(aka Bike) Part 1876 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad
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“Things just seem to happen around you, don’t they, Mummy?”
“At times it seems like that,” I conceded.
“You must be very special.”
“So Gramps keeps telling me.”
“Does he know something you don’t?”
“I don’t know. All I know is I should have died twice, once with that lunatic with the knife as I cycled past him, and the other was a chest infection.”
“But you didn’t die, did you?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“So, that makes you special anyway.”
“What being unkillable?”
“Perhaps the universe has something for you to do?”
“Yes, conserving the dormouse and bringing up about ten thousand kids.”
“Nah, anyone could do that,” she smirked.
“That’s true, we had to queue all night to stand a chance.”
Phoebe laughed and showed row of small white teeth in perfect pink gums. She paused for a moment before continuing, “D’you believe in fate, Mummy?”
“If you mean some supernatural pre-ordained outcome for an individual’s life–no, most certainly not. That’s just coincidence and superstition, and under objective examination it fades to nothing.”
“It was quite a coincident that you gave me a lift that day and that my brother was out of the country when I went to visit him and ended up staying with you.”
“Coincidence, nothing more. That I already knew Neal was another coincidence.”
“Then you had to rescue me an’ Julie from that bloke.”
“Simon did much of the rescuing if I remember.”
“But how you found us–that wasn’t normal, run of the mill stuff, was it?”
“Lots of mothers have a sort of link with their children. A woman I know knew when her mother was going to write from Australia, the letter would arrive the same day.”
“But you’re not Julie’s birth mother, doesn’t it usually require that?”
“I don’t know, because much of what is written as supernatural or psychic is badly observed witness, because the observers wanted it to be true.”
“But you found her, us. Would you have found me if she hadn’t been there?”
“If she hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have needed to find you both. I played a hunch and it worked that time, no one gets to hear about the times it doesn’t work.”
“So, I’m listening, how often does it fail?”
“Now and again,” I said and blushed.
“Not very often, I’ll bet. See? You are special and have special powers. Julie told me about the healing and the blue light stuff, and Trish has it too. You can see into the future, can’t you?”
By this time we were back at my parent’s house, “No, no one can predict the future, leap tall buildings, even travel faster than a speeding bullet–but foresee the future–no way.”
“I don’t believe you, Mummy.”
“Suit yourself, c’mon before we get soaked.” I grabbed the shopping and we ran into the house and quickly entered it. “How about a cuppa?” I asked changing the subject.
A short time later we sat in the lounge talking some more, “Could you have saved my mum?” she eventually asked me.
“I don’t know, I suspect the disease was too advanced, like it was her time to go.”
“Ah, but you don’t believe in predestination, do you?”
“Only in a biological sense.”
“Eh?” I’d caught her napping. “I don’t get you.”
“Our bodies are pre-programmed by our genes and other biological systems. If we have a certain gene we might only live four or five years, we might be susceptible to certain diseases, which once they become established nothing will stop from killing you. They may or may not be inherited.”
“Oh my god, have I inherited my mother’s cancer?”
I looked at her and shook my head.
“See, you can tell the future.”
“Only in a very limited sense.”
“So what am I going to die of?”
“I have no idea.”
“’Kay, so how old will I be?”
“Much older than you are now.”
“See, more denial.”
“No, it’s based on scientific reasoning. If you’re fit and healthy now you’ll be good for at least seventy or eighty years. Hence a long time in the future.”
“Clever clogs,” she frowned at me over the mug from which she sipped tea.
“See it’s not magic–just common sense.”
“But you’ve saved so many lives.”
“And if you keep quiet about it I might manage one or two others.”
“See, magic, despite your denials.”
“I don’t think I do much in any case, just use the body’s own healing powers.”
“No, you just happen along and dead people get up and walk. It’s like Jesus was supposed to have been able to do.”
“And lots of other special people or gods, if you listen to the other traditions.”
“So Jesus wasn’t special?”
“How would I know? I don’t even know if he existed, and neither does anyone else–it’s an act of faith if you believe, and one of rational thinking if you don’t.”
“But they talk about him in the Bible?”
“Which means nothing, it’s a document of propaganda.”
“Oh–but I thought...”
“Look, let’s not argue about this, you may or may not believe, that’s for you to decide for yourself. Just think about it and question everyone who tells you anything, because unless you know where they’re coming from, they could be shooting you a line.”
“Like you could be now, Mummy?”
“Absolutely. I don’t believe in sky fairies or any other supernatural being.”
“But Julie said you’d met with the goddess, the shekinah?”
“Julie has no right to disclose that. I have no idea what I saw or didn’t see.”
“Aren’t you just rationalising it away because it’s more convenient?”
“Perhaps, or just trying to understand something new.”
“Are we meant to understand?”
“That is pure indoctrination by believers, girl. There is nothing in this universe we shouldn’t be able to understand eventually–though some may take generations. It’s about plodding through the data and the processes until the answer comes. It isn’t magic it’s science–stick to the rules and examine everything carefully. Everything has a cause and effect. We just need to understand the mechanism.”
“So what is the mechanism for the blue light that is shining from you? It’s going to that bloke the tree fell on, isn’t it?”
“Okay, so I was thinking about him, didn’t think it was that much. Is it still there?”
“Can’t you see it?”
“Not very often,” I shrugged.
“It’s absolutely beautiful–it’s just like Jesus.”
“Um–I think not.”
I blushed and looked away and the next minute she was kneeling in front of me. “Will you bless me?”
I nearly died of embarrassment.
“Phoebe, please, get up–I’m not what you think I am. I’m just a normal woman like you. Please, don’t start thinking anything like that–I’m just an ordinary person. Honestly.”
“You could have saved my mum, couldn’t you, but I didn’t know you then.” She threw herself at me and sobbed on my shoulder.
“It was your mother’s time to go, and she was ready for it–she loved you very much and her one regret was that she wouldn’t see you grow up into a lovely young woman and hold the grandchildren you’re going to have.”
“Will you do that for her, Mummy?” she sobbed.
“Of course I will, darling; of course I will.”
Comments
Talk about...
digging yourself in deeper.
As if our self-denying heroine isn't in enough turmoil, now she has a Daughter that thinks she's the 2nd coming. If Cathy were a normal mortal, she'd have a head the size of the London Eye!
I can't wait for the Celebratory Mass for St. Catherine, the patron Saint of Wal-Mart.
Where are you going?
Bear
Shekinah Strikes Again!
Given how often Shekinah (and/or Lilith) has questioned Cathy about devotion, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if our Friendly Local Hebrew Deityâ„¢ had something to do with not only Cathy and Phoebe being present at the tree fall, but the rather convenient flooding / landslides plus Phoebe's questioning...
Once again, Cathy tries to rationalise away what science can't explain to prevent it conflicting with her world view. There is, however, an alternative to either insisting everything has a scientific explanation or belief in deities - that is to just 'go with the flow' and not worry about the origin, accepting that there is (as yet) insufficient evidence to point to any particular cause.
Still, Phoebe's the first to regard Cathy as a minor deity in her own right (albeit one as flawed as those in the Norse, Greek and Roman pantheons)... as if Cathy didn't have enough problems with the concept of the supernatural :D
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Oh, my...
Finally one who actually pushes Cathy a bit! Thanks for that.
Annette
Cathy needs to be careful of Phoebe's psyche as
she is still looking for a mother figure. She may be a young adult, but she is still very much a young child at heart.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Nice to see
Cathy and Phoebe bonding, Truly Cathy whether she likes it not is the glue that holds the various waifs strays and children she has picked up together, Quite where they would all have been without Cathy is anyones guess, But one thing is for sure without Cathy, Simon and Tom they would not be enjoying life in the way they are now, Safe and secure in the folds of a loving family
Kirri