(aka Bike) Part 1495 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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While I invited the old bat inside, Simon dashed out to see which car had been damaged and how badly. His Jag is his pride and joy so, this act would hardly endear Miss Alcott to him.
“Goodness, this is a big house,” she said as I led her into the kitchen and put the kettle on. She accepted an offer of tea. I glanced out the window to see Simon jumping up and down–I suspect he was a little worked up.
Tom showed his face and I introduced them, but he disappeared on the pretext of ‘marking to do’. He doesn’t do much teaching, professors don’t, he supervises a couple of PhD students, but that’s it. I suppose he could have been reviewing their work, more likely having a ‘wee dram’ and hiding.
I made tea and passed the old lady a mug. She thanked me and took a sip, remarking that it was a good cup.
“Why did you change your mind?” I asked because my curiosity was threatening to burst out of me.
“About what?”
“Accepting liability?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I can always make more tea if we need it.”
“Very well,” and she began her saga. She was persuaded by a number of her friends that the film did exist and one had seen it. She began to accept it was her. However she recognised that a public climb down would cause her lots of grief. I let her talk.
“I went to see our minister for advice and told him what I just told you. He asked me how long I was prepared to live with deceit in my heart. I knew then I had to find the courage to come and apologise and offer to pay for the damage.”
“Your minister sounds a wise man,” I said trying to support his advice.
“He is, and he knows his Bible inside out.”
“I went to a church which did lots of Bible study but I can’t say I found many of them very Christian, as I understand the adjective.”
“Living in a manner in which the Lord, was our exemplar.”
“Okay, being an agnostic, I can accept that from what I understand is the position of many Christians–such as being upright in their own lives and not rushing to judge those of others. I also like the idea of universal and unconditional love, but I guess not many people do.”
“Perhaps some of us have difficulty with that.”
“You need to read the Gospels again, especially those that have been excluded, the Gospel of Thomas is particularly worth the effort.”
“Sadly, my eyes won’t let me.”
“Hold on a moment,” I dashed off to my study located the book I wanted and dashed back. “Take a look at this,” I said handing her the Gospel of Thomas.
“But I can’t see it–not to read.”
“I think you’ll find the print in this is particularly amenable.”
He sighed and opened the book, “I can’t see–wait a minute.” She read out loud one of the verses, then flicked through it and read some more. She stopped and looked at me. “I could see–I can see you–how did this happen? The doctors said they couldn’t do any more for me.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“But I was half blind and now I can see–I can see. How has that happened?”
“I don’t know, I’m an ecologist not an ophthalmologist.”
She picked up the book again, “I’d like to think reading of the Teacher of Men has healed me, but while I have a strong faith, I believe you had more to do with it than the book.”
“But I’m a non-believer, other than in Darwin and evolution.”
“God works in mysterious ways, and through people.”
“I doubt He’d use me, even if I believed He existed.”
“He can use the most unlikely persons.”
“I think that might be pushing it in my case.”
“It’s never too late to believe, you know?”
“Or to stop–sorry but fairy stories, except as allegories, don’t do much for me.”
“I’m sorry you take that view, Mrs Cameron.”
“We’re all entitled to take which ever line we feel is right for us.”
“I suppose so–speaking with you is quite interesting.”
“My eyes are ever clearer, what are you doing to me?”
“I’m tempted to suggest that I’m helping the scales fall from your eyes–but I’d be telling fibs. I suspect, you are healing yourself, by being prepared to see beyond the blinkers you’d previously applied to yourself.”
“You sound like a modern day Jesus–talking in parables and performing miracles.”
“Hang on, I hardly talk in parables do I, let alone perform miracles.”
“You’re one of God’s angels, aren’t you, my hitting your car was meant to happen, it’s God’s work, to bring us together.”
“I think I prefer coincidence, meaningful or otherwise.”
“But you knew I’d be able to read the book.”
“An inspired guess.”
“Divinely inspired?”
“Not in my map of the universe.”
“Thank you for healing my eyes.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Despite being able to see again, I think I can turn a blind eye to your claims of innocence. I have received a miracle tonight, and whether you caused it directly or indirectly, I am extremely grateful–life will be worth living again. Thank you so much.”
I shrugged again–if I kept doing this she’d begin to wonder if I had some sort of tic.
“I take it you’d prefer I didn’t tell anyone about this miracle?”
“What benefit would it have?”
“Others would come knocking at your door.”
“I have children to look after, I don’t have time or the energy to speak to the world, I also have teaching prep to finish.”
“I know that so well.”
“So you see my point–I didn’t do anything–you did it yourself–any publicity is going to have queues outside the gates and I can’t help any of them.”
“You can’t or won’t?”
“Either–I have my own life to lead and my children to raise.”
“It might be God’s work you are refusing?”
“Tell Him to send me a job description.”
“What if He did?”
“I wouldn’t believe it.”
“Perhaps you need to take the scales from your own eyes, Mrs Cameron.”
“Ah back to imponderables–I prefer rhetoric.”
“Isn’t that for politicians?”
“Mayhaps. I think I need you to leave now, Miss Alcott before my husband comes in and threatens you with actual physical harm.”
“Is he likely to do so?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t crashed into his car.”
“It was only a little bump, I just thought I’d better tell you.”
“He seems to be coming in the back door, so perhaps you’d better slip out by the front door.”
“D’you mind if I borrow this book?”
“I’d like it back.”
“I promise to return it.”
“Very well.” I handed it to her.
“Now what about paying for the car–oh I suppose I’d better pay for this one too.”
“I’ll get Simon to contact you, he deals with all that.”
“I’ll wait for him to get in touch.”
“It might take a few days,” I said thinking he might have calmed down by then.
“Thank you, and God bless you.”
I smiled and showed her out. She got in her car reversed it perfectly and drove out.
“I’ll kill her,” muttered Simon when he came in.
“She has offered to pay for things.”
“Pay? I want her legs broken.”
“Don’t be so primitive, she can see a bit better now.”
“Pity you can’t apply your healing to the car–looks like I’ll have to borrow yours tomorrow.”
Comments
Say What?
She just gets her car back and now he thinks he is going to borrow it! I think he needs to drive the Mondeo, meself.
may the power be with you
It looks like Cathy has been given the blue light back, weather she wants it or not .
hugs Roo
ROO
Welll ...
her relationship with Shekinah is kinda stormy ;) But she was meant to enlighten the old bat. Hope she learns a lesson. In a way I don't blame Cathy for being resentful. Being the
Kim
Time for a New Car
Simon should have the new Mclaren MP4-12C or a Ferrari 458 Italia anyway or at least an Audi R8 V10.
Angharad, thanks for all the postings since the last time I said thank you.
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1495
Maybe Miss Alcott can help Cathy in some way such has taking care of the pig boy.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Methinks,
This will not be the last Cathy sees of Miss Alcott. Looks like an interesting thread developing and perhaps Cathy might, ( I emphasis 'might') have found somebody to help with the kids.
Sweet old biddy, bit pious, recently improved her perspective.
Could work I suppose.
Good chapter Angie.
Still lovin it.
Bev.
OXOXOX
Methinks you're right.
Cathy has a disciple!
C'mon Cathy
put your foot down, Why should he borrow your car just because his is a little bit dented, Could it be Lord Cameron does not want the public at large think that he might not have the driving skills of a Sebastian Vettel, Or is it just a case of Simon thinking that what he says goes..... Either way i hope Cathy tells him its either his car or a bike!!!
Kirri
BLH Strikes Again!
Despite earlier incidents, it seems as though Miss Alcott's one of the few people she's healed to work out one of the reasons why Cathy's disclaiming all knowledge - if the recipient of BLH has any doubt that Cathy caused the healing, they'll be more reluctant to "spread the word". Meanwhile, Cathy's edging towards more neutral territory with her denials - she's not doing a Dawkins and outright denying the existence of a deity, but postulating alternative explanations which she prefers. Perhaps eventually, Shekinah might accept something similar to that, perhaps with a little more fudging towards ambiguity, and a "Thanks" in private as sufficient to withhold future threats of harm. After all, hopefully Shekinah's studied humanity enough to realise that Cathy's never going to be nudged into becoming a fully signed up member of the "God Squad" (so to speak)
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!
It could be Mrs Alcott
is a better person than first impression. It would not be the first person Cathy misjudged, and I suspect the old woman was frantic about going blind. It didn't put her in the best light.