(aka Bike) Part 1414 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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“Can I see your finger?” asked Trish.
“They only just put this bandage on,” protested Danny.
“Oh well, this will take longer then.” Trish grabbed his hand and he pulled it away.
“That bloody well hurt.”
“Well hold still then.”
“Just what are you trying to do?”
“Fix your finger, stupid.”
“Children please don’t start squabbling, life is fraught enough.”
“Let me see your hand.”
“Get stuffed.”
“Mummy, he won’t let me fix his finger.”
“Danny, please humour her.”
“If this hurts, you witch, I’m gonna stick your broomstick where the sun don’t shine.”
“Mummy, he’s threatening me.”
“Danny, just let her do it, okay?”
“Aw, Mum, she’s hurting it.”
“I’m not, Mummy, he’s lying.”
I stopped the car and turned round to the back seat. “For God’s sake stop acting like a six year old, Danny, and let her fix your stupid finger.” Before he could respond I turned back and rejoined the traffic.
I tried to see what Trish was doing in the rear view mirror, but she was below the level of sight.
“God, that’s hot,” squealed Danny and Trish giggled.
“There it’s done,” declared his younger sister.
“It had better be, ’cos I want to do some bowling tomorrow, especially at Clayton.”
“If you can’t bowl tomorrow, don’t blame me–it’ll be because you’re a wuss.”
“How does it feel?” I asked Danny.
“A bit better–she’s not as good as you.”
“Yet,” protested his sister.
We arrived at home and on entry I asked Stella to examine Don Bradman’s finger. She looked at it, felt it and squeezed it, made him wiggle and curl it. “Nothing wrong with it,” was her conclusion.
“I think you owe your sister an apology, don’t you?” I reminded my son.
He sloped off to find her and tell her. Moments later she was with me telling me what he’d said, then she giggled. “Should I have told him it was you who did most of it?”
“Nah, I’d let him think it was you, he might show you a little more respect in future.” I beckoned her to listen to me carefully. “How would you like to go for a little holiday?”
“Where?” she whispered back.
“I thought Devon or Cornwall.”
“Can’t we go to the castle or up to your house in Bristol.”
“Bristol?”
“Yeah, I like it when we go there.”
I hadn’t actually thought of that, I suppose, because it wouldn’t be much of a holiday for me. We could take a run up there tomorrow and check on everything, come back the next day. Is it worth it? All the aggro of packing with tiny wee, and the other girls–just for one night? I suppose we could do two, that would be more interesting.
Trish disappeared and a few minutes later she reappeared with Livvie and Meems and Billie came along moments later. “We all wanna come to Bristol, Mummy.”
“Okay, I’ll see what we can do.”
“Can we see the Great Britain?”
“I’ll see, I thought I’d taken you there?”
“Yeah, but we just did it in technology.”
“I wanna go to the zoo, Mummy,” whined Mima and I was beginning to think I should have stayed in bed.
Danny returned minus his bandage and tossing a cricket ball–four ounces of cork wrapped in leather. He tossed it to me as he walked in. By reflex I caught it, if I’d thought about it, I’d probably have fumbled it and it could have hit one of the girls.
I handed it back to him and told him to put it away in the house. He suggested I should try out for a women’s cricket side as my catch had been a good one. I told him to go and put his ball away before I confiscated it. He made a face at me and ran off.
“That ball could have hit me on the head,” complained Trish.
“But it didn’t, did it?” I responded.
“But it coulda done.”
“But it didn’t, so stop complaining about things which didn’t happen.”
“It woulda hurt, too.”
“Trish, shut up and go and do your homework.”
“I haven’t got any.”
“Okay, I want an essay on why we should visit the SS Great Britain.”
“Bah,” she said and stormed off.
“Meems, I want pictures of at least two animals you might see in the zoo.”
“Can we go shopping, Mummy?” asked Livvie.
“I expect we could.”
“Where all the department stores are.”
“Near Park Street, are you looking for anything?”
“No, I just want to look at some department stores.”
“You could do that in Portsmouth.”
“Nah, I wanna see the Bristol ones.”
“If we have time, we’ll see.”
“Can I see the bike shop, Mummy?” asked Billie.
“Bike shop–there’s several in Bristol.”
“The Specialized one.”
“They’ve got one there have they?”
“Yes, Mummy and I’d like to look at it.”
“I might, too.”
“Mark Cavendish is riding one these days, and he won another stage.”
“The Manx Missile strikes again.”
“Yes, Mummy.”
“I’ll have to see if I can find it on the internet. Find out where the shop is, if it’s too far away from the other things–too bad, if it’s not far, we may well manage to include it.”
“Thank you, Mummy.”
The doorbell rang and before I could answer it, one of the girls called to say I had a visitor. I wasn’t expecting anyone so was intrigued to learn who it was. I was astonished to see Mrs Browne-Coward standing at the door.
“Oh, hello, to what do I owe this pleasure?” I said just hiding the twinge of sarcasm I felt it needed.
“Ah, good afternoon, Lady Cameron; could we talk in private?”
“Come through to my study, Danny, make us a pot of tea please.”
“Yeah, okay,” he yelled back from somewhere.
“Come through, Mrs Browne-Coward.” I led her through to my plush new study and invited her to sit on the chintz sofa that stood in the window.
“This is very nice, I love this material,” she said rubbing her hand over the fabric.
“Yes, it’s a Liberty’s design, I got a local company to make up the covers.”
“I love the matching curtains.”
“Yeah, they did them at a discount for ordering the covers from them.”
“It’s quite comfortable, too.”
“I know, I sometimes sit there to read.”
“Very nice–good light too.”
“The window might have something to do with that.”
“Yes, of course–sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
Danny came in bearing a tray with a pot of tea, some mugs, some milk, sugar and a biscuit tin. I thanked him and he bowed and asked, “Will there be anything else, milady?”
Mrs B-C roared with laughter, and I waited to administer the coup de grace until she stopped laughing.
“No, Fi-Fi, that’ll be all for tonight.”
Danny blushed, looked daggers then sniggered. Mrs B-C nearly wet herself.
Comments
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1414
The start of another adventure.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Am I the only one
That think that Trish should be the one that should show a "little more respect" to her siblings.Danny rarely do it but Cathy is quick to reprimand him when he does it but when its Trish Cathy just say "its tough on her" or "maybe she has Asperger".
I'm sick off how Cathy treats her other kids in comparison to Trish, its like she has a special status that no one else gets. Trish constantly ridicule her siblings and treat them as her lower ( especially with Danny and Julie )and no one says nothing, but when Danny does it to her he needs to be thought a lesson ? I think this has gone too far. It demonstrate how Cathy is an horrible mom ( yes horrible) as she allow one of her kids to freely bully her siblings with no punishment but want everybody else to treat that kid with respect.
You know what ? Sc**w this (I rarely swear but I'm at a point that I just don't care) . I'm sick of reading a series that constantly treats one char as superior to the others and one that portray the males in it in such a bad manner. I used to really like this series but after 4 years I'm contemplating stopping reading it cause it mostly just angers me.
In the past when I commented on the lack of mention of Danny I got " its a trans site so of course people will want to read about the TG kids". I also got this comment when I spoke about some seemingly misandric content ( and for the record it seems like chrome speller doesn't recognize misandric as a proper word) BUT I'm sorry being trangender doesn't rid us of being human-beings.
I know .Its just a story, but I can't stand aside while reading some things that I know others will disregard . I can't just turn a blind eye of someone that no one else seem to be willing to protect , even if that someone is a fictional character .
(And I'm now far more clam after releasing the anger on the stuff that happen @ EAFOAB).
Lily.
These are stories...
It does not do to complain. You possibly have valid points but the way you express them is rather uncomplimentary to say the least. How would you feel if Angharad discontinued the series because of your comment when so many of us still enjoy reading it? Did it occur to you to just ask to hear more about Danny?
As for how Danny is treated relative to the rest; I don't think it is as bad as you make out and yes, in many if not most British households the males come off second best. It really is not unrealistic in that sense. A lot have people have said laughingly that the group most discriminated against nowadays is the white male. While it is said with humour in some arenas there is kernel of truth to it. Besides do you see Danny as unhappy? Since he is in a predominately female household his major formative contacts will be Simon and Tom. Cathy is the protagonist here and we don't see anything really about how Tom, Simon and Danny may interrelate when Cathy is not around. So, I feel that you are being a little unfair.
Replay
First of all: Yes my comment was harsh but it was done in rage as I've seen and worked with my fair share of mistreated children in my short 23 years. Have you ever seen the look on a kid face when his/her parent obviously prefer their siblings ? Its not a pretty site and one I've seen few too many times.
This isn't about how much of Danny are we seeing, its about proper children care (and not just Danny's treatment) : I have specifically grouped it into Trish and others, so this is about how Trish is treated in relation to others.(We barely see any of the other kids nowadays.If I would have analyzed it as a diary I would have said that Cathy is fixated on her)
If i'm being unfair then please tell me what Cathy did when Trish mistreated (and that's an understatement) Julie or Billie ? She went off on Julie and went to comfort Billie saying something along the lines of "Trish doesn't really understand so we should understand her". In both she hasn't really given Trish even a through third degree as a responsible parent would.
I just gave Danny cause he was the latest to stand in the line of fire.
As for the misandry: I really don't think I'm being unfair. The common representation of males in here is either good looking single guys or as mostly useless lazy people. If it was one or two then it was OK but its just about every guy above 18 in this series.
Think what you would write as comment to the author of a book that portrays females as either a sex object or as dumb, only good in the kitchen , sort of people? ( I know this is a bit of radicalization of what going on here but not by much).
I personally think that we go on too quietly about misandry : it even reached a point that in my country when a female teacher raped a male student of her the press actually brought her comment/excuse to print , something they never do with male rapist and never with child molesters . ( she also got only 3 years of jail for sexual harassment and wasn't charge for rape ) .
I'm really sorry that these comment come out as aggressive, I mean not to write them as such. Its just that I can't stand mistreatment of kids and chauvinism in any form and fashion, even in stories.
Lily.
P.S.
I don't think that we should stop criticizing someone just because many like that person stories.I've got nothing personal against Angharad ( I rather like some of her stories) but I think no one should be above criticism.
Ummmm....
Yes Lilly. I have seen that look. In a mirror every morning. I may not be a kid any more but sixty years of it does not make it better.
Every guy above 18? Tom? Simon? Danny himself? A number of police officers (good and bad) and doctors? We are perceiving different thing methinks.
I don't understand why you bring up the point of molesting teachers but I think that it is pretty well recognised nowadays. Three years is a damn sight better than just the moral approbation or punishment of the male child that would have happened a few years ago. Twenty or thirty years ago a teacher like that would have just accused the kid of rape when she was caught and most likely get away with it and the kid would be destroyed. But things are improving. The world is absolutely full of misandry and always has been. So much so that my spell checker does not even recognise the word. But men are supposed to 'suck it up' and that has not changed. I've probably got a lot to say on those subjects but this is hardly the place for it. Feel free to PM.
It's really hard to know much about Danny at all...
...and he's not just a character; he's her son, and supposedly an integral part of the family. Trish, the adorable savant, does get much if not most of the attention. And while she may be a brain, she continues to display the emotional maturity of her chronological age. As my mother used to say, the only thing worse than a precocious kid is a kid who knows she's precocious! Julie as a character is almost parallel to Julie as a person; she only gets attention when she acts out or gets kidnapped after her semi-monthly ill-advised solo motor scooter excursion. I apologize, but I'm not familiar enough with the other kids. Why the whole family hasn't been given 24/7 bodyguard protection escapes me. And while it might be uncomfortable, I can't imagine Ang bringing this series to a grinding halt over one comment. Or two. While I love women, I still am rather fond of the gender from which I've wished to depart. And I imagine when it comes down to it, Cathy probably is as well.
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Not sure exactly how to respond here
because we differ in one part of our opinion. Yes Danny is Cathy's son. But they are both characters in a story. I could no more make the criticisms that have been made than complain that the exact layout of the house and gardens have not been given. An author does not have time to cover every detail of everyone's lives. It seems to me that what gets recounted is that which is necessary to the plot plus the flavour that makes it a wonderful read. There is a lot that we don't know and can't know about the household and what goes on it it. I am loath to criticise Angharad in any way over these pieces which have gone on for over fourteen hundred episodes each and every day. I couldn't do that. I think it is a bit much to expect all the inter-relationships of that huge family to be covered in detail or even balance.
Anyway, my opinion matters not it was just that I react badly to anger and hostility so I will bow out hopefully with some grace remaining and apologise for anything I have said that may be construed as offensive.
I believe that you and I had just that...a difference of opinion
my opinion is reserved for the character alone, and not the writer. I'm an over-zealous protective wannabe/wishiwas Mom, and I'm just not fond of how Cathy treats her kids. I didn't consider your comments offensive at all. I just agree more heartily with Lily and less heartily with you. I owe you and Lily and Ang an apology for being so opinionated and brusque. I am sorry!
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Apology?
You will never, ever owe me an apology. You have given me too much in your writings for me to ever want such.
Wonder what the Brown Cow want's.
Seems strange she should turn up at the beginning of the hols.
Well, sadly I won't find out for a few days cos I'm going to the Royal Welsh Show.
http://www.rwas.co.uk/en/welsh-show/
I think I should really take my puter with me but tyhere's too much going on.
See you Thursday night.
Bev.
OXOXOX
XZXX
Growing old disgracefully.
How now...
...Brown(e) Cow(ard) :)
Given the previously fraught relations between her and Cathy, I wonder what's brought her around to the house? So far, she seems to be in a better mood than previous encounters - of course, the Cathy / Danny comedy double act probably contributed.
Since the summer holidays are just starting, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the visit is in relation to Petunia. I wonder if Mrs. B-C has to go away somewhere and can't take Petunia with her...
-oOo-
As for Trish / Danny - in the car scene, both seem to be acting perfectly to type for ordinary children (apart from Trish's gift, of course!). As for her relations with Cathy, apart from being TG, she's super-intelligent and is the unofficial spokesperson for all the under-16s. Cathy's mild irritation at the football tournament isn't misandry, it's just annoyance at another interruption to her holiday plans. Danny has been involved in several story arcs recently, as have Julie and Billie - Mima pops up from time to time with her unique speech patterns, but in my recollection it's Livvie that hasn't had much time in the limelight.
Oh, and I'm still waiting for a story arc centred around Kiki :)
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!
chuckled over the conversation....
“How does it feel?†I asked Danny.
"A bit better—she’s not as good as you.â€
“Yet,†protested his sister.
Sibblings squabbling over anything and everythign, even magical healing. Just made me laugh.
I'm surprised that Cathy didn't slip and call the woman Brown-Cow. Can't imagine what she wants.
Fi-Fi...
*blinks* Wonder what's up after all this time with Mrs B-C...
But, this trip is sounding less and less like a vacation.
Anne
Cathy should be lauded for her self-control
Me, I would be severely taxing my self-control biting my tongue to prevent me asking "How now ..."
Kim
Sibling rivelry,
strikes again. Danny had better be nice to his sis though.