(aka Bike) Part 1490 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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“Helen wis jest tellin’ me aboot her plans fa’ this area,” Tom possibly sensed my unease with this woman and was changing the subject.
“I’m going to be trying to protect SSSIs* by educating the landowners rather than threatening them, and by pointing to good examples of good practice.”
“I wish you luck–sadly the good ones will always be good and the bad ones will always do what they want regardless of its impact upon the environment. I’ve heard stories of woodland cleared, of bats being removed or destroyed in their belfries as well real heroes in the protection of habitats or species.” I added to Tom’s introduction.
“I’ll need to update the SSSIs in the county by doing a survey.”
“I think you’ll find some of it has disappeared or been made smaller despite so called protection–the protection is useless unless you or Defra prosecute these perpetrators of environmental destruction.”
“Oh we intend doing so, don’t you worry your pretty head about that.”
Eh? Had she just patronised me? Cheeky mare. “I’ll believe that when I see it.” Tom glared at me as I said it, but I didn’t care–she wasn’t my guest, and I didn’t particularly know her at university.
“Cathy, the government has sent us directions for protecting the environment...”
“By relaxing planning laws so they can build anywhere?”
“No, they won’t be allowed to do that.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. If it goes to the Environment secretary to arbitrate any appeals, the developer will win every time.”
“You’re very cynical,” she chided me.
“With good reason. I sincerely hope you’ll make a difference but I’ve seen good intentions ruined before by big money.”
“Not on my patch,” she said combatively.
“Ask Helen aboot yer wood,” prompted Tom.
“The university was asked to do an ecological survey of some land and I have reasons to believe there are dormice there.”
“Well if you think there are some there, there probably are,” she smiled at me.
“Thank you for your confidence, the land is up for sale for development.”
“Ah, that’s a different matter.”
“Now if I prove there are dormice there, and the developer pulls out, am I allowed to bid for the land myself?”
“Oh, that’s an interesting one–you mean conflict of interest stuff?”
“Exactly that.”
“Were you planning on developing it?”
“Yes.” When I said this Tom’s eyebrows nearly got stuck on his forehead.
“What sort of development were you contemplating.
“Possibly a couple of buildings, some utilities–you know, the usual stuff–for a nature reserve.”
Her expression went from outraged to irked as she realised I’d just played her like a fiddle. “Very funny, Cathy.” Then she looked at me long and hard. “You remind me of someone I knew vaguely at university.” I felt myself get very warm and my face was giving off several megawatts.
Just then the food arrived, Tom had his curry, Helen had an omelette and for a change, I had tuna salad with a jacket potato. The conversation died off as we tucked into our respective meals although I caught Helen glancing at me frequently during our repast.
Tom asked for the sweet menu and he had chocolate pudding, Helen ordered trifle and I opted for fruit salad and ice cream. We also ordered teas and coffees. The desserts arrived, just or otherwise and we started to eat them when Helen said, “D’you have a brother–as in twin brother?”
I blushed furiously and shook my head.
“There was a boy about a year below me who you remind me of rather a lot–except he was a boy and you’re obviously a woman–but he was a bit femme and quite pretty in some ways–they said he was gay but I don’t remember anything to confirm the gossip, so it was probably just that–he was into mammals if I recall.”
I said nothing but despite the ice cream I was getting hotter.
“You went to Sussex, didn’t you–which year was that?” If she didn’t know she soon would–oh sod it, let’s get it over with.
“I went the year below you.”
“Did you–so why don’t I remember you?”
“Probably because I’ve changed a bit.”
“Surely not that muc...oh my God.” She placed her spoon by the dish–“I’m so sorry, that was you, wasn’t it?”
“It could have been,” I agreed.
“Wow, you look a whole lot better than before–but I don’t believe anyone could–were you trying to be a boy or something back then?”
“You could say that,” I went with whatever explanation caused her the fewest hiccups.
“So you were really a girl all the time–that’s outrageous,” she clapped her hands with glee and laughed.
I shrugged and Tom gave me an old fashioned look before smiling at his guest.
“So how long did you keep the pretence up?”
“About twenty years.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“My parents thought they had a son–I proved them wrong.”
“What–you changed over?” her eyes were as wide as saucers.
“In a manner of speaking–something was wrong with me, I didn’t experience puberty until I was put on oestrogen and my body changed significantly afterwards. I had some surgery then to tidy up things.”
“Wow, I’ve never met anyone whose done that before–you look even more terrific–that’s just amazing. So who knows–your husband obviously?”
“Those who need to know are told as and when but it’s largely irrelevant these days and I try to put it behind me.”
“Yeah, I can see that. You still look amazing. Thanks for telling me.”
“I hope you’ll respect my confidence, Daddy obviously knows, and was one of those who supported and encouraged my change.”
“Absolutely, my lips are sealed. You made the right choice didn’t you?”
“I think so.”
“I know so.”
“I hope it’s not going to cause any difficulties between us, I worked quite closely with your predecessor.”
“Oh Gareth, yeah, he’s a sweetheart. Apparently he got engaged to a woman who had mental problems–so he scarpered to a safe distance.”
“I know, it was my sister in law.”
“Oh shit,” she said under breath and blushed almost as deeply as I was sure I had earlier. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that.”
“It’s true, Stella had some problems and he ran off.”
“Is it also true he fancied you?”
“I wouldn’t know about that, our relationship was purely professional at all times.”
“I’m just trying to remember what the office gossip said–nah, it’s gone.”
“Perhaps that’s just as well. I have to go I’m afraid, my little one is still on the breast and I need to get back to her.”
“You’re breast feeding her? I didn’t think that was possible–you must be female then really?”
“I tried telling people that all my life, it’s only in the last four or five years that they’ve believed me. Nice to see you again,” we shook hands, I kissed Daddy and left. Walking to the car a little rivulet of sweat ran down my back, I hoped I wouldn’t have to do that again–justify my existence.
* Site of Special Scientific Interest.
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Comments
WOW
You never know who'll support you, and who won't. Seems that some who appear to at the beginning seem to drift off while others get stronger with time.
Very in interesting episode. Thank you!
Anne
Good save Cathy. Very good
Good save Cathy. Very good save. Helen now thinks Cathy was a girl pretending to be a boy or some such. Well, she was, so no prevarication there on Cahty's part.
CaroL
CaroL
Nobody but nobody ...
Nobody but nobody should ever have to 'justify their existance' That's like trying to prove you have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I can understand Cathy's stress and anger at seemingly having to do exactly that.
It's destructive enough being told your a useless waste of space when transgendered especially when a whole childood of abuse is based upon the condition.
Good for Cathy that she managed to demonstrate she wasn't about to let its emergence bring her any visible distress despite her anger causing her much angst.
It takes years to recover even partially from the dammages caused by transgendered issues but in truth the damage is never, never wholly repaired, literally or metaphorically.
Good chapter Angie and I fully understand the angst.
OXOXOX
Bev.
Testing the Millenium bridge.
Fun day out!
Out, proud and growing old disgracefully.
Beverly's white dome in front of Sir Christophers' white dome.
Kind of Makes
You Wonder if PTSD can be applied here also.
Thank you Angha,
ALISON
'the piece on breast feeding was the clincher,well done Cathy!
ALISON
Keep it up,
and I am going to start calling Cathy Hibiki Tokai...
Great chapter, hon!
Diana
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1490
Cathy has a new friend, but wonder where Gareth is and if he really left Stella, or was forced to leave. [Would make a grat side story. hint, hint]
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Makes you wonder
if Daddy and his money had any influence in the decision to go since he was under such great stress at the time. Hey, I have a really good job you might be interested in....wink wink, nudge.
TRUST
I dont know weather Cathy should entirely trust Helen just yet ,because there seem to be an underlying jealousy in Helen's
demeanor.
hugs ROO
ROO
I haven't read
the other comments prior to writing this. I didn't want them to influence this. I'm glad Cathy did not get up on her "high horse" and be all defensive before she got "into" the situation. It went smoothly so far. Guess it will depend on what the lady does with the info she has obtained. Not that there is anything to really be worried about, except all the Office Gossip, which can be tremendous from what she said. They were both being rather defensive at the start, despite Tom's presence. Maybe that's the alpha female or feline coming out when they sense a challenge. They just might get along famously and even become friends. I do wonder where Gareth vanished to ultimately. Cathy never really got an answer to her question either, it was side tracked by disclosures. Maybe Cathy can set up some kind of foundation, (even self funded for a start) and buy up these woodlots she keeps running across. I remember a couple she was shot at over. Save the Dormouse would go real well with Spike and the blouse episode on Utube. HA! She might wind up owning little one acre plots all over the place. She and the bank would then have a heyday when someone tried to move in.
Confusing Helen
It's hard to say exactly what Helen believes about Cathy's situation now:
Stage 1) Charlie had a twin sister
Stage 2) Cathy was GG all along, but pretending to be a boy
Stage 3) Cathy was TG (although from her description, IS could be inferred)
Stage 4) Err...stage 2 again?
But Helen was definitely on the ball - notice that as soon as she realised the subject of Gareth's relationships was causing discomfort to Cathy, she quickly dropped the subject.
As for Cathy - she shouldn't regard such incidents as justifying her existence. Surely it's only natural that if she has a conversation with someone who knew her 'before', her personality / style of speaking / mannerisms / facial structure will trigger memories, and that person will probe to try and resolve the conflict between the person they knew before and the person in front of them now?
As for people who are currently 'in the know', there's at least 4 at Sussex Uni, probably most of the departmental staff at Portsmouth Uni, Siân and Kirsty, at least half a dozen medical staff, five adult family members (Tom/Si/Stella/Henry/Monica) and at least some of her children. She's encountered very little antagonism directly related to her history: parents, "Big Mac" (and unnamed sidekick), Mary Miller, Ken Young, Dilly. And all of those were in the first few hundred episodes!
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Too soon to tell,
whether they will be friends or rivals. I still wonder what happened to Garth.