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(aka Bike) Part 964 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
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After lunch, Simon and the boys washed and cleaned all the cars before he dashed off at four to collect Julie. It transpired she was still mad at me, which she manifested by ignoring me when I spoke to her. I let it pass–I also let her pass. She stamped up to her room in less than elegant style presumably because her feet were sore.
“Did she say anything?” I asked Simon.
He shrugged and replied, “Nothing that bears repeating.”
“Oh, so she was complaining about her horrible foster mum?”
“I said it isn’t worth repeating.” It was obvious he wasn’t going to be drawn.
“Simon, if I’m to deal with her, I need to know what she’s thinking.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“It would only distress you to know what she’s thinking.”
“Oh?” It did distress me, and I could only guess what she was thinking.
“Perhaps I’d better go and talk to her.”
“I think I’d let things cool down first if I were you.”
“Oh–alright, I’ll leave her alone then.”
“I think that’s a very good idea.”
“It’s all a storm in a tea cup.”
“It always is with women, except they cause most of the grief in families.”
“Oh thanks, Si, that really makes me feel better.”
“It’s my humble opinion–what’s for dinner?”
“Home made steak and kidney pie.”
“Snake and pygmy, my favourite. When do we eat?”
“About six,” I suggested.
“Where’s Julie, Mummy?” asked Trish.
“Up in her room–she’s not in a very good mood.”
Trish looked displeased by this news–“May I go and see her?”
“That’s up to you, but be warned.”
“Okay, Mummy,” and she trotted upstairs.
“Are Kate and Sidney coming to tea, Mummy?” asked Mima.
“Who told you that–Daddy?”
“Yes, he did.”
“He was joking, we’re having steak and kidney pie for dinner, a silly name for it is Kate and Sidney pie, or even snake and pygmy pie.”
“Eeuch–that is siwwy, Mummy.” She then turned around as if to give Simon a piece of her mind.
Leon came in with Tom, they were both pretty grubby, having spent most of the day in the garden. After reassuring me he had a change of clothes with him, Leon went to shower. He had asked if Julie was home, and when I confirmed it, he looked very pleased with himself.
I sent Mima up to tell Julie that Leon was staying for dinner and that she should come down and entertain him.
Meems returned with the message that Julie hadn’t invited him, so she wasn’t responsible for entertaining him. That puzzled me, unless it was simply cutting off her nose to spite her face.
I complained to Simon to take her in hand–he said it was nothing to do with him. It began to look as if I would have to sort this out myself. I put the vegetables on to cook, and went upstairs–there was laughter coming from Julie’s bedroom.
I knocked and entered–it stopped immediately. “I’d like to speak with you, Julie. Trish, please go and set the table.” Trish was about to protest when my look cut her dead and she left rapidly.
Julie was sitting on her bed, she folded her arms and crossed her legs–this was not going to be easy. “If you want to be taken as a young adult, you’d better start acting like one.”
“If you want to be taken as a mother, you’d better start acting like one then, too.” The remark cut straight through me and it was as much as I could do not to burst into tears. My best strategy was to ignore the hurt and keep being reasonable.
“I’d like to know why you’re behaving so horribly to me.”
“Because you’re horrible to me.”
“If I am, and you consider it unwarranted–then I apologise.”
“You can’t just do that,” she snapped.
“I’m sorry, darling, but I have.”
“But––”
“–It’s spoilt a good strop?”
“Yes–no,” she pouted.
“Julie, I don’t want to fight with you–at the same time, when you cheek me or disrespect me, I am entitled to take action against you.”
“You disrespected me, first.”
“No, I teased you a little–you were the one who got rude and nasty. I took you to work, I arranged for Daddy to collect you and for Leon to stay for tea. I did so because I love you–to love is to respect someone.”
“That’s unfair–you always play the love card.”
“It’s the only card I have to play, darling. It’s the reason you’re here.”
“So why did you tease me?” her voice became squeaky as she started to weep.
“It was meant to be a bit of fun, sweetheart.”
“But you hurt me, and you said you loved me–that’s not nice.”
“I apologise, I would have hoped that by now you would know that we all love you, and that any teasing was meant in fun. I have no enjoyment from seeing you hurt–if that happens it’s no longer fun–is it?”
I opened my arms and she crawled across the bed and cuddled into me. “It was mean of you, Mummy.”
“I didn’t intend it to be mean.”
“Well it was.”
“I’ve told you I’m sorry, I can’t do anything else.”
“You could let me have Leon up here with me.”
“I hope you’re joking.”
“No I’m not, I mean it’s hardly like we can, like do anything, is it?”
“Nothing will happen, because I’m not allowing it.”
“I thought you said you loved me?”
“I do, that’s why–there are no boys in the bedroom until you’re eighteen.”
“That’s like two years away–I can have sex by law at sixteen.”
“Not in this house you don’t–and I think you’ll find Daddy and Gramps feel the same way.”
“This is my room–I should be able to do what I like in it.”
“Julie, it might be your room, but the whole house is my responsibility, and I’m telling you it isn’t on. You’d be dishonouring me and Gramps if you did as you seem to want. I can’t understand you–I’d have thought you’d have wanted to wait until after surgery.”
“I’ll be too bloody old then,” she pulled away from me–“like you are.”
“Well thank you, Julie–now I know where I stand.” I glanced at my watch, “I’m going to dish up–dinner is in ten minutes, don’t be late.”
“I’m not hungry.” She sat back on the bed and crossed her arms and legs again.
“Ten minutes,” I repeated and went downstairs.
“Why is Julie in a strop, Mummy?” asked Trish.
“Because she’s a teenager, Trish, it happens I’m afraid, and sometimes we adults miss the signs to head it off.”
“I’m not going to get stroppy when I’m a teenager.”
“That’s very good news, Trish. You’ll be the first one in history–I’ll inform the Guinness Book of Records.”
She gave me a peculiar look, “Are you dissing me, Mummy?”
‘Here we go again...” I said to myself.
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Comments
Children
Oh dear, sometimes they're all sweetness and light, and other times you wonder why you bothered getting up that day. Still, I guess that's part of the process of growing up.
{Highlight to select the appropriate form of approval for this episode} vote, choose, pick, select, approve, decide on, go for, support, agree, prefer, like, ratify, endorse, esteem, value, prize.
Preparative Socialising
Bike Archive
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Teens
Apparently I didn't get "stroppy" as a teen... I was VERY BOORING (& really good at hiding!!!!). My younger brother now, he was...
IMO, Cathy's brought SOME of this on herself. With the nearly constant "teasing" (something she learned from Simon and Stella, and appears to have taken to heart in self defense), I'm not surprised that Julie reacted as she did. I was wondering when this family's constant pushing would blow up, again. (It's done so more than once between Cathy and Simon / Stella.)
I HOPE someone will talk to Cathy, and clue her in that she's done this herself, to some extent.
Does Julie REALLY believe that she can do ANYTHING she pleases in HER room? Or, is this belief based on the far more relaxed environment in Tom's house - than in the house she grew up in? I think it'd be nice for Julie to try to "complain" to Maureen, and have Maureen tell her that she's WAY off base trying to set her own rules in a house that's not hers. Also, to remind her that this family took her in, when they didn't have to. They've gone out of their way to help her, and so on and so forth. I'd expect Julie to be in tears by this point. But, also that Maureen could handle this. She, likely could also help Julie put things in perspective and maybe get set back on a path where she belongs.
I can just see a scene like the following (after Julie & Maureen have their time).
Maureen comes around, "Ma'am, could I have a word with you out here?"
"Is something wrong?"
"I hope not, ma'am, but if you could give me a few minutes."
They then go out to where Maureen's been working.
Cathy looks around, and everything seems in order. "What's the problem?"
"Ma'am, I know it's not my place."
"We asked you to help, and so far..."
"No, ma'am, I don't mean the work. It's Miss Julie, ma'am. She came out here..."
"That girl, I don't know what I'll do with her."
"She's a good girl, ma'am. She just needs stable boundaries."
Cathy then looks up at Maureen, as if she's talking in a foreign language.
"I saw it when I was in the Navy. Young kids, away from home for the first time. The rules are so different from what they grew up with. Ma'am, they just don't know how to react. Oh, I don't say you coddle them, they've got a job to do. But, ma'am, the need to know what's what and know what they can and can't do. They also need to know what will happen if they cross the line and when they do, because many will, they have to face the punishment."
Cathy listens in astonishment.
"Most of them do settle down.
and it goes on a little longer, but Cathy comes to realize that her teasing of Julie wasn't taken that way. And, that perhaps they've not really established a good relationship, it just SEEMED like it.
Looking forward to seeing how YOU manage this.
Thanks,
Annette
Bike pt 964
Wel, can't blame Julie for trying since Cathy went a bit overboard.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Never mind
Cathy, it does get better....Eventually.... And just think..... You only have another five to go!
Kirri (+1 vote)
bite your tongue, eat your words, foot in mouth.....
Trish is such a clever little one. Still don't think she's really 5. Laughed a lot over the last few lines.
“I’m not going to get stroppy when I’m a teenager.â€
“That’s very good news, Trish. You’ll be the first one in history—I’ll inform the Guinness Book of Records.â€
She gave me a peculiar look, “Are you dissing me, Mummy?â€
I see a lot of my own daughters in this bunch including the statement from Trish. (which did not come to pass)
A little bit of laughing and a sigh as I read this episode.
I Was Wondering How Long It Would Be?
I was wondering how long it would be before Julie Rebellious Teenager showed up? Cathy has handled it pretty well I think. Hopefully, she has a thick skin to deal with the mean things Julie says to her. Julie is just becoming a typical teenager. They get to the point where they think they know everything and their parents are clueless. One of my friends has three sons who were Hell on wheels growing up. One of them has too small children who were driving everyone crazy. He was standing there watching them run around like Banshees and he turned to his dad and said "How in the world did you and Mom put up with us? He said "Patience, Son, Patience" The whole time he was thinking "Paybacks are Hell aren't they?
Stroppy teens.
I have difficulty relating to stroppy teens. Two reasons. The first is we had no children so I've no idea what happens in the modern world (except watching 'Outnumbered' on the iPlayer). The second is, as I left home to work away and live in lodgings at 17 (1957) I was effectively independent of my father and so missed the conflict had I stayed at home. However, as I had almost no money (cue violins) I certainly didn't drink a lot either LOL
However, the more I read about family life, here and elsewhere, the more I'm glad we remained childless. Just as well everyone isn't as squeamish or my pension would be even more meagre.
Another non-vote :)
Robi
Six, Going On...
Six, going on Gangsta!
Teenaged strops?
I warned yooo-oou.
Don't get so het up. She'll get over it, -(in about 1000 years, or it seems like that.)
And we are always in the wrong aren't e?
Oh dear,
Ho-hummm!
Get on with it.
Bev.
Another vote
Another day another vote.
Now if only i could get used to leaving comments.
I am certain Baldrick can come up with a cunning plan, to cure the vote thing.
Well done Angharad, another lovely episode.
Love to all
Anne G.
Agree with you, Anne.
Sometimes one does not have anything witty or important to add to what has already been said, or written, rather, (or should I be even more accurate and put, typed?), but just to indicate that one has read and enjoyed. With Angharad's Millenium Epic that one has enjoyed is by now taken as understood of course, after all this time.
There are some amazing things going on in this world, the Icelandic Volcano Ash Cloud parallels the Green Fog story, and all those tales where boys were made to dress as girls - here is a case straight from Real Life (from America, of course, and from New Jersey) see this Link:
http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2010/04/16/american-school-force...|uk-ws-bb|dl2|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.co.uk%2F2010%2F04%2F16%2Famerican-school-forc...
sorry that the link is so long, not my doing but there we are! That's web addresses for you!
Briar
Briar
The Link
Here's a simplified link, if anyone is having trouble making that one work:
http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2010/04/16/american-school-force...
and, here's another one, if you'd like to watch a local tv news clip on the story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/14/maude-wilkins-eleme...
and, a version of the story from the culture-wars viewpoint. "It's all part of the Gay Agenda," or something:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIFFW0aHTs...
You know
Cathy has it easy in one sense. Wait till the girls with periods hit that point, then the fun begins.
It could be Julie is getting a bit off balance herself. Though truth be told, I do think Cathy is enjoying winding her up a little too much. This was an abused kid not too long ago.
Oh oh, is Trish strarting early to be the Devil's Spawn ?
When the head stops spinning, when they stop puking pea soup. then teenage girls become human again.
A realistic chapter for anyone who's had a teen daughter. ( our author ?)
Cefin