Part 13

I was sitting with my beautiful children one night watching TV the news was on and the major news for the day was the crazy price of fuel. I wondered why alternatives were still hard to find and inefficient.

*Molly? What’s happening with fossil fuel alternatives?* I asked into the ether.

*Standby Helen, I’ll gather some relevant up to date information for you.* Molly quickly replied.

The children looked at me — they seemed to overhear general comms with Molly as if I spoke out loud. *What’s fossil fuel?* Paul asked mentally, it was still easier than using his voice.

“It’s fuel we use in cars and for making electricity, it comes from animals that have died in the sea over millennia and then been trapped in sediment. We dig it up and burn it.”
As I spoke I realised how stupid that sounded in this day and age.

*You’re kidding?* Ruth looked astonished.

“Well it’s easier than any other method — up to 100 years ago, we used coal mostly and wood from forests, until we ran out of forests that were easily accessible and coal was making the air dirty. Then we turned to oil because we had the means to get it from deep in the ground.”

*Why don’t they convert the sun’s energy? Is that why you’re growing trees near town? How much is there? What happens when it runs out.?* The questions flowed like water from these yearling children.

*Helen, the answer is that there is no oil crisis, it is merely a figment of imagination. There is sufficient alternative energy available and can easily be manufactured at any time.*

*Can you explain that please Molly?* I was a little perplexed.

*The oil companies need to sell oil to make revenue, governments need to tax people and oil companies to enable infrastructure to be afforded. If energy was free, the western world’s economy would fail. Niccola Tesla found this out 100 years ago before someone murdered him for trying it.*

*Oh, I see. Where is this technology?* I was confused.

*The oil companies own the patents. They are letting them out one by one to maintain the status quo. Hence LED lights and Digital Cameras.*

I sat back and thought about it, I needed more information and more knowledge of patent laws. I’m sure between Molly and me we could come up with a marketable product that would ease the energy from oil.

*Since we now have the heat sink over the Pacific and a tree planting program that is self sustaining in place, do we need to upset the world economy? I think we can allow things to continue slowly for as long as we need to to keep stability.* Molly attached some tactful brakes to my indignation.

I was beginning to realise that to do the best for the world was easier if I did very little except stop degradation and instability.

I decided to spend my time for a while doing my tree thing and bringing up my children as well as possible.

About a week later my social case worker Mary Sutcliffe decided to put in an appearance.
The children were one year old.
I had just come in from the market where I had bought my fresh food for the week and Andrew was hauling it manfully up from the carpark while I had the stroller with the babies when the lift door opened on the ground floor and in stepped Mary Sutcliffe with a very annoyed concierge.

“Madam, you can’t just go barging into the place without permission.” He was holding the door open to get the unwelcome visitor to alight from the car.

“I’ve come to see Miss Cartwright and she’s here, so you are dismissed.” She almost shoved the concierge from the door. I used my ability to stop the lift door closing.

“What do you want Miss Sutcliffe? I’m busy as you see.” I indicated the shopping and paraphernalia around me.

“ I am charged with making sure the children in my jurisdiction are properly cared for and being educated. … I held up my hand.

“They are, now hop off the lift and stop wasting my time.” I pointed to the door which was still open — whereupon she tried to press the door close button. I wasn’t about to let the lift move with her on it.

“You haven’t visited a doctor or had the children monitored at all in the last year.” She said . “That is not normal and we feel the children must be being neglected.”

The children looked up at her. I could see the astonishment on their little faces.

“Well they’re right in front of you, do they look neglected?” I was more than a bit pissed off by now.

“ I need to see them in their home setting.” I could tell she wasn’t going to let this go

*Mummy, should we tell her ourselves that we’re being looked after?* Paul asked soundlessly.

*No dear, just play dumb for the time being.* I warned gently.

“So. Tell me Miss Sutcliffe, what ‘we’ are we talking about here? Is that a royal we or the power invested in you by the social services? Because if you think you have power over my children you can think again. You may not and you will not progress further into my domain. Get OFF the lift. NOW!” I had decided.

Mary’s face blanched. She stepped back and the doors immediately began to close. She stuck her hand in to stop them but they didn’t reopen they just stopped an inch from her arm. “You haven’t heard the last of this, mark my words.” I heard through the gap.

*Molly, make sure she’s not allowed to come back please. If we need another worker to visit, make sure that there’s a note that they should telephone first and make an appointment.*

*Yes Helen.*

A few days later a letter arrived from Social Services which requested that I meet with them to discuss changing my social worker. I said fine and left the children with Andy while I attended the interview. I was a little intrigued as to how a government body could summon me, a private citizen of good standing to attend a meeting at their behest.

“Good morning Miss Cartwright.” I was sat in a large meeting room with three social workers — two men and a woman, Mary S was not present.

“It appears that Miss Sutcliffe was refused entry to your home last week Ms Cartwright, is that so? I looked at the little guy who had spoken. Typical empire builder. No real character just a snotty manner.

“As I refuse any who come without an appointment.” I said it without rancour and without prejudice.

“But you can’t refuse a social worker entry, Ms Cartwright. We need to see your living conditions for the good of the children.”

“ I live in an apartment worth several million dollars with a concierge who was assaulted when he tried to do his job which is to stop uninvited persons entering my home.”

The lady spoke, “we were expecting yu to bring your children so we could assess them.”

“Assess them for what?” I determined I wasn’t going to get wound up. So I asked quite gently. I could have just altered their minds, but something was telling me there is injustice here and I needed to get to the bottom of it.

“Well they haven’t been seen by a doctor for a year and they haven’t been weighed or health checked even by a district nurse.” She spoke with a sort of false concern.

“They aren’t sick.” I looked from one to the next. “They looked like they were expecting me to defend my actions and be apologetic.

“That’s beside the point madam, we need to see them.”

“Why?”

“It is our duty to inspect the situation of all children in our care.” The third person spoke.

“I’m going to say this once and once only. Those are my children; they are not in your care. I do not need a license to bear children and I did not indulge in a hospital to bring them into this world. You may not invade my privacy to inspect my children at your whim. If you wish to see my children, you may make an appointment to see them and me.
You may talk to them and you may look at them. You may not touch them or physically handle them AT ANY TIME. Do I make myself understood?” I stood and turned to leave the room. As I reached the door I turned and looked at them. “Is there anything else?”

They looked like they’d been gutted. “Er no. We shall discuss this and get back to you.”
*Molly, why didn’t you just tidy this up instead of letting me go through that fiasco?*
I wasn’t best pleased.

*I saw a problem with the system, and allowed that this might be the best way of handling it. Had I warned you, it would not have been so spontaneous. I apologise if you were upset.*

*Oh,* Molly had profoundly higher social skills than I had credited her with. *In that case Molly, I shall keep my options open on this one — I don’t think we’ve heard the last of it.*

*No, I concur.*

It was only two days later that the concierge rang upstairs at the same time as Molly contacted me. *There’s a delegation from the council and two policemen at the front desk. They have a court order to inspect your apartment. Would you like me to intervene?*

I thought for a moment or two. If I delay them and mess them about they’ll get uppity and create a scene. Do I want that?
If I just let them in, they’ll presume they’ve won some sort of victory.
If I repel them they will escalate.
If I mentally tell them they’ve seen what they came to see, they’ll still think they’ve won.

*Contact the local press. And Stop the lift until they are almost here. I want them to appear on my doorstep together.*

*Yes Helen* Molly sounded compliant.
*Local press are on their way.*
*Lift is still stuck on ground floor.*
*Press entering the building,*
The door buzzer sounded and a hubbub of slightly raised voices came from the lift lobby.
I looked through the peep hole.
“Ok Andrew open the door and stop the welfare and police and let the press in then ask the police to wait for a second — I want to prime the press.”
*Molly, what did you tell the press?*

*That the welfare were planning to use their Nazi tactics on a good citizen and should be there*.

*Perfect, thanks Molly*

Andy opened the door and the police and welfare people started to take a step forward.
Anddy held up his hand and looked over the entourage and indicated to the press that they should approach.
They did so, taking photos as they came.
“Please come in gentlemen,” turning to the police and welfare, “Ms Cartwright will invite you in in just a moment.” A policeman stepped forward. “We demand entry according to the welfare act 1994.”

“You will be allowed in momentarily, Ms Cartwright has instructed me to permit your ingress after she has organized the press. Indulge her for a moment if you please.”

“You are hindering an investigation if you do not allow us entry immediately.”

“I shall have to ask Ms Cartwright’s permission, excuse me.” He closed the door waited a few seconds and opened it again the police were glowering by this time and the welfare delegation were red with anger.

“Please follow me, ladies and gentlemen.” Andy slowly walked back into the apartment.

I was sat in the carver in the dining room. Andy directed them towards me.

“Thank you Andrew, that will be all for now.”

The Press were arranged behind me taking pictures and film of the proceedings, their little recorders were all flashing their little red lights.

“I presume you have some paperwork that allows you to burst into my apartment like a bunch of Nazis?” I queried, using what I would call my Imperial Manner.

The policeman stepped forward with a writ. “This allows us to enter your apartment to ascertain the welfare of your children.”

I turned and lifted my children into view one by one from below the table edge where they had been hidden from the group.

“Approach me, officer, and inspect my children.” I commanded.

The welfare people suddenly blanched as did the policeman — the press were grinning and snapping away. The children were smiling and looking very polite — they were stood holding onto the chair and waving to the press as they snapped away.

These were two children apparently very much advanced into the second year of growth and looked to be standing very much in command of their body. There was a size to them that belied their 12 month status. These were proper toddlers not babies.

They turned and looked at the Welfare people. “Why nasty people here mummy?” Ruth asked altogether in a way that belied her 12 month status — using language of a 2-3 year old. “Look mean.” Pointing at the policeman with the writ.

“They think they’re doing their job darling,” I offered.

“Tell go way.” Paul uttered dramatically. “No good people.”

The press laughed and snapped away. The welfare people were unable to decide if this had gone far enough.

One policeman turned to the Welfare contingent and said, not so sotto voce, “I thought you said these children were deprived and being neglected?” More clicks and flashes.

“Well she wouldn’t let us in to find out.” The guy with the glasses said plaintively.

“You didn’t need to get in. It’s obvious this is a top end unit, Christ she’s even got a butler dammit.”

“We need to get in to see if the children will be safe.” Came the reply.

“You just wanted to sticky beak the place (nosey parkers in Aussie slang).” The officer turned in disgust.

“We need to see the babies’ room.”

“Why?” someone in the press asked.

“It’s on our check off list.” Weak reply

I looked at the officer. “This has gone on long enough, I now ask that you leave my home, I trust the officers of the law have seen sufficient to relay their information should need arise?” I used it like a threat.

I nodded to the officer with the writ. “Andy will show you round the home since you hold the writ. The rest of you may wait in the lift lobby.”
Nobody moved.

I slammed my hand on the table. “Now!” everyone jumped including the press.
The press accompanied the officer round the apartment. Everyone lese filed out as I stood holding onto the babies hands as they stood next to me like little people rather than toddlers.

Ruth looked at me and made a passing motion with her hand, “These are not the ‘droids you are looking for.” And giggled.

“Shh Ruth, pretend to be babies.”

“Mm yes, The farce is strong with this one.” Paul quipped misquoting the line.
I snorted and tried to ignore them as the policeman left.

The press turned to me. “Any last quote Miss Cartwright?”

“Yes. Don’t mess with Helen Cartwright. I don’t do forelock touching.” The press left smiling and joking and obviously impressed with the scoop.

*Did we accomplish anything Molly?* I asked a bit wearily — it seemed to be pointless. Like all the social welfare system in this state. Applied in the wrong places for the wrong reasons.

*A few noses out of joint, but you appear to be a crusader to the press, you’ll be watched more keely now you’ve opened the bidding.*

*I still don’t know how to improve anything either domestic or international by any means at all — I just seem to be spinning on the spot.*

*40,000 years in a carpark, you can talk….* Molly imitated Kalvin and we all laughed.

*Wallleee* I shouted back. I had a lot of years to get this right, should I expect so much so soon?