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(aka Bike) Part 972 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
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I looked at Julie, she was more interested in reading packet ingredients than looking around.
“If I give the word, be prepared to move quickly.” I hissed at her.
“Why?” She glanced at me then up the aisle, “Oh shit–what does he want.” The colour drained from her face.
“Be ready.”
“I feel strange,” the next moment there was a crash as she fell back against the shelving, knocking cartons and tins all over the place.
I stretched forward and caught her before her head hit the ground and her father let go of his trolley and rushed over to us. “Is she all right?” he asked anxiously.
“Do you really care?” I snapped back.
“Yes I do.” He started clearing packets and tins out of the way so we could sit her down more comfortably. By now a small crowd had gathered and staff were flapping around.
“An ambulance is on its way,” said someone authoritatively.
“I think she’ll be okay, she just fainted.” I stroked her face and her eyes fluttered.
“We have a sick bay upstairs,” said the voice, still behind me.
“I don’t think she could walk up there right now.”
“C’mon, I’ll carry her,” with that Brad Kemp abandoned his shopping and picked up his daughter like she was a teddy bear. We followed the management type who took us to a lift and thence to the sick room.
It was appropriately named, just after we got there, she brought up her lunch. Thankfully, I was able to grab a bowl and shove it in front of her.
“Are you all right, um–Julie, isn’t it?” asked her erstwhile father.
“I think so,” she still looked very pale, “but since when did you care?”
“Okay, maybe I’d best go.”
“Yes, maybe you had.”
“We still love you, you know?” he said to her, “Yer mum an’ me.”
“Cathy’s my mum now.”
“Okay–I’d best go, take care, um–girl.” I escorted him to the door, “Didn’t I see you in hospital?”
“Possibly, my sister in law is a nurse,” it was partly true.
He shook his head, “I recognise your voice too, I’m sure I do.”
“You might have seen my television documentary.”
“Might of,” he said ungrammatically. “But it feels like hospital to me–I nearly died and some woman brought me back from the dead–magical she was.”
“That lets me out, I was there when you tried to harm Julie–so yes you would have heard my voice calling you all the shits under the sun. My opinion hasn’t changed, save for this one gesture of kindness of carrying her up here. Then that has to be balanced against the fact that a fear of you caused her to faint.”
“Why is she scared of me–I’m her dad?”
“I think some scarring across her throat might explain the reason.”
“You saved her that day didn’t you?”
“I got her away from you, if that’s what you mean?”
“I succeeded, didn’t I, and you stopped it bleeding–didn’t you?”
“The police and paramedics were there, too.”
“I’ve spoken with them, you saved her life and mine–it was you wasn’t it?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, I want to thank you for both, but mainly for her.”
“I don’t need your thanks to do things for Julie.”
“Okay, okay, keep your hair on, missus, I’m pleased she’s having a chance to do what she wants–I never thought I’d be able to say that, but I dunno what you done to me in that ‘ospital, but I’m different now. ‘Onest I am.”
“Sorry, but you were just going–remember?” I bustled him out of the door. “Okay, I gave you back your life–but what I did can be undone, if ever you hurt her again–you’ll die within moments–your heart will stop. Got it?”
“Jeez, you don’t mince words, do you?”
“You tried to kill her as an act of spite, if it wasn’t for me, she’d be dead and you’d be serving a life sentence. So don’t try to tell me anything, mister.”
He walked away in no doubt about my feelings towards him. As I went back to the sick room, a paramedic came dashing up the stairs with his bag of tricks. I showed him where his patient was and in ten minutes he’d decided she was okay and we were able to go finally and collect the girls from school.
On my suggestion, we simply said that Julie was taken unwell in the shop, we didn’t tell Trish and co why she became ill.
That night, she slept in my bed–coming to my room in the middle of the night saying she’d dreamt he’d cut her throat. This was how I imagined people who’d been abused as children were, dreaming of the past and waking in a sweat.
Once she’d settled down she went off to sleep without incident.
The next day we listened as all flights in and out of the country were suspended because some Icelandic volcano with an unpronounceable name spewed ash into British and European airspace. The irony being, planes were still taking off in Iceland.
Remembering that they still hunt whales, I think we should nuke Iceland and their sodding volcano. I mean the place is nothing but bad news to us Brits. If it wasn’t volcanoes then it was bloody Vikings, then the cod war, then the Icelandic banks wouldn’t pay up their debts and now we’re getting their stupid fall-out. Next time they annoy us, I think we should sink their silly island.
I tittered to myself as I filled the dishwasher, these xenophobic thoughts were flashing through my mind; after Iceland where would the British Empire strike next? I suppose we could repossess India and Pakistan, and Sri Lanka–at least we’d be guaranteed fresh tea. Then Oz and New Zealand, Canada and half of Africa, most of the Caribbean, parts of South America and would we want the US again–probably not, they’re still revolting (against their own government. Let’s face it, the ‘Mericans are ungovernable, full stop).
I’m not sure we’d want the Palestine Mandate either, although Iraqi oil would be nice as would Saudi Arabia for the same reason. Quite how we’d run the world again, I have no idea–I can’t believe anyone would want to be Prime Minister, it’s an impossible job with no thanks but plenty of wannabes. Ooh, mustn’t forget Hong Kong and Gibraltar. I suspect China would take more than a couple of weeks to overcome these days, since the Opium war or the War of Jenkin’s Ear, when the Royal Navy sank the Chinese fleet and we walked all over them, we also sank a Turkish fleet and generally anyone who annoyed us. No wonder old people think the British were superior, a bit like some Americans are arrogant today, we must have been insufferable.
A piddling little island in a cold sea conquered one way or another, over a quarter of the world’s surface. Through technology, and English as the official language of science and technology, we’ve pretty well conquered the rest of the planet too, albeit with a bit of help from the Americans.
“Are you going to be any longer, Mummy?” asked Julie’s voice.
“Eh, oh I was miles away.”
“Yes, I’d noticed–they say it happens when you get old.”
I narrowed my eyes, “Whad’ya want anyway?”
“I have to do omelettes for lunch–um, will you show me what to do?”
“After you accused me of being an old fart–why should I?”
“It was a joke, Mummy–honest, it was.”
“Hmm, make me a cuppa and I’ll think about it while I drink it.”
“Okay, Mummy, you will help won’t you?”
“I’ll see, where’s this tea then?” I smirked, the sense of power was exquisite.
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Comments
Guess I actually believe
that Julie's father has changed. Doubt that her biological mother has though. Poor kid. So much to go through in only a few years on the planet. Hoping it's all uphill from here for Julie but we all know there will be setbacks. Glad Cathy is there for her... almost a tear at the line, “Okay, Mummy, you will help won’t you?†Teenagers ... one moment they don't need you at all and the next you're "Mummy" and she needs to be held.
Uphill?
"Hoping it's all uphill from here for Julie . . ."
Up hill? That's the hard bit. Downhill is where it's at, you get to coast and take it easy. I mean, have you ever heard of any uphill skiers? Nope it's all downhill. ;-)
Karen J.
"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Uphill skiing ...
... is called cross-country and something I'd have enjoyed, I think. The 'soft' skiers leave all their detritus despoiling the mountains for the Summer when I was wont to cycle camp :) And, believe it or not, I enjoyed the climbs up the cols more than the descents because I had time to admire the scenery. Sadly, no longer the case.
I wonder how long it will be before Cathy is exposed as the 'Angel of Mercy Healing'. There's getting to be an awful lot of circumstantial evidence all pointing in the same direction.
Thanks Anghard.
Robi
Bike pt 972
Could Cathy have actually done more than heal Julie's dad? If so, maybe she healed her dad before she produced her gift. And her mum saw two angels, so could Stella have the gift, too?
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Great episode Angharad
I found myself chuckling aloud as I read through today's installment. Thanks.
I wonder if it's time for Cathy to practice her "letting it go" amateur psychology with Julie?
Oh, you're not getting this part of the world back, either! Even though just the other day our parliament decided to retain Betty W as our head of state. (Vote over republic falls at first hurdle)
Pop Science
Bike Archive
Bike Resources
When The Map Was Red
I've not only heard about the British Empire map, I think we have one around the house somewhere. Despite their modern pretensions otherwise, the British weren't all that benign colonial masters.
Nice to see Julie's pop has undergone some evolution. Can't blame Cathy for not being very civil to him. Perhaps that will evolve over time as well.
Too true
When I was at school in the 1940s there was a map of the world showing the British Empire all in red. It seemed it covered most of the globe though the distortion of the projection (Mercator?) meant that the areas of both Canada and Australia were somewhat exaggerated. We were taught that we had won first prize in the lottery of life to be born English (note, English rather than British). Nothing lasts for ever.
Britain was certainly not always (or even often) a benign colonial power. However 'we' were probably no worse and perhaps better than other European colonial powers. The remarkable thing is that such a tiny island with a relatively small population wielded such influence for so long.
Robi
Real Time
At last I'm following this in real time. When I was reading 50 chapters a day, it was long. Now, it's far too short.
:) Portia
Portia
Arogent, huh...
For some strange reason, I get the impression that blowing Iceland up wouldn't solve the problem... Though, it might cause "Atlantis" to rise from the ocean or some such. (Hey, if you can speculate crazy, why can't I?)
Glad to hear the dad is willing for his daughter to be alive now - and even making the effort to call her a her! Sadly, Cathy's not ready to listen. Wonder if things'll change when Cathy's no longer running at 200,000 miles an hour...
Glad Julie's okay.
Thanks,
Annette
No!
"Next time they annoy us, I think we should sink their silly island."
NO-O-O-O! Think of all those beautiful Icelandic women who'd go to waste!
I hereby volunteer my humble abode as refuge for a few. I think, in a pinch, I could squeeze three of them into my bed. And I could probably bunk a spare one on my living-room couch. The sacrifices I make . . . . :-)
Karen J.
"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Okay so i was wrong,
Brad Kemp did apologize..... Seems like the blue light does more than heal bodies!
Kirri
Not to be rude...?
But today it sounds a bit like our Cathy is PMS'ing just a bit! May haps she is self-healing to full womanhood, or perhaps her younger clone savior has done the deed and she is growing a pair...?! Overies that is!... not balls you silly wankers!
Just a thought!
My vote is +10 !
I was glad that Julie's
I was glad that Julie's 'dad' was at least decent to her. Cathy does have a way with words when you get on the bad side of her doesn't she? The guy probably went out to his car and fainted too. Iceland's volcano has really 'gummed up the works' from what I have seen regarding air travel. Not only in Europe, but across the globe, as many connecting and continuing flights have had to be cancelled or re-routed if possible.
Guess it is time to consider bringing back the old passenger liners to get people across 'the big pond'. Might be a little slower than air, but is/was really a much more civilized way to travel. I had the good fortune of being able to go both ways of travel when I was younger, was on ship when I went to England, and an airplane when I came back. Jan
Bloody Hell
Crickey, these are strange thoughts Cathy. Brits ruling the world again, it doesn't bear thinking about.
Well there's one country the English didn't beat and that's us Welsh.
The last time the Welsh;that is Henry Tudor and the Scoucers, (the Stanley family.) fought the English was at Bosworth Field when the Welsh beat the pants off King Richard III at Bosworth Field which is slap bang in the middle of Middle England. He put a final end to the Wars of the Roses which was nothing more than a constant vicious squabble between assorted English robber barons using force to grab whatever they could. Henry Tudor was crowned Henry the 7th.
Then Henry, having put a stop to the constant fighting, brought the rule of law to England based upon ancient Welsh principles. The man had a strong sense of law and order that he acquired from his father who was Owen ap Tudor and you couldn't get a more Welsh name than that.
His bringing the rule of law to England makes him the greatest king that England ever had but the English always forget that because he was Welsh! Furthermore his grand daughter Elizabeth the first was certainly the best queen England ever had.
Sadly, Henry 7th's son Henry the 8th, being Welsh and randy like lots of Welsh men,(Remember Lloyd George!)put himself about a lot in the brothels of London as a young man. He copped a dose of pox, (syphillis,) what ruined his chances of producing male heirs cos male foetuses are not as strong as female ones. Pox caused the Tudors to be virtually sterile and pox killed off the Tudors.
So if you want a british Empire best start by having it ruled by a Brythonic nation and who better than us Welsh.
Delusions of grandeur no less!
Forget the empire, whatever it did for the rest of the world, It did Britain no good.
I'm getting on with building my Space ship and bugger the Empire.
Beverly. (Space Tran) Taff.
P.S.
Still loving it Angharad,
OXOXOX
Beverley.
Cathy on Iceland, and the War of Jenkin's Ear...
Cathy, for a University Lecturer, is sadly misinformed about certain things. The War of Jenkin's Ear was when a ship of the British Royal Navy went to the Adriatic to threaten the government of Albania who had failed to protect Jenkins, a forerunner of today's ignorent and foolhardy tourist that throws their weight about, ignoring local sensibilities, and in his case getting kidnapped by some bandits and held for ransom in the hills, and his ear being cut off and sent, as local tradition required, to his relatives with a demand for money against his release. In those far off days, the words in a British passport, that say "Her Majesty's Government Requires ad Requests that the Bearer of this Passport be granted safe passage and assistance without let or hindrence... " REALLY meant something, and they sent the Gunboat just to prove it! Nowdays alas it means less than nothing.
Iceland is a beautiful wee country, with friendly people, a largely unspoilt nature, masses of rare birds, no biting insects at all, special horses that have an extra gear to ordinary ones, special multicoloured sheep with very long wool that can be used for knitting sweaters without having to dye the wool, free cetral heating from plentiful hot springs, electricity derived from them too (very GREEN!), lots of intereting special dishes like smoked mutton, and a Skyr, a thick, yogourt like creamy stuff you finish most meals with, often with wild berries as flavoring, greenhouses with bananas and the worlds most northerly vinyard in, and many volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, and other wonders it would take nearly as many pages as AEAFOAB would take to list them all. Cathy ought to
go there and see for herself. There are also many books written in Icelandic, by more authors than we have in Britain.
As they say in Iceland,
Bless,
Briar
Briar
Julie's dad
Here's an alternative theory on his sudden change in behaviour.
When he'd been healed in hospital, he was still pretty much 'out of it', and initially believed the doctor's line that there wasn't any non-medical intervention. When he got out of hospital, he was still fuming that his son had been taken away from him, so together with his wife engineered the kidnap.
However, after that incident, when he saw Cathy healing Julie's wound, upon reflection it eventually dawned upon him that Cathy had not only healed Julie but also him. And in those few seconds in the supermarket, seeing Julie looking and acting like a natural girl, together with Cathy, probably sealed things. Or rather, once he got up close and offered to help - he may not have made the connection before kneeling down to help Julie and hearing Cathy's voice.
Sure, the healing might have primed him, but it didn't work alone, otherwise he wouldn't have carried out the kidnapping stunt. It also required a willingness to change attitudes on his part.
However, perhaps the greatest sign that his attitude has changed was "OK, maybe I'd best go" - realising that, much as he (apparently) loves her, hanging around will do no favours. Maybe in time some form of occasional contact can be re-established, although direct communication with Julie will still be out for a long time to come.
Especially as any overt means of saying "We want you back" would probably reflect negatively on them at custody hearings, given what happened last time formal contact was arranged.
Perhaps, once custody has been completely legally sorted, the occasional letter / birthday card / present. Face to face contact will definitely be out, certainly in the short term and probably not until she's 18.
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Let’s face it, the ‘Mericans are ungovernable, full stop
And don't you forget it! :-p LOL
(Don't forget, you guys initially populated North America with criminals, religious refugees, and adventurers. Are you surprised that we have a genetic tendency toward orneriness?)
What confuses me is that everyone seems to call us the imperialists. If we were really of an imperialistic bent, we could have had the Philippines, Cuba, and a number of other islands. We could have probably gotten away with keeping our section of Germany (and Berlin.) More recently, we would have done the world a favor by keeping Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other place that likes to support and finance the xenophobic, self-righteous, and bigoted rabble who like to fly airplanes into buildings and kill innocent civilians both at home and abroad.
Oh, and I don't think we would want to keep any section of Germany, anyhow. They could teach us a thing or two about arrogance. They are good engineers, though.
They say that in Hell, the English will be the cooks, the Americans will be the lovers, the Italians will be the drivers, and the Germans will be the diplomats.
Remember
His wife is very sick. She may be dying at this point. All he will have left is Julie. Sounds slightly familiar?
War mongeror, nuke Iceland, indeed. What would Dog* think ?
Oh, you Imperialistic, bullying, pseudo superior, Napolitianistic Complex, war mongering Brits. This is why out of those former colonys, we have the Second Amendment to our Declaration of independence from the above. Besides, we are superior !
A "BIT OF HELP" ? Did anyone hear of the Eighth Air Force ? Patton ? who had to correct the errors of Monty ?(not Python), (A Bridge too Far).
The blue light seems to have semi-repaired the evil father .
Hey, don't forget Rhodesia, and Kenya.
Cefin
* Dog - Supreme being of those with dyslexia
Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.
See, poking us Colonists is like poking a hornet's nest. Dosn't take much to get us rebelling again.
Yankee Doodle Cefin