The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2472 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

The weekend was here and it would be nice to say that we sat by the pool sipping Pimm’s, instead we watched Danni playing football for the school, then we watched Trish playing football for the school. We won both games, each of the Cameron girls scoring hat tricks against inferior opposition. The first game was five nil and the second, three nil, both against the same school. Both our ‘Beckhams’ came off the field feeling quite pleased with life and their part in it. Danni is by far the better player but Trish gave a good account of herself as well and as they play different positions they could one day play for the same team.

Livvie was initially keen to play soccer but changed her mind as even girly soccer got a little physical. It is after all, a contact sport, Livvie seemed to act as if she’d catch something from the other team so refused to have any contact, especially of the sliding tackle form, used to great effect by Danni; who nearly scored again during a goal mouth scramble.

It’s really funny to see her turn out with her hair and makeup just so, nails painted to match the shirt colour, two lots of stud earrings—she looks so girly, but once the whistle goes she turns into an animal and plays with an intensity that very few girls can deal with. She looks like a girl playing like a boy and even heavily marked by the opposing team, she powered her way through to the goal.

When it was suggested by one of the opposition parents that she was a boy in drag, Sister Maria informed the offended parent, ‘That she was no such thing, that her school was a girls’ convent school and how could anyone suggest the contrary.”

“She plays like a boy,” was the comment.

“She learned to play with boys, and she also plays for Portsmouth ladies junior team, though she is a pupil here.”

“Oh, she’s a semi pro is she? That would explain it.” Offended parent rationalised himself some form of solution and went off happier. They’d been beaten by a player from a higher division. I wouldn’t have been so convinced but then I know too much, don’t I?

After fitba’, once the two athletes had showered and repaired hairdos and makeup, we went into town and Si bought refreshments for everyone. A latte coffee for me, Sammi had a cappuccino, Si an espresso and the girls had milk shakes. That done we went in search of various bits of clothing and other odds and sods. Danni bought herself a set of false eyelashes which came with adhesive. I half expect I’d stick my eyelids together if I used them. In the seventies, they even had false lower ones, people like Twiggy used to wear them. For someone heading towards seventy, she looks amazing. I hope I look half as good at her age.

I bought some new tights. I don’t really like wearing them as I get a bit sweaty and sore down below probably because I get too warm. I have experimented with stay ups—the ones with the silicone strips on the top—and also with stockings and suspenders. I get a rash with the former if I wear them very long and the latter just feels cumbersome compared to tights, although a little cooler. So most of the time I wear jeans or trousers or skirts with boots and bare legs—usually those skirts come below my knee but not always, in warmer weather I also wear shorter ones.

It was during our shopping exhibition that we saw a girl from Danni’s year shoplifting. She was quite accomplished so had obviously done it before. It was Trish who spotted her as we wandered round John Lewis, and she was disgusted. The stuff she was taking was all saleable like perfumes or lingerie, some jewellery and a mobile phone. I told Trish and Livvie to shadow her while I spoke to a member of staff. She was challenged and after attempting to run for it, she was duly arrested and Trish offered to download the film she had onto a memory card. The store detective was impressed. The girl was not. The police had been called and a teen was about to get a criminal record if she didn’t already have one.

Once we were clear of the shop I called Sister Maria and explained what we’d done. She approved wholeheartedly, professional thieves were a scourge and there was no place for them in her school.

Trish managed to email a still from her video and Sister Maria recognised her immediately, “Jesus, Mary an’ Joseph,” she said, “that’s Geraldine O’Sullivan one of the chairman of Governors daughters. Dear God, now we’ll be having a situation.”

She thanked me for informing her and said she’d let me know what happened. I tried not to jump to any conclusions as to why the girl was doing it, but ideas kept coming to me, amongst which were the following. She enjoyed the buzz it gave her; she had a drug habit to support; she was stealing to order, or she had an emotional problem or she had some other mental problem. It wasn’t really my concern but as we were about to leave, a member of staff approached Trish and gave her some spiel about the film was unavailable but they were very glad she’d pointed the girl out as the goods they’d recovered were worth over a hundred pounds. Then she gave Trish a ten pound gift voucher.

Danni kept well out of things as she knew the girl but Trish was cock a hoop with her reward. She was all for catching another when Simon told her to calm down as the next one might spot her and hit her or plant something on her and then report her. That was definitely not cricket to Trish’s naïve set of values but it shut her up for a few moments, long enough to enable us to get out of the shop.

“See, this is what happens when you set a bad example,” Si said quietly to me.

“What on earth do you mean? I don’t go round stealing things.”

“No but you do tend to go round catching them, Trish is just copying you.”

“I think she was just being honest, the girl who wasn’t, offended her.”

“You don’t believe that, do you?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” I felt myself growing hot under the collar. “I suppose you’d prefer she went around stealing from everybody because that’s what the banks do.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew I’d made a huge mistake, but he caught me on the raw and I hit back.

“Just remember, you’re a director of such a gang of thieves.”

“I didn’t mean it how it came out.”

“Now I know what you really think of me, I don’t know if we have a future together. I hope you can get them all home, I’ll take a cab.” He handed me the keys to the Mondeo and walked off.

“Where’s Daddy going?” asked Livvie.

“I don’t know,” I said desperately trying to hold back the tears that were stinging my eyes. “I really don’t know.”