(aka Bike) Part 1996 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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“I’m not sure I like the idea of putting it about that we were employing hit teams to take Cortez out. What if someone does take him out and they try to blame it on us?”
“You’ve never been to South America, have you?”
“No I haven’t.”
“It shows, Cathy. They aren’t anything like as worried about people disappearing as we are.”
“Because it happens all the time,” offered Simon.
“They have so many murders in Brazil and Peru, Argentina–it’s like the wild west only with much more accurate weapons. The average cowboy couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with his colt. With modern guns, he certainly could. In Haiti kids walk around with guns and pop each other off for their trainers–it would be easier than hiring a plumber, to get someone killed.”
“God it sounds awful.” I shivered as I said it, was the world really this lawless? I’d heard somewhere in America was going to give every householder a shotgun to protect themselves with which sounds so absurd it was probably true.
“Mexico is worse, the drug gang wars have killed thousands.”
“Why doesn’t the government stop it then?”
“They can’t, the criminals are more powerful than the government.”
“What sort of world are we living in? It’s positively medieval.”
“Drug barons–yeah, medieval–that’s about right.”
“Did you see the picture in the Guardian of a farmer in Afghanistan with his poppy harvest?” I enquired.
“No, I didn’t,” James shook his head.
“Why do they allow these morons to grow them–the money goes to the Taliban to buy weapons to kill Nato soldiers–why do we allow it and what’s the government over there doing about it–sweet FA?”
“Well it’s medieval over there too, the only way you could conquer Afghanistan is by killing everyone.”
“We should never have gone there in the first place,” was my opinion and the same went for Iraq.
“I quite agree,” James nodded and Simon did as well, “but we did and some of my friends have died out there to try and prove the impossible.”
“Which is?” I asked.
“We can’t impose western style democracy on people who don’t want it or don’t understand it.”
“Only because some twit tells them the sky fairies don’t want it, which is the same argument for the maintenance of the suppression of women and minority groups. Anywhere that permits honour killings of young women who were probably married off to some ageing, smelly git when they were twelve years old or promised to them even younger, in my opinion is despicable. Look at what is happening in India and Pakistan–they’re all barbarians–there was more law and order in Ancient Rome than they have there. The world’s largest democracies? Rubbish, they are banana republics.”
“With nuclear weapons,” suggested Simon.
“Okay, hi tech banana republics.”
“India’s okay in parts,” James adjudged.
“Yeah, the parts they cut off the hijras.”
“The what?” James challenged.
“The only Indian I’d feel safe with is a hijra–a eunuch.”
“Cathy, I think the numbers of rapists is relatively small.”
“Not according to the article I read in the Observer–the culture seems to blame women for everything. If they go out after six in the evening, they deserve to be raped or they’re wanting it? What sort of idiot thinks like that?–The average Indian bloke apparently.”
“I’m sure they don’t, Cathy–I didn’t see that when I spent a holiday there a couple of years ago.”
“You’re not a woman, James, but I can tell you that I won’t be going near the place until they become more protective of women, nor anywhere else like it.”
“That’s going to limit your travel plans then, girl.”
“It might well do.”
“My wife the feminist xenophobe,” Simon sighed.
“Look–just think about what happened to our son a few weeks ago and how it affected him and his little friend–then tell me I’m overreacting.”
“Oh, Peter the what was it, hijra?”
“That’s not funny, Simon.”
“Well, you’re ranting.”
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“I won’t tonight the way you’re going on.”
“Simon, that was a stupid thing to say. People who are raped or sexually assaulted, mainly women and girls, but some boys as well, can be affected for life by the experience and too many places just turn a blind eye to it. It took the murder of several Indian women for the government to pretend to do something. Over here the police are less than useful as is the case in many so called western democracies, where the culture is patriarchal. I find it appalling that women didn’t get the vote here until after they had it in New Zealand–is that pathetic or what?
“Look at Ireland, where the church and laundries destroyed the lives of thousands of Irish children, especially girls because of the patriarchal domination of the state by a backward looking church. What was it, Jesus was supposed to say, ‘Suffer the little children,’ yeah with that church, they sure do suffer.”
“Cathy, these things are being sorted–the Irish government is doing something about it.”
“Tell that to the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries.”
“It’s not like that here, at least.”
“Yeah, tell that to Jimmy bloody Savile. There is something rotten through the whole of society when it fails to protect its vulnerable population, especially its children.”
“I agree, I get as angry as you do about the molestation of children, which is why I got James to assist you in France–I was as horrified as you were when Danny was assaulted.”
“Yet you make jokes about Peter.”
He blushed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have.”
“You said the same to me but continued to tease me about my status and I know you make homophobic jokes.” As I said this, James gave Simon a dirty look.
“I make jokes about everyone–okay, it’s a bit puerile at times, but that’s me. If I remember correctly, at the last count, I haven’t sexually assaulted anyone–so I’m off before you accuse me of that–I’m in the group which apparently does it, the hetero males.” He nodded at James and almost growled at me as he left the study.
“Well, that went down like a lead balloon,” I said to no one in particular.
“You still have a lot of anger, Cathy,” observed James.
“I get angry at the way the strong do what they wish to the weak and vulnerable. Look at the way armies are still raping their way around the world–it’s all wrong.”
“I know, I’ve seen it action–it’s not just the Congo where it happens–it’s done by NATO troops too, and mostly they get away with it.”
“And what did you do about it?”
“Nothing–I wanted to survive my tour of duty and get home. If I’d said anything, I’d have been killed. Whistle blowers tend to choke on their peas.”
“Do they still call it that–the little ball in a whistle?”
“I think so.”
“Sometimes I despair for humanity and sometimes I think we need a pandemic–that pays no heed to power or position, except even that tends to kill the poor first.”
“Isn’t that evolution in action–natural selection? You should know, being a biologist.”
“I don’t, James, I really don’t think I know anything anymore.”
“Not all men are bastards, you know?”
“I know, and Simon certainly isn’t but at times his schoolboy humour just pisses me off–and occasionally, I can’t stop myself telling him so.”
“I know the feeling,” he shrugged. “I must go–got a train to catch.”
“What, no Porsche?”
“She’s in the garage–I blew the engine.”
“Women drivers,” I said smirking.
“Very funny, Cathy, now who’s being school girlish?”
“Go and catch your train–or d’you want me to give you a lift?”
“That would be nice, thank you.”
Comments
Not all men are bastards
But damn it all, there are just too many of them that are. And we have 'the great defender of men' on this site too, hint, hint her handle starts with 'R'. Since when did mens' reputation need to be defended anyway? The very fact there is such a need smells. So why don't you guys police each other, afraid you will lose your membership card? Danny already has the seed of such fears already.
Yet women instinctively want them to be big strong etc so they can 'protect' them. Well if they are not around then ....
Kim
Men need to be defended ...
... anywhere the idea of guilt by genetic determination raises its ugly head. The minute you assume all men (or even most) are monsters BECAUSE they are men, you start walking in the footsteps of those who said that all dark-skinned humans were inferior, or all Jews are evil. So yes, I speak up on occasion, to remind the people who don't get it that generalizations like the ones in the story (and comments) are the first step to dehumanizing an entire class or race, making it easier to dismiss, diminish, or kill those you don't like.
Men are people, not monsters, just like Jews weren't demons and Africans weren't animals that could be sold into slavery. The fact that some people have issues with this simple fact makes it clear that women can be just as clueless as men ... from time to time.
Randalynn
###
Giles: You mean life?
Buffy: Yeah. Does it get easy?
Giles: What do you want me to say?
Buffy: Lie to me.
Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar.
from the episode Lie to Me, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Cathy is venting her spleen
over the injustices done worldwide. James and David are in unique positions to understand, just as David and Peter do. Simon is a typical bloke, but will in time agree with Cathy, after getting his foot out of his mouth.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Simon recognizes that his joking is
in poor taste at times.... Cathy recognizes that he isn't a rapist. Hmmmmmm marital bliss in the Cameron home.
Okay Ang ...
Okay Ang; what precipitated the rant?
I've never seen you have so many goes at so many societies in one chapter since Bike started. They are all true of course but there are a few decent men around (I think.
PS.
Sorry I missed your blog I've been away for a bit. Please keep on writin', Bevs xxxxx
This is the reason I was away and missed the blog about you're continuing with Bike.
Apparently I was abducted by aliens but their technology could not handle the hat and shoes.
When I got back I had no memory of being away.
Lorra laughs.
Bevs,
Nothing like
a good rant to make yourself feel better .... Hope it works for Cathy, Better to ruffle a few feathers than blow a main fuse, Especially when she is the oil that keeps the cogs running smoothly..
Kirri