(aka Bike) Part 1026 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
The next morning, I could see that Danny’s eye was a little better and he was walking less stiffly. “How’s the um–you know?” I asked, and he blushed as much as I did.
“It hurts a bit, Mummy, but I’ll live.”
“I hope it’ll teach you not to get involved in fights unless you can’t avoid them, and that is pretty rare.”
“I’m told you’re quite a good fighter, Mummy.”
“You were misinformed, I try to avoid violence at every opportunity.”
“Auntie Stella says you’ve kicked ass a few times.”
“Auntie Stella is prone to exaggerate, and I don’t care for vulgarity, Danny, especially as I have never knowingly kicked anyone’s donkey.”
“Eh?” he looked perplexed.
“Ass, is a donkey stoopid,” Billy chided the older boy.
“An ass is also another name for a fool.” I informed our growing breakfast party.
“But the Americans say ass all the time for bum.”
“They might, they live far enough away for me not to worry about their differences with the mother tongue, but you don’t.”
“It’s arse,” Billy sniggered.
“That’s the English form, but it’s still vulgar, and I don’t want to hear it. Everyone got that?” I looked around the room at the sleepy faces who were still trying to understand what I was preaching about this time. I knew they used words like that all the time in school, because they did in my day, and sometimes a lot worse. However, in trying to set some standards of home life for them, I had the job of policing them, which I knew Tom would support, Stella might on a good day, and Simon would in theory–but would forget most of the time.
We had breakfast and I collected together some cleaning things and put them in the car. “Why you doin’ that?” asked Meems.
“Doing what, sweetheart?”
“Those wags.” She pointed at the cloths I was loading in a bucket with a few cleaning sprays and polishes.
“I’m going to meet Maureen’s friend Tamsin and we’re going to give her flat a quick clean up for when she comes out of hospital.”
“I’d wike to hewp, Mummy.”
“I’d like to, too,” said Trish.
“I’ll tell Maureen that I had a whole load of volunteers, but I’m sure that we’ll manage for now, maybe next time.”
They seemed to accept that, perhaps because I’d left the door ajar rather than closing it completely. Having said that, I thought it unlikely we’d need to do it again, but on the proviso that I’d never been there before. It might be a little palace or it could be a pigsty.
After I dropped Julie off at the salon–interestingly, she said nothing about the flat–I took the girls on to school. We spoke to the headmistress and discovered there was a girl’s football team, and any of them could opt to do footie for their sports lessons. Livvie put her name down immediately for next term, and so did Meems. Trish was a bit more circumspect, but under pressure from her sisters, she agreed to put her name down for now, but she could change her mind if necessary later. I thought I would get them kicking a ball about in the garden with Leon or Simon and possibly Trish could have a chance to explore bits of boyhood she could take with her, rather than dismissing it all as unwanted rubbish.
If my love of cycling hadn’t been so great, I could quite easily have stopped doing it because it wasn’t a girly thing–but hell, there are loads of women who ride bikes at all levels, the same with football–I hadn’t pursued that one because I was useless at it, but could ride a bike a bit. Maybe, I’ll improve my football skills if the others give me some help and encouragement.
So, I could have gone overboard on girly hobbies, sewing and knitting and collecting dolls–I did some of those, I can sew a bit and enjoy cooking, but I don’t think I have too many other interests that are usually associated with women unless you include taking bikes to bits and rebuilding them. It’s a joke, so relax.
I arrived at the address Tamsin had given me, it’s not in the most salubrious part of the city, but I was reassured to see it was quite a nice old house with Maureen’s car parked outside. Tamsin, I hoped would be there and pressed the bell listed as belonging to flat 2.
I heard footsteps approaching and my mind began to create pictures of how Tamsin would appear. The voice sounded younger than Maureen’s, and I wondered how old she was along with every other possible question that could form in the seconds before the door opened.
The door drew open and behind it stood a man who was about thirty something. He had longish hair, which was tied back but was also receding at the temples–typical male pattern baldness.
“I hope I have the right place, I was expecting to meet Tamsin?” I said guardedly.
“That’s me,” said mine host, and you must be Lady Catherine?”
“It’s just Cathy.” I held out my hand, which was accepted, and then I entered the hall.
“I can’t believe that Maureen knows someone as beautiful as you, Lady C.”
“Sorry?”
“I said, I can’t believe...”
“I heard that, but I don’t understand why you said it.” Oops; how to make friends and influence people, this ain’t.
“Sorry, but people like us don’t usually move in such high circles or get to know such beautiful women as yourself.”
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and on a physical level is very superficial, seeing as most of it is as much a matter of luck as anything else, it’s hardly a priority in anything other than a sexist society.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that–I’m sorry, I’m making it worse aren’t I?”
“They do say when in a hole, stop digging.”
“What I meant to say, is, you’re a very beautiful woman, and I’m jealous that Maureen has you as her friend.”
“I still don’t know what you mean, unless you’re saying you fancy me–in which case, I’d better go now. I’m happily married with six children.”
“Six kids, blimey–you don’t look old enough.”
“Appearances can be deceptive,” but not in the way you’re thinking, buster.
“Can we start again? I’m Tamsin, I’m pleased to meet you, and yes I do think you are very beautiful but I don’t have any ulterior motives–I mean my intentions are honourable.”
“I thought we were here to give Maureen’s place a lick and a polish?”
“Yes, follow me.” I followed the tee shirt and jeans clad individual up a flight of stairs. As I watched his bum wiggling a bit too exaggeratedly for a man, I noticed he was wearing girl’s jeans with embroidered back pockets. I also couldn’t decide whether he was gay, or transgendered–not that it really mattered.
“How about a nice cuppa before we start?” He led me into a small but very cosy flat which was immaculate. Of course, Maureen was ex Royal Navy, they are taught to be tidy because there isn’t much room on a ship.
I seated myself at the small dining table and waited for the tea.
Comments
Thanks
Thank you A&B: like Beverly, I'm still enjoying my favourite series.
There's nothing I really want to comment on in today's episode, and it's at times like this that I really miss that voting thingy.
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Cleaning
It's refreshing to see that the flat is in a fairly nice building (which probably means that although not in the most salubrious part of the city, it's not a sink estate either) and is still pretty clean and immaculate.
Perhaps over tea, Cathy will find out more about Tamsin during the natural course of conversation - and presumably we'll find out if Tamsin has seen that YouTube clip, the dormouse documentary, or even the media interview (which was shown on primetime TV, but evidently either nobody watched it or nobody remembered it!)
EAFOAB Episode Summaries
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Bike pt 1026
Cathy's circle of friends keeps on growing. Me, I'm just waiting to know more about Tamsin. Hopefully Maureen will make a full recovery and Tamsin will have an interesting story to tell.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
I guess I am wrong, but I
I guess I am wrong, but I had thought that Cathy met Tamsin previously at the hospital, but just for a very brief moment? Cathy is definitely expanding her circle of strange and very different people, with Tamsin now 'coming aboard' (had to use Navy talk) :)
Is there anyone who knows if and or when the vote register will be back or come back. I do miss it. Jan
Glad too see
that i was wrong about the flat, In fact just about the only thing wrong with it appears to be the flight of stairs, Could that then be a reason for Maureen to move in with the Camerons to aid his recovery, And if she does move in ,Would she ever leave?
Kirri
Well,
The landlord was refreshing. Looks like Cathy may be sucked into the TG community whether she want to or not.
I knew the flat would be
I knew the flat would be shipshape.
I never thought biking was a male thing
Cefin