in the same bed with Julie. She seems to think that being Transgendered is just something weird and not about someone's real life struggles to define who they are. She needs to educate herself on the issue and talk to people who deal with this issue by being respectful with how they speak to people. Julie may not be that much younger in age than Cathy,but Cathy is very clearly the adult here. Phoebe still has a lot of growing up to do herself. I hope that she doesn't try to embarrass Julie.
Consenting adults.
Yep Angie' can't fault your logic about the age of consent and stuff.
I'm not even happy with the age of consent being lowered to 16.
Now that kids can be kept against their will in care until they are 18 who is to protect them from abusive 'carers'?
'Well did the child say no Ms/Mr Social worker?'
"No your honour. He/she was really up for it. He/she deliberately provoked me and he/she is over the age of consent."
"Oh. Okay Mr/Ms social worker, that's okay then, no law has been broken. I've also read the case history of promiscuity. Case dismissed."
Yeah!
Well f----d!
I still love the saga though and hate to miss a posting.
Beverly.
Growin' old disgracefully.
The Law Is Not Always Stupid
I'm not sure where you are, but in many jurisdictions "age of consent" laws specifically exclude consent where a person is in care, or under the control of an adult in a position of responsibility over that minor. For example, in those jurisdictions, teachers, priests, medical professionals, anyone in loco parentis, prison guards, and social workers would all be guilty of statutory rape or aggravated sexual assault, regardless of the expressed consent of the minor.
Well rock on Cathy!
Somebody has to be the adult.
And for the record, Cathy should really tell Phoebe that she is as much a woman as any other woman out there.
Kim
I think Cathy, Julie and Phoebe need to have a conversation
And Phoebe needs to have a crash course on GID. Julie may have some dangly bits but SHE considers herself a girl. No play allowed. I found Phoebe's comments incredibly insensitive and likely to cause Julie some pain. Phoebe sounds pretty immature but I guess she is. Also, she's treading in territory she doesn't understand and has never really thought about.
Oh gosh!
When I was a high school teacher, I'd often liken myself to one of those jugglers in a circus, with the crockery plates spinning on sticks. The really good jugglers can have a dozen or two plates spinning away, but every so often they have to go back to each plate and give it another twirl, otherwise it will fall and smash. So it is in teaching: you have all these activities happening at a given time, and if you don't make some time for each one, chaos results. So it also appears to be here in Bike, where there are a number of different plot elements on the go at any particular time, and we continually receive snippets of each one:
Thanks A+B+I (Welsh rarebit and Roast turkey): that's just the topics I extracted from today's Bikesode. We regulars know that there are many more that you could have fed us and kept us coming back for more. Oh, I'll be back tomorrow to read the latest developments.
Plethoric Scenarios
Bike Resources
Bike Resources
Phoebe
It's apparent that Phoebe has done some outline research into transgender (well, the physical changes at least, almost certainly from conversations with her older brother) and it's clear she's not repulsed by the idea. But, being a typical teenager, she's got a morbid curiosity about it - mainly from the PoV of how functional the gonads are. It's all new and wonderful and exciting to her - and while I doubt she'd want to have intercourse with Julie, her morbid curiosity wants to know if "it" still works.
Having only the physical knowledge of how TGs reshape their bodies, she really needs Cathy and Julie to have a sit down chat with her, to explain the mental and emotional side; to make her realise that although Julie has the body of a boy, her thoughts / words / actions / world viewpoint is entirely girl. Oh, and her "dangly bits" are something she's ashamed of, so not drawing her attention to the existence of them would be much appreciated.
-oOo-
Meanwhile, with Phoebe spending the weekend at the madhouse, and both her and Neal featuring more heavily in stories, perhaps this is all part of a build-up and sometime before Christmas Neal and Gloria will tie the knot at Henry's Hotel... no doubt inviting the entire Cameron Clan to the event. Then perhaps in the Spring; Neal, Gloria and Phoebe can join the clan on a jaunt up to Scotland...
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Trish
One thing that nobody else has mentioned - is that Trish is in the car and is listening to all of this. Not the type of conversation that someone of Trish's age would normally understand, but this is Trish.
Also, is Trish more likely to tell Julie in an uncontrolled way, causing issues?
Karen
Trish is in the back listening to music at high volume
Would she overhear a conversation in the front of the car? Especially one that she can't lip-read?
S.
Never Underestimate
Never underestimate Trish. For all we know, she's faking listening to music, and using the record function on her MP3 player to capture the whole conversation in the front seat so she can play it for Julie.
Just kidding. (But maybe not?)
let's give Phoebe some slack
she's just a curious teenager.
she's naive
she's known one TG person knowingly, prob. not in any real way
she prob. doesnt have a clue that by now Julie's bits not function on demand, if at all, maybe like a male boyfriend.
I'm surprized Julie hasnt told her
Cathy, has laid down the law, natural enuff for a parent, I',ve never had kids, let alone teens, but, unless, one was over legal age. I consider 18 or 21 such, most likely in a LTR, or engaged. IT aint happening in my house either. Maybe ole fashioned.
Hmmm. Then again, I brought my GF home on military leave, I was 20, she,20, from Virgina to Oregon, to meet my parents,and relatives. My mom was gonna put us in seperate rooms, Um did I mention we'd been living together over 2 yrs. I put up a stink, Grabbed suitcases, put back in rental car, & we spent 3 weeks down on the coast. & it was almost 11 yrs B4 i spoke to parents again. I proposed down on the coast. Two yrs later we married back in Va. None of my relatives were invited.
Just when things were going so smooth,
Leave it to teenagers to mess things up.