Dot and Sam 30

Dorothy Philpot. Landlady of The Harbour Light pub
Sam Philpot. Drag-queen and lifelong companion of Dot’s.
Billy Parkins Doorkeeper.
Jessica Merlot The town’ and county archaeologist.
Josephine MacDonald The town and county archivist.
Richard Drummond Town planning inspector
Robert Vincent. Junior planning inspector.
Georgina. (Georgie) Homeless Transgender girl previously known as George.
Bobby Gay boy on the school bus.
Marty Girl on the school bus. (She becomes Georgie’s best friend and lover)
Jack. Marty’s twin brother (Keen runner).
Trevor Aitkins, Georgie’s Biological father.
Lucinda Aitkins Georgie’s biological mother
Terence Georgie’s step-dad
Peter Terence’s homophobic son.
Allison. Old school friend of Trevor & Retired Solicitor
Fred Allison’s husband
Elizabeth Aitkins (Beth) Georgie’s younger biological sister. Later proves to be sympathetic to her ‘sister’
Jonathon Aitkins (Johnny) Georgie’s younger biological brother.
Rosie the Rivetter Terf Gang Leader on campus.

Chapter 30

Terry could see he had but a second or two to hold Georgie’s attention before she addressed the next customer, so he quickly broached the subject even in front of the customer jostling his elbow while seeking next to get served.

“Your mother needs to speak to you!” He blurted out.

“No time! I’m busy.” Georgie responded curtly as she leaned over to take the next customer’s order.

“But she needs to speak to you!”

“Can’t you see I’m busy! I can’t talk now! Now sir what’re you having?” She asked the next customer.

“Dammit, she’s your mother!” Terry cursed.

The customer waiting to be served stepped forward and blocked Terry’s access to the bar.

“Look mate! You’ve got your order; the girl’s said she’s busy, now step a’ bloody - way!”

Terry turned to weigh up the young punter as though debating whether to drop him, as he was sure he could. Unfortunately one of Billy’s doormen team had already noticed the situation because Georgie had looked up, caught the doorman’s eye and tipped the wink.

As Terry stood debating his move, he felt a hand rest ever so lightly on his arm. It was Billy’s underling, but no less impressive a man than Billy.

“Sir. You’re blocking the bar, please take your drinks to your table.”

Terry had no option because the bar was becoming crowded and people had readily noticed the obstruction he was causing. Defeated, Terry turned and carefully threaded his way backwards through the crush to eventually emerge and turn again towards their table. A few more steps brought him to his seat but before he could sit, Lucy was asking him.

“What did he say?”

“He said he was too busy to speak.”

“Damn. I’ll have to catch him when he has his break.”

As Lucy cursed, Marty was passing by with tray full of drinks and heard the male pronoun referring to Georgie. She paused to advise the couple that she knew her companion had come to despise.

“She won’t be having a break until midnight and most probably she’ll take it in the living room behind tha bar,”

“But I must talk to him. We’re going back tomorrow. Can you get a message to him.” Lucy demanded as she followed Marty.

“I doubt very much if she’ll answer to ‘he.’ You’d best sort out your prejudices.” Marty explained as she was delivering the tray to a table two sections away.

Lucy pulled up short for she did not want her family business being discussed in front of strangers. Reluctantly and angrily, she stepped back to her own table and flopped down with frustration. Allison eyed her mood and asked.

“Well. Is she agreeable to meet you?”

“He’s being bloody awkward.” Lucy snapped’

“Meaning?” Allison pressed.

“He’s more or less telling me he won’t talk unless I call him a woman!”

“Surely that’s not too hard. Frankly, I think she passes for a woman very well.”

“Don’t tell me you’re on his side as well!”

“I’m on the side of what works. If he won’t meet you except as a woman, then you’re going to lose him if you refuse to recognise her.”

“This is bloody preposterous!” Lucy cursed again.

“Needs must,” Allison replied; “if you want to keep her or even stay in touch.”

“She should just forget him!” Terry opined.

“Shurr’up Terry. It’s not your kid!” Lucy scolded him.

“Wharr’ever ‘appens, he needn’t think he’s coming back to ours.”

“I think she’s already made that abundantly obvious,” Allison replied. “She’s got it pretty-well made here anyway. Her own bedroom, en-suite with all the trimmings from what I can see; an’ she’s got a car, or the use of one at least.”

“Yeah, but what are her prospects?” Terry demanded scornfully.

“Well unless Dot or Sam get pregnant, Dot has intimated to me that Georgie will inherit this place and you must admit, it’s a surefire going concern!”

“Yeah, but I’ll bet it’s a tied house.”

“Err, have you looked above the door Terry,” Allison continued. “It’s a free house and Dot is buying it with Sam. Don’t forget, they already adopted Georgie just before she turned seventeen. Georgie agreed to it in front of the judge and made herself an emancipated minor. It’s a bit complicated, But Georgie stands to legally inherit the pub if Dot and Sam agree.”

“If that’s the case, why’s she goin’ to college” Terry mocked.

Allison sighed but stayed silent, however Fred, who was usually a taciturn guy, intervened softly.

“Perhaps to reinforce her sense of self-worth Terry.”

Fred, who was noted for his quiet introspections, had hit a raw note. Allison often regretted not having said what Fred eventually said and all four sensed the note of censure in Fred’s calm, deep-voiced intervention.

In the ensuing silence, both women caught the innuendo in Fred’s remark and exchanged guilty glances but Terry just blathered on without garnering Fred’s insight.

“He’s not worth anything, he can’t even father kids now he’s cut his nuts off!” Terry almost crowed.

“You’re wrong again Terry,” Fred revealed, “you seem to forget that I drink here at the bar most nights; indeed I’m Dot and Sam’s most regular, - and informed customer. I also chat with young Georgie when the nights are quiet in here and I can assure you that the girl will be able to father children when the time comes; thanks to modern science and frozen sperm.”

The length of Fred’s remark alone, conveyed irritation and censure, for Fred spoke but briefly on most occasions. The sheer length of Fred’s reply was enough to give Terry pause for thought.

“What! You mean?” Terry gasped.

Fred just nodded sagely but his remark had already carried enough gravity to stop Terry’s invective dead.

For the rest of that evening Lucy and Terry felt compelled to remain seated while they watched Georgie exchanging laughs at the bar while perfectly complementing Sams drag performance and yet, serving drinks and cocktails with consummate, expertise.

When the foursome finally, and reluctantly ended their evening both husbands carefully helped their ‘high-heeled’ wives pick their way across the old dockside cobbles while the wives giggled drunkenly and applauded the evening’s entertainment.

“They do a good night there Allison,” Lucy opined, “you’ve picked a good place to retire.

“Aye; and they serve a good pint,” Terry added.

As Fred gently lowered Allison down onto some smooth tarmac on the service road between the old warehouse apartments and the new-builds, he uttered his next and last sagacious remark of the evening for Lucy’s benefit.

“If that kid of yours does as well at university as she did behind that bar tonight; she’ll go far. Mark my words!”

Reluctantly, though he was loath to admit it publicly, Terry was forced to admit privately, and strictly to himself, that Fred might be right.

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The following morning, as Allison was organising breakfasts in their new ‘cottage’, Fred and Terry came down and settled at the breakfast bar. On seeing that Lucy had not yet appeared, Allison asked Terry.

“Is she having breakfast?”

“She’ll be down shortly; she’s doing her diary. She does it every day. Give her a few minutes.”

Allison knew that Lucy kept a diary so she joined them at the breakfast bar and they settled down to eating,

Eventually, as the men were finishing their coffees, Lucy emerged and poured herself some tea as she studied the weather through the window.

“Are you packed love?” Allison asked,

Lucy nodded and frowned at the rain lashing against the breakfast room window then she made some toast as Allison cleared away the men’s dishes.

“We’d best be leaving soon. The roads are prone to flooding up Gloucester way and it’s on the news.” Lucy observed.

“We’ll be going soon,” Terry declared, “I’ll collect the bags.”

As he went up to the bedroom, Lucy dipped into her handbag and produced a letter. She passed it to Allison while Fred looked on and then she asked Allison.

“Can you give this letter to Georgie.”

Allison took the sealed letter and smiled the faintest, almost invisible smile as she read the single word. - Georgie.

She looked Lucy full in the eye with a questioning glance before repeating the word inquisitorially.

“Georgie – not George? Am I to believe this might be an olive branch?”

Lucy nodded slightly before asking, “Will you give it to her please.”

“Okay. I’ll give it to her at lunch time, after you two have left. Are you expecting a reply?”

“I’ll just have to wait and see.” Lucy sighed. “I’ve let Terry get away with a bit too much.”

Allison gave Lucy a slight nod, sufficient to confirm her thoughts about the mess, but not a ringing endorsement. She had no intentions of endangering her friendship with her best friend.

At noon, long after Lucy and Terry had set off Gloucester, Allison and Fred picked their way across the basin dock gate and chose a seat in front of the inglenook fire where a small pile of burning logs gave off enough heat for an intimate grouping. The bar was pretty empty because the New year’s eve revellers were long gone and the times were returning to normal. Cold wet January afternoons did not encourage many visitors to drive out to ‘The Harbour Light’ when the restaurant was closed and only the pub bar was open.

As Allison and Fred settled comfortably in two of the wing-backed chairs set evenly in an arc around the huge fireplace, they intimated to Dot that they had a letter for Georgie. Dot stepped from behind the bar and took the letter from Allison’s extended hand.

“It’s from Lucy to Georgie, I don’t believe Terry has seen it.” Allison explained. “Indeed, I don’t think he’s meant to see it.”

Dot nodded and placed it prominently beside the bar cash-till where Georgie would see it when she came back from her walk with her father.

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“Brrr! Let’s get to that fire folks. It’s starting to freeze out there.” Trevor exclaimed as he shucked off his coat and stepped towards the inglenook fireplace.

Georgie followed while grinning and also shedding her shorty top-coat. She was just about to join her dad when Allison pointed out the letter propped against the bar cash-till. Georgie ginned her thanks and stepped towards the bar as Dot explained.

“It’s from your bio-mum love.”

Her grin faded as she took the letter and frowned as she debated opening it or throwing it on the fire. Allison recognised Georgie’s indecision so she added her information.

“Lucy wrote it while Terry was absent and she gave it to me without Terry’s knowledge. It might contain something constructive.”

“Huh! D’ you think so?” Georgie pursed her lips uncertainly.

Trevor caught his daughter’s eye and advised.

“It might be best if you open it in your room then we need not need to know whether you read it and keep it or throw it away. If you feel you might need advice well; there’s plenty here who’re prepared to help. Me included.”

Allison, Dot and Fred all nodded their support as Sam brought a tray of several hot, ‘glu-wines’ German style to supplement the fireside heat. Georgie stuffed the letter in the pocket of her thick winter cardigan and intimated she would read it upstairs later. The atmosphere around the fireplace was too convivial to avoid. With the conversation about the letter being put on the ‘back burner’ the conversation eventually turned to Georgie’s returning to college in London.

“Have the college been in touch about the issues with the Terfs,” Dot asked.

“All we’ve had is a couple of emails inviting Marty and me to meet with the Principal on the first Monday of term. Which is effectively the very first day of term, even before lectures.”

“Have they intimated who else might be present?” Allison asked.

“Not yet.” Georgie replied.

“Well find out.” Allison emphasised. “They might have some sort of ensnarement lined up and you might want some legal backup.”

“The police were on my side last term.” Georgie offered.

“That should help but you have no idea who this ‘Rosie the Rivetter’ is, or what sort of legal clout she might have. Prepare to be fighting bear.”

“Don’t you mean ‘Get loaded for Bear?” Georgie chuckled.

“This is no joke,” Allison warned. “If you need legal advice, I can point you to some good lawyers even though I’ve never been involved in Gender politics.”

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