(aka Bike) Part 1055 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
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“Why are you crying, Mummy?” Livvie came into the kitchen and hugged me.
“It’s nothing, sweetheart, I just feel sad.”
“Grampa Henry, didn’t upset you, did he?”
“He’s part of it, but it wasn’t just him.”
“Why does he want to take us to Scotland?”
“I think he thought you might like to stay at his castle.”
“Are you coming?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I’m not going then, and I’ll bet Trish won’t either.”
“It might be nice to get a break from me for a little while.”
“No it won’t, I like having you as my Mummy. Are you going to take that stupid job?”
“What do you think I should do?”
“I don’t want you to, Mummy. I don’t want someone else taking me to school or making my dinner.”
“Unfortunately we can’t always have everything as we’d like it.”
“I know that, Mummy, but I’ve lost one mummy. I don’t want to lose you as well. That would be horrid.”
“You aren’t going to lose me, darling.” I hugged her to give some physical reassurance.
“I hope not, Mummy, that would be awful, really awful.”
“I promise, darling.”
“What’s the matter?” asked Billie wandering as Livvie and I hugged.
“Gramps wants Mummy to take that job, and she might leave us,” wailed Livvie.
“Oh no, you can’t do that, Mummy.” Billie immediately burst into tears and I put my arm around her.
“Liv are you comin’–wassup, why are you cryin’?”asked Trish. I was fast running out of arms.
“Mummy’s gonna take that job an’ leave us.” It was Billie’s turn to grizzle.
“You’re not are you? That would be so unfortunate,” stated Trish. She came and hugged me from behind.
“’Snot fair,” wailed Livvie.
“What isn’t fair?” asked Danny.
“Mummy’s gonna leave us,” wailed Livvie like an upset banshee.
“Why?” he asked in return.
“She’s gonna take that job.”
“Oh–well I suppose she could save more animals that way.”
“What about saving her children?” Livvie asked the awkward questions.
“She’s already done that, we’re all safe here, aren’t we?”
“I s’pose so,” agreed Livvie.
“Of course you’re all safe and I haven’t decided if I want to take the job or not.”
“Yeah, but we get to stay in a real castle,” beamed Danny. “I’ll bet it’s got suits of armour and swords an’ things.”
“It has, big deal,” Trish was unimpressed.
“I wonder if Gramps would let me wear one?”
“No–they’d be too big for you–you’re only a kid, they were made for men,” chided Trish of her brother.
“Yeah, I knew that.” Danny blushed.
“No you didn’t or you wouldn’t have said such a dumb thing.” Trish was on the offensive.
“Course I did, I was just thinkin’.”
“That’ll be a first, then.” Trish continued.
“Hey, that’s enough.” I said loudly.
“Well he didn’t know,” complained Trish.
“Never mind, it’s not important.” I tried to calm things down, the way I felt the last thing I needed was squabbling siblings.
“I did so.” Danny insisted back.
“No you didn’t–an’ I know, ‘cos I’ve been there, haven’t I, Mummy?” Trish tried to cause me to take sides.
“You have been there, but I said it wasn’t important.” I tried desperately to stay neutral.
“I knew she’d take your side, ‘cos you’re a bloody girl.”
“Danny, I did not,” but he wouldn’t have heard me, he went dashing out of the door.
“Right, that’s it–all of you out of here now–give me some peace and quiet. Go on, everyone out.” I shooed them all out of my kitchen and shut the door. I began to clean and peel vegetables, trying to think while I did them.
There was no reason why any of those who wanted to, couldn’t go to the castle when school broke up anyway–that had nothing to do with the job. They’d all get a chance to see the castle when we did the wedding blessing–hell, the way things were going it would be in time for Hogmanay.
Why did they all want me to take this job? What was Henry’s real motive, it wasn’t money, he argued too passionately for that–he’s usually quite cold blooded about money? Did he have any real feelings for the planet? If so why did he cut down a stand of trees last year?
I’m not the only person who could do the job, there must be thousands of ecologists who are as well qualified as I am, some of whom would be better qualified or more experienced, so why me?
Few if any of them will have the history I have, so would actually be a safer bet than I am. Okay, I have a title–through my husband, so hardly to my credit–but I suppose it would sound impressive, but then Monica would be more so, as the Viscountess of Stanebury–I’m only Lady Cameron.
I made my mind up weeks ago, I said no, so why can’t they accept that? At the same time, Henry said some quite important things. Do I really want to save the planet, or am I content to fiddle while it all burns?
Some of it is beyond redemption, and money will continue to allow illegal logging and beef farming in South America, although we now know it isn’t just for burger chains. My dormice are probably safe, partly because of legislation and partly because they are a high profile animal, whose cuteness makes them easily marketable in the conservation stakes. My posters have excited a huge amount of interest–mainly because of the cuteness of Spike and YSL suit.
Was Henry correct in describing me as a beautiful woman? It’s a nice thought, although I don’t necessarily accept it. Goodness, I need to think, and I could do with talking to someone outside it, but who knows enough to offer a reasonable opinion.
I took my address book out of my bag and after consulting it tapped in some digits on the phone. “Hello, Abi?”
“Yes, who’s that?”
“It’s Cathy Cameron.”
“Cathy, hi, how are you?”
“Have you got a few minutes?”
“A few, why?”
“I’d like your opinion on this UN job they’ve advertised.”
“They haven’t advertised it, it’ll be a shoe-in.”
“Oh.”
“Why?”
“Gareth Sage asked me to apply for it.”
“Oh did he now, I know they contacted Esmond about it and he was miffed they didn’t ask him to do it.”
“I’d have thought he’d be a better candidate than I am.”
“Dunno, that was a pretty good talk you did down here–they’re still talking about it, although they know you’re an alumna, no one remembers you, and if they did, they’d have a problem equating Charlie with the beautiful Lady Cameron.”
“I’m not beautiful, Abi,” I blushed.
“Okay you’re not–not my problem if you want to deny your good looks. Why d’you think Dilly was so unpleasant, she was jealous.”
“Oh no, how can she be jealous of me?”
“Quite easily, you have looks and money, a readymade family, and a title to boot. All that’s missing is a top job, so it’s the UN for a couple of years and a chair here when Esmond retires.”
“You don’t actually believe that, do you?”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”
“You won’t have heard that I said no.”
“You did what?” she almost shrieked down the phone, “Don’t be so bloody stupid, woman! Go for it!. Don’t you see how this could raise the profile of women in academia?”
“Oh come on, Abi, to start with, my history hardly does justice to the feminist cause does it–and universities have had an equal opportunities policy for years.”
“Cathy, I don’t care if your path to womanhood was the usual or otherwise. I don’t give a toss if you came from the planet Zog, officially you’re female, and a beautiful one, so go for it. As for universities having equal ops policies, yes they have, but they nearly always appoint men. Shatter the glass ceiling if you have the chance–you have daughters don’t you?”
“Yes, five.”
“Bloody hell, what are you doing, cloning them or have you got a photocopier?”
“No, they just happened. This place is like the old woman who lived in a shoe.”
“Well think of them, they might become academics, and if they’re as clever as their mum, they could well become professors.”
“Two of them are extremely bright, one is already super-bright.”
“There’s your answer–do it for them.”
“I was turning it down for them.”
“What are you, stupid? I have to go–we have guests, byee.”
I put the phone down–she seemed to think my first duty to my kids was to take the job. Bugger, why does everything have to be so complicated?
Comments
As much as
I'm all for the love, hearth, home, and family bit her friend does have a point.
Bailey Summers
Bike pt 1055
Does Henty have a Mary Poppins avatar to help Cathy? If Cathy's involvement was over the internet and any public appearances could come from Tom's place or whereever Cathy was at the time, then it'd not be a burden. But we know that Bonzi and Ang would still cause Cathy mayhem if she accpted.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Point taken, Cathy
Point taken, Cathy definitely needs to shatter the 'glass ceiling' if there is one at the universities. She might be the only one who can do so and make it stick. Danny sounds to me like he is feeling a little overwhelmed all of a sudden by all the females in the family. Simon and Tom, and yes, even Henry, need to step into all this and be there for him. Jan
And now for something completely Different
A Lady Cameron Taking the UN Chair. Great chapter, but had to read it 3 times to follow the scawbbling between the children, It was probably my fault as i always get a little down when my hubby goes off for a couple of months. so Ill be here tomorrow waiting for more wonderful work from the best writing Duo A&B
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
Her question....
About motives is telling. It WOULD be interesting to find out the REAL reason (or at least the one our authoring team has thunk up) for the UN position. The UN, in my experience, rarely does anything quickly. Nor, except in the Peacekeeping area, do they have much in the way of budget. (Yeah, I've done a bit of work for that small multi-national NGO headquartered on the East side of Manhattan...) Something is rotten, as they say, in Denmark (or at least in the offer).
The more Cathy expands the list of people in the know about the offer, the more confused she seems to become. Women have to fight the battle between career and family far to much. And, to many seem to try to do it all, and wonder why they're exhausted. My wife tries to do it all - luckily she's not the only adult in the house - but with work (& responsible for the Women in Science program at her Uni) and the American Chemical Society Women in Science position she has... She burns the candle at both ends... (Add in the fact she's dealing with my approaching transition...)
So, I really do understand where Cathy's coming from. She has some REALLY hard decisions to make (again)... And, no matter what she decides, she needs to learn to accept a tad more help.
Anne
We must sacrifice for our children.
I can see why she'd turn the job down, except she is in a special (if fantasy) situation and she could well be the trail blazer. We often have ideas about ourselves that are about as far off as posible. She may well be a leader in the community and have no idea of it.
In my own case, as rejected as I have felt and as much hell as some people have put me through, now that I am going away, several people right here in this commmunity in little old Portland, have revealed to me that they admire my efforts. I have often felt unloved and unloveable.
I think that is often the distortion that T folk have about ourselves. It is so tempting to treat being T as a fatal flaw, when I have often been astonished to find out that others did not see that in me.
Very deep this time Angharad, but nice.
Khaduuj
Abi
For anyone wondering about Abi, thanks to Ben's EAFOAB summaries (there's a link from the archive), she's Abi Alexander and is the University of Sussex lead on the Mammal Survey. She first appeared back in episode 889 for anyone like me who suffers from senior moments.
It's interesting that the last couple of episodes of Bike have presented some compelling arguments for Cathy to take the UN job.
It might be an idea for Cathy to go for a long bike ride to think things through, though she needs to watch out for other cyclists intent on headbutting her! (TdF allusion.)
Thanks A+B: another great installment.
Painful Strikes
Bike Archive
Bike Resources
long bike ride?
I'd be afraid if she did that. She would either get kidnapped, or run over, or off the road again. Just kidding. I think she needs to take the job just to shut up all the OLD MEN in the good old boys club that think they run things. She can cause quite a stir in the press and when the good old boys try to ham string her efforts, all she has to do is call a press conference, and set the dogs loose on them.
Problem is
Cathy's time with the little ones at this age is priceless. Once they become teenagers ... oh boy! Her time with them is NOT fungible for time spent when they become teens. I would have no problem with Cathy doing the UN thing once they are older. OR IF SIMON WAS MORE RESPONSIBLE!
Kim
It's little wonder
that Cathy has yet to make her mind up, Whoever she speaks too has good reasons for and against taking the U.N. job.....Quite what the answer is, Only time will tell....
Perhaps though in the absence of any other help, Maybe should go against her belief's find a medium and try and contact her mother ......After all she was right about the large family....
Kirri
coming around?
I thought a while back Cathy would say yes and we seem to coming back there. So... time to sit and organise and state terms. Get a couple of staff, a good PA and a Nanny or similar. Henry can fork out seeing he's so keen. Lot's of tele-commuting and a few meetings here and there, the odd trip to NY and hey presto sod the rules and girlpower...Cathy does it her way or.... bugger orf.
Kristina
The Glass Ceiling.
Whatever Cathy does, I'm firmly of the opinion that TG or not, it's every woman's duty to smash through the glass ceiling as and when they can.
Go for it Cathy, if they're that desperate to employ you, you can haul the kids over to NY as well. You don't have to palm them off on somebody else.
For God's sakes woman! Set your own rules!!! 'Take me, - TAKE MY KIDS!' You go to wherever, then your kids go to. If it means a nanny and a tutor accompanying the kids travelling with you then so what. Men come with baggage, usually some handy secretary bird (Read matress,) like Ike had when he was general commanding in Europe; a hyped up ego and a magalomaniacal conceit.
(Remember Lord Mackay, Tonie's crony who was appointed Lord Chancellor and promptly had his apartment in the House of Lords furnished at unimaginable expense. Wall paper at £600 per roll and so on!
Well if men can waste huge sums on the accoutrments of power then women can trail their kids around with them. The travel will do them good!!!
Go for it girl, it'll be an interesting lesson for all those male chauvanist politicians from the third world, (Not to mention the conceited, arrogant first worlders.) who think a woman's place is - - - - - -.
Kick arse Cathy! And show your daughters how to do it as well.
Go for it.
Loving it.
OXOXOX
Beverly Taff.
Bike’s Third Anniversary
Less than 12 hours ago, I wrote a blog entry to mark the third anniversary of our favorite series.
Wouldn't you know it? A veritable flood of other blogs quickly shunted my effort off the front page, so possibly quite a few regular readers of EAFOAB will have missed it. Thank you Mr. Murphy!
Please check out the link above, plus the new one below.
Persistent Supporter
Bike Resources
Peer pressure
It seems as though practically every adult contact Cathy has is pressurising her to take the job. Regardless of Henry's enthusiasm for hiring additional help to maintain the household, it would be worth find out exactly what the job entails; what the commitments / hours of working / travelling are.
If it's within easily commutable distance of the home and is only a few hours a day, it would be much more acceptable than if it required extensive travelling or several days at a time separation from the family.
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!
I know this aint the place,
but I gotta ask the BIG QUESTION anyhows -
Why are all these feminists busting their butts in a Man's world, they look like men,they act like men, they aspire to greed like men. They surendered their feminity for what exactly ??
If MEN have screwed the pooch as bad as they claim. Why is it they are using men as examples of how to do things ? It would seem to me this is totally self defeating because they are not men and will never will.
If these susposedly bright women want to get to the top, maybe reinventing the mousetrap should be considered.
Since I being totally stupid. WOMENS FASHION -- women complain about their fashion...look no further then the Gay men... a signifantly of the fashion designers are Gay... IF I was of suspicious mind & found my self competing for the same men I am ... well I'd start making them look like males also HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
think about it. Gawd I'm warped now :-)
PS I'm not gay i'm at best a lesbian which initself isnt that gay also ?
I scare myself some times with labels :(
Cathy
She wants opinions, I suspect she is going to get as many opinions as people she asks. Good luck with that.
Agree highly with on suggestion, find out what the job entails, then make them meet her demands and needs. They want her, not the other way around.
UN or not UN, that is the question
For crying out loud, take the position. You can always step down at a later time.
Cefin