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(aka Bike) Part 1555 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
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I heard the van drive away and decided to see for myself, what sort of job had been done on the table. I went through to the drive and then to the garage to find the table. There just inside the open doorway stood the table and when I walked round it, it looked fine to me.
I was just about to run my finger round it to see if I could find the spot when Simon shouted, “Don’t touch it,” and I practically jumped out of my skin. He followed me into the garage. “It has to stand for an hour or two to dry off completely.”
“You frightened the wits out of me then,” I complained, I had physically jumped when he’d shouted.
“Sorry, but you were about to touch it.”
“Yes I was, it’s natural...”
“To try and see the repair, I know–it’s there,” he pointed to a place directly in the middle of the edge nearest the open door.
“I can’t see it.”
“You’re not supposed to be able to, not for what he charged.”
“How much was it?”
“I think that had best remain a secret, but he charges fifty quid for the call out.”
“Oh well, if ever you get fed up with banking, you know what to do instead.”
“Nah, don’t have the patience–you’d be better at it than I would–I’ve seen you tinker with bikes.”
“Talking of which, I haven’t got that wheel straight yet.”
“Can’t you get another one?”
“D’you know how much Zipp wheels cost?”
“C’mon, Cathy, it’s a bike wheel, fifty quid a pair down the bike shop.”
“This single wheel is worth about eight hundred and fifty pounds.”
“You’re joking?” he said and my face stayed absolutely still. “You’re not joking, are you?”
“No, remember I bought this bike to race.”
“But when I got it repaired before...”
“That was the rear wheel, why d’you think he loaned me a bike, didn’t you check the price he charged you?”
“I can’t remember, I doubt it was anything like that. Do they come as standard then?”
“No, I had this bike built, even Dave Millar would have been happy to ride it apart from the fact he’s nearly a foot taller than I am.”
“How tall is he?”
“Six foot four or five.”
“He is big, I thought bike riders were all small guys–you know light as a feather, zip up mountains because there’s no resistance.”
“Not time triallists, Wiggo is about six two or three.”
“Is he?”
“Yeah, if you saw him standing next to Cav, they’re like the long and short of it.”
“He’s not a climber is he?”
“Who?”
“Cavendish.”
“No, it’s something we have in common.”
“He’s only five six too, is he?”
“No he’s five eight or nine but he’s rubbish on mountains too.”
“I thought you climbed quite well.”
“Compared to you I do, but you’re rubbish on a bike full stop.”
“Gee thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“The sledgehammer Sagittarian strikes again.”
“That’s me, and Julie–so you’d better watch yourself.”
“I am–bloody hedonists.”
“I beg your pardon, it wasn’t me who got plastered and tried to saw the table in half.”
“Okay, I paid for that already.”
“So, you gonna buy me a new wheel?”
“Not at eight fifty.”
“I think Wiggle do ‘em for about six hundred.”
“I could get a whole bike for that. Why not take it into the bike shop and see if he can do it–it’s got to be cheaper than that?”
I led him to the bike shed and opened it. “I didn’t know you had a spare key,” he said looking surprised.
“Only because you lot lose them–I had my own one cut which I keep on my key ring.” I pushed open the door and took the wheel off the jig. “There ya go,” see if he can do it while I get lunch. Hurry, or you’ll be late.” I shooed him out of the bike shed and locked the door again.
“And if he can’t?”
“I’ll give you the address of Wiggle and you can pop round and get me a new one–bring the old one back though.”
“Why?”
“If I have nothing better to do, I’ll give it another go.”
He walked off muttering and Mima saw him getting in the car and ran after him. She got in the car with him. The sky was becoming over cast, so I closed the garage door to keep the table dry. It didn’t rain just clouded over for a while.
I had enough eggs to scrambled eggs on toast, which meant waiting until Simon and Mima came back because it doesn’t keep very well–at least I wouldn’t want to eat it after it had been made for ages. Then I checked the bread–we needed more. So Livvie and Trish came with me to the supermarket and we got a couple of thick sliced loaves and one or two other bits and pieces. When we returned Simon was there.
“I thought you were getting lunch?”
“I was–we’ve been to the supermarket.”
“What are we having?”
“Scrambled eggs, why?”
“That all?”
“With toast–we needed more bread.”
“C’mon, I’ll treat you.”
“To what?”
“A pub lunch?”
“What happened with the wheel?”
“He said it would take a week. I asked him what a new one would cost and he said he could do one for about seven fifty.”
“You didn’t order one?"
"No, if I had I couldn’t treat you lot to lunch could I?”
“Why not get fish and chips?” I suggested, “But we’ll need to wait until Danny gets back.”
“He’s up in the shower now.”
“Oh, when did he get home?”
“About ten minutes ago. Right who’s for fish and chips?”
The girls opted for jumbo sausage and chips and Tom a curry sauce with his. Danny wanted a pie and mushy peas with his chips. I declined. “What are you eating then?”
“Scrambled egg.”
“With chips?”
“No, on toast.”
“And you suggested getting chips?”
“Not for me I didn’t.”
“If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never understand bloody women.”
“Creatures of mystery–that’s us, isn’t it girls?”
“What is?” asked Trish as Simon and Mima got back in his car.
“Nothing, sweetheart–I was just winding up your dad.”
“That’s cruel, Mummy, he’s not as clever as us.”
I looked at her in astonishment–she was probably right about herself, but not me. “What d’you mean?”
“Well he’s a boy isn’t he and they’re thick.”
“Some are but not all, and Daddy’s quite clever you know?”
“If he was that clever, he’d want to be a girl, wouldn’t he?”
“I don’t think so, sweetheart, most ordinary boys are happy to be boys–it’s only those who are really girls like you, who wish to change things. And we do need boys and men.”
“To send for fish and chips?” she beamed.
“Amongst other things.”
“Other things?”
“Oh yes, they have their uses, but we’ll talk about that when you’re a bit older. You won’t understand now.”
“Oh you mean sex, do you, Mummy?”
I felt my whole body go cold and then start a blush from somewhere down by my toes up to the top of my head.
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Comments
Could have done with a good strong man today
Us girls took ages and lots of BFI (Brute Force and Ignorance) to get the top off a Bucks Fizz bottle!
Susie
Precocious Trish
I have a neice who is almost as frighteningly bright as Trish. The only good thing is she is good at connecting snatches of conversation and the theory side but fortunately ignorant of the physical realities. Hope she never gets into a conversation with those Social Workers, it could be worse than embassing!
Trish
Thanks Angharad,
Trish is a little treasure isn't she, she is seven going on seventeen.
ROO
ROO
agree...
troublesome at times but a true treasure.
agree...
troublesome at times but a true treasure.
Bike
Yes we can be thick headed but then you also have to able to get it up for other things. Mine is not working that well anymore?? Richard
Richard
Kinda speechless
I think it is funny the way you portray men as not being able to understand women, although Trish seems a bit too informed for a 7 year old.
You do an awesome job of writing this story based on how real life happens Angharad, keep up the good work.
Love the story
and you
hug
Jackie
Trish hits jackpot - again
Greetings
Trish certainly comes up with some amazing comments. Keeps poor Cathy on her toes.
Brian
Ho Hummmm.
So it' birds and the bees times with more hummmmm than ho-ho-ho. trish is becoming a right little so-and-so isn't she.
And yeah, Bike wheels can get to silly, silly prices. But then we can all do silly, silly things when our cycling egos take hold.
800 quid for a wheel. No thanks. Got better things to spend my money on.
Still lovin' it Angie.
OXOXOX
Bev.
Growing Old Disgracefully
Well young men can be kinda dishy
But to me they are just like bringing home a puppy. All tongue and when they grow up they become dogs.
Sadly the more I learn about them the less I like about them as a subspecies. Their masculinity is so damn fragile that women have to constantly pander to them to not break it. For me they will never be worth the trouble.
FWIW I prefer cats myself :)
Kim
Men as the weaker sex...
Well, most of you know that I have not been out of Islam for very long and have rejoined the churchy set. So, several times in Women's Sunday School, we have been admonished to be supportive of our men.
After a while it reminded me of something and then I thought of this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU-V6WZnjc0
So, it seems that many people feel that men are the weaker sex. Hmmmm.
Still, the other day I was asked if I will marry! Wow, I had not been prepared for this question. Now I am seeing dishy men! Wallah ! What am I to do?
Trish's attitude is shared by many, but one day she'll fall under the spell of one. :)
Gwendolyn
“Oh you mean sex, do you, Mummy?â€
That whole conversation was just too much. Thanks for the belly laugh!
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1555
That girl is too smart.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Another Way to Look at it
would be to see it this way - Trish is how a sentient species SHOULD be but most of the others are just ordinary, semi-sentients, like 99% of people ! Unfortunately, when we developed technologies and medical care we stopped evolving or thinking even. Stone Age Brits had bigger brains than ours ! Without writing they remembered everything. Also, we fill our heads with trash like Adverts, They contemplated the Universe, because they were still exploring it.
Briar
Briar
Careful now Cathy
the little genius might tell you things even you didn't know .... And as for the nuns.... Well lets just say there might be a bit of blushing going on :)
Kirri
Poor Cathy,
She sometimes forgets who's she talking to.