Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 621.

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Windward Delphiniums
(aka Bike)
Part 621
by Angharad
       
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Tom loaded the cases into the lift and took them down. I went down the stairs clutching hold of the girls, ready to run like hell if the need arose. Surely, no one would try anything in a busy hotel like this? No? What about a busy cop shop, then? They’d already attacked one of those. My stomach was flipping over as we got to the bottom of the stairs and the girls complained I was holding them too tightly.

Tom was talking to someone as another person picked up the cases. If they were lost, he could do the shopping next time. It would serve him right. I looked at the person to whom Tom was talking. He looked vaguely familiar. He saw me staring.

“Surely you haven’t forgotten me already, Cathy?”

“Um, sort of, I’m sorry.”

“Jason, remember now?”

“Simon’s lawyer friend?”

“Exactly.”

“Where is he?”

“Who?”

“Simon.”

“That I don’t know. Henry asked me to escort you and your family to Stanebury.”

“On your own?”

“Not quite, I have a convoy of three Land Cruisers.”

“We’ve suffered quite a lot this last few days, so you’ll understand why I don’t feel too safe about all this.”

“Perfectly.” He leant across to me and whispered, “We are armed and dangerous.”

“What with?”

“Shotguns.”

“They had Kalashnikovs.”

“Yeah, and still they couldn’t kill you.”

“I think my nine lives might be close to running out.”

“Come off it, Cathy, you’re far too beautiful and clever to succumb to some rancid Ruskie.”

“I don’t know, Jason.”

“What’s the alternative? Staying here? I don’t think so. Too difficult to defend.”

“What about Stanebury?”

“Stanebury is a fortified manor house. It was designed to be defended.”

“Against local yokels with claymores and pitchforks? Yeah fine, what about rocket propelled grenades and machine guns?”

“The walls are six feet thick, for goodness sake, it’s like a bunker.”

“Bunkers can be destroyed.”

“So can anywhere, Cathy. Unless you ask the PM to let you borrow the bunker underneath Number Ten, nowhere in this island is going to be entirely safe.”

“I don’t know.”

“Look, I have a spare shotty you can borrow.”

“I probably couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a shovel.”

“You will with this, it has a good field of fire and a pump action.”

“It sounds American.”

“It is.”

“Geez, I’ll feel like a cowboy.”

“As long as you don’t want to look at the wiring, we’ll be alright.”

“Wiring?”

“Yes, you know, cowboy electricians and so on.”

“Ah, yes, quite,” I said, while thinking something very different–like what planet is he from?

I reluctantly got into the vehicle in the front. Tom got into the second one and the luggage was in the third one. I counted three drivers plus four other souls. I hoped they gave Tom a shotgun, at least he knew which end to hold, having one of his own.

As we set off, my tummy was jumping about all over the place. “Have you seen Henry?”

“He’s on his way to Stanebury.”

“Oh, he was in plaster last time I saw him.”

“That’s off and he’s walking with a stick.”

“A sword stick, I expect.”

“Probably.”

“What about, Stella and her baby?”

“Under guard in hospital, both were fine this morning.”

“Oh good, has she bonded with the baby at all?”

“Couldn’t tell you the fine detail.”

“Where is Simon? You must know if you know about the others?”

“I don’t, it’s very hush hush.”

“I don’t like this, Jason.”

“What?”

“All this violence, armed guards and killing people.”

“Think of it like a pheasant or grouse shoot.”

“I don’t shoot things, Jason. I don’t approve of primal urges–well not the hunter gatherer type. I don’t need to kill things to feel complete.”

He blushed. “You’re not one of the anti-hunt brigade are you?”

“Would it matter?”

“I suppose not.”

“I don’t believe in cruelty. I see hunting as cruel. I take a moral stance on it. I don’t like guns, they’re designed for killing things.”

“Not always, you can shoot targets and clays. Bows and arrows are designed for killing too.”

“Originally, yes, but it’s illegal in this country.”

“I’d heard it said that someone recently killed with a bow and arrow.”

I blushed profusely, made worse when Trish said, “My Mummy has a bow and arrows.”

“Oh,” now Jason blushed. “It wasn’t you, was it?”

“Yes,” said Trish, “She shot some baddies.”

“Good lord, I had no Idea. Our very own Maid Marion.”

“Why can’t I be Robin Hood? A woman plays him in panto.”

“Yes, why not, okay, welcome to Sherwood, Robin.”

“I don’t have a bow, the police took it.”

“Did they now? I’m sure they’ll have one at Stanebury, they have most everything else, including crossbows.”

“Never tried one of those.”

“Mummy shooted the baddies with a gun,” said Mima, looking bored at our conversation.

“So you have fired a gun?”

“Not really, I fired a Kalashnikov on automatic until the magazine ran out.”

“Was it you who saved those coppers?”

“That was accidental. I was trying to save my kids and my own skin, the coppers were with us, and had been shot because of it.”

“Pity handguns aren’t legal, I could show you how to fire one, they’re a bit more portable.”

“I don’t want to learn how to shoot people, I don’t want to shoot people; I don’t want to stay in a world where guns are everyday items. I hate guns.”

“Okay, okay. Hopefully once all this is over, you can go back to your house and live happily ever after.”

“You think something is going to happen, don’t you?”

“Not here, but at Stanebury. You and Henry are the bait.”

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Comments

Spike?

Who is protecting Cathy's other child 'Spike'. I guess spike can just piss them off.

Hugs,

Jenna From FL

Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
It is a long road ahead but I will finally become who I should be.

Oh! The Perils Of Catherine! ;-)

Will Stanebury survive Cathy? And how is Des Jr. doing? What about Spike?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Anyone else picturing

Cathy wearing armor and carrying a crossbow? while defending the castle? I sense more action hero stuff coming soon. Please get that baby in range too. She needs her charge-up.

Ratcheting It Up

Here I expected Simon to show up and the questions about his relationship with Cathy to be resolved (he's innocent please, please), but no, here we are with lots of uncertainty and the prospect of further action. Darn you Angharad (in the best possible way) or is bonzi to blame?

Bow and arrows

Why won't the police give back Cathy's bow and arrow set. This ridicules. She proved it was self defense, and they still want to charge her? What ... sorry to say this but it is appropoe ... a bunch of asshole twits your police are. She saves the locale boobies (bobbies) and they are going to jail her, instead of the criminals. I see something wrong with this picture.

I think that is why the US is still free. To many people have guns and rifles. That is why people are trying to outlaw them so they are confiscated and then any country with guns can over run us because we are defensless. I beleive it is because Americans have guns that foreign powers know they have not just the government to over run, but most of the rest of the people in the US. We will not be push overs. I personally do not have a gun, but I am glad other people do. Besides it is not the gun that kills it is the people behind the gun that kills. Yes I know it is a double edged sword, but you have to take the kooks with the good. It still feels better not to have to rely on the locals in a time of need.

Great job Angharad. The last statement says it all

“You think something is going to happen, don’t you?”

“Not here, but at Stanebury. You and Henry are the bait.”

Very probably the truth.

I hope she is wrong. I too worry about baby Des, and Stella. They are definately vulnerable being were they are, and Stella being in the condition she is in.

Sigh, I will wait for the next installation. You think this entire story is but a deranged dream that Cathy is dreaming and HE will wake up to find out he is in the middle of some biology class in high school? Don't do it Ang! I'm just making fun here.

Hugs
Joni W

It Is A Fact

jengrl's picture

The countries that have strict gun control have a higher rate of crime. The law abiding citizens are unable to legally defend themselves against armed criminals. No matter how many laws there are on the books, criminals will always find a way to get weapons. Cathy killed cop killers. In this country(U.S.) she would be hailed as a hero among law enforcement . She defended her life and the lives of Tom and her children against people who made it very clear that they intended to kill them. Hopefully there is someone in the police department that has a brain cell left. I guess that would be too much to wish for. Archie Bunker had one of the classic lines ever uttered on television. Gloria stated that "65% of the people murdered in this country last year were killed by handguns". Archie replied: "Would it make you feel any better little girl if they were pushed out of windows?" I am interested about why everybody is being tight lipped about Simon's whereabouts? If he wasn't doing something he shouldn't, then they would just say so, especially to the woman he is engaged to. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

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Crime?

Puddintane's picture

>> The countries that have strict gun control have a higher rate of crime.

Do you mean overall? Or just murders? These seem slightly more serious than nicking the tyres from one's bicycle, but then my own bicycle only cost US$500 and some, and the tyres are just steel and rubber, not carbon-fibre sculptures meant for gliding over the road as elegantly as a canoe over a lake at sunset, where the only sound one hears is the call of the loon and the occasional 'plink' from the drops of water falling from the blade one one's paddle.

In terms of murders, Canada and the UK have similar rates, about a third to a quarter of the US rates, and both have strict gun control laws yet are much safer places to live.

To be fair, the USA is "way down the list" at position twenty-four, but the list of countries which are more hazardous than the USA is instructive, in order: Colombia, South Africa, Jamaica, Venezuela, Russia, Mexico, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Papua New Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Moldova, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Zambia, Costa Rica, Poland, Georgia, Uruguay, Bulgaria.

Oddly enough, most of them appear to be (more or less) what we used to call "banana republics," although I'm sure there's a much more polite way to say that these days... "Democracy-challenged?"

Puddin'

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Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Oooh :)

and the tyres are just steel and rubber, not carbon-fibre sculptures meant for gliding over the road as elegantly as a canoe over a lake at sunset, where the only sound one hears is the call of the loon and the occasional 'plink' from the drops of water falling from the blade one one's paddle.

That was nice.. You've a poetic streak there, don't you?

Jo-Anne

*Oh, and I btw. I think you have a point*

>> Poetic...

Puddintane's picture

Of course. As a Renaissance Woman, Homo universalis, I'm required to be capable of everything good. See Hildegard of Bingen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen

Cheers,

Puddin'

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Cathy's bow...

Puddintane's picture

Only in the movies, or possibly in Texas, would Cathy receive her bow back before the coroner's inquest is held at the earliest, since it's evidence relating directly to a manslaughter at the very least. The police have a duty and responsibility to seek out and secure *all* the evidence asociated with a crime, not just the bits that don't incriminate people they particularly like.

Puddin'

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Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

securing evidence

I might point out that "securing evidence" varies state to state...

In some states it is lawful to "remove and secure any weapon used to conduct a crime" while it is NOT lawful to "remove and secure" any weapon used in defense against that crime.

In other states all weapons must be "removed and secured" pending investigation of the crime, while in some the weapon used in defense against the crime must be returned within 72 hours not just made available to the owner but actually returned which means an officer must take the weapon back to the defending owner.

As I said the laws concerning this vary state to state and are almost as varied as there are states.

God Bless You...

1955-12y5m.jpghugs.jpg

>> NOT lawful to "remove and secure" any weapon used in defense

Puddintane's picture

Doesn't this require prejudging the guilt or innocence of the person who doesn't happen to be dead? It sounds like a variation on Medieval Justice, whereby God's Favour determined the outcome of every physical contest.

Although this would imply that Cathy and, by extension, the charges within her care, are especially blessed by God, and that she will inevitably overcome any possible foe, even the Russian Army armed with tanks and Nuclear Missiles, it does take a little of the mystery out of the resolution of their current problems.

Puddin'
----------------
Dieu et mon droit.
--- Henry V

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Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Confirmed gun nut here

We have 3 people in our household, six guns and a crossbow pistol. Not to metion numerous other articles which can be used as impromptu weapons(Hubby favors an axe).

We are fairly typical in our neighborhood in the degree of armaments.

I agree with another commenter, America would be a complete nightmare for any invader for this very reason. Anything short of a full armored column would have a very difficult time pacifying this place.

I fail to see why protecting yourself is considered wrong.

As much as I like Cathy, I must disagree a bit with her philosophy regarding such things.

Battery.jpg

you think too past centuries

I personally can not understand why Americans are so gun crazy. As far as I know there is no other country that has such a high amount of people shot per 1000 people each year than the US save maybe for country with civil war or regular war.

Offensive weapons usually provoke more offensive and more violent crimes. If a gangster pointed a gun at you and you had no gun to point back he would not likely need to fire so no one gets hurt at all. Ig the devender has a gun as well the gangster will feel more threatend and will feel the need to fire if he thinks you may want to fire no matter if that was the case. So its a lot more likely either or both will fire their weapons and either or both will get hurt.

The US calims to be so religious. In god we trust and all that.
What happend to "turning the the other cheek"? What happend to "not judge others since you will be judged the same way"?
God bless America. The country with so mayn double standards.

Judging others and dealing justice as they see fit seems to be very american any way. That is why the US "invaded" so many other countries openly or inderectly (supporting or putting in place leaders or staging revolts) "to the defend american interests" in countries they had no business to be.
I do not know where this line of thinking comes from but it seem to be in a lot of heads over there.
It is possibly the biggest reason why most non-US-citizens feel at least abivalent towards the US.

The part about defending the US is ... well at least out dated.

First - why would anyone want to invate the US? Because its the greatest country in the world? Give me a break. Do you really believe this? No single country is "the greatest in the world". all have their good and bad sides. Most people who view the US from the outside do not see it as the greatest country in the world and most US citizens who had a chance to actually be outside the US and see, feel and hear how the US is vied by others and how other countries are will not think the US is the greatest country in the world any more unconditionally.

It is certainly not the worst country to be in and it is a lot better than its reputation in other countries but its not the top country unconditionally. Unless you consider over blown selfimportantness and self confidence.

Second if you wanted to invate a country like the US would you do it on ground? Hardly!

Such an invation would be done mostly by airstrikes with the army just to clear up the rubble. So all the guns in the hands of people would not make a significant difference I believe. Its kinda like the city fortifications of mideval cities in thw 16th or so century. When guns where able to shot over the top of the walls or collaps the walls the walls bacame absolete and where torn down or converted for peaceful use.

In a civilized world fire arms in ordinary peopls hands should be absolete as well for a similar reason.

I must stress that I do not want to attack any Ameriacan with this post or hurt them in any way. This is just my personaly view. Make up your own mind how much you want to agree or not.
We have a saying in Germany "hit dogs bark" ...

I personally agree fully with Chaty's views even though I have shot 15 or 20 differne kinds fire arms myself (from hand gun, through rifels and even once a anti-tank rifle).
It can be fun as a sport but I would not want to carry a gun all the time and I would not want to shot a living things.

Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.

Americans are very insecure.

That is why they have to keep telling themselves that they are the greatest. Even the "god bless America" bit has had to be added to their mantra. Their "Founding Fathers" were, on the whole, not Christians and made the sensible decision to keep god out of the Constitution. As Deists; many of them would have had absolutely no time for the "god bless America" bit. Another thing that Americans choose to overlook is that, at least to some parts of the bible, god is a Socialist (in others he's a mass murderer). It quite clearly makes the point that what we know as Capitalism is the way of Satan. How ironic, then, that when Americans praise Capitalism they are praising Satan's Way.

>> so religious...

Puddintane's picture

To be fair, the religious doctrine under which much of the current right wing in the USA is organised is that of Calvinism, which was invented in Europe, fair and square, by way of Puritanism, which came from England, although the English had the good sense to kick them out*.

In this theory, the elite Christians of the USA (especially) are the "Visible Saints" who are demonstrably favoured by God, and US Capitalism is God's Plan for His Creation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism#Usury_and_capitalism

The current world financial panic is the inevitable result of Usury, a former sin which most (not just Calvinists) Christian churches have come to terms with, and therefore part of God's Plan whereby Good Christians will prosper and the unworthy will inevitably go down to Eternal Perdition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_saints

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritanism

Puddin'
----------------------
* Unfortunately, this had the unintended effect of leaving them free to stew in their own juices, especially in the USA, causing mischief all around the world, although it *may* also have had something to do with the development of American and Australian rules football, which aficionados believe are especial marks of spiritual grace as well.

Visible Saints: A company or congregatone of the faythfull called and gathered out of the worlde by the preachinge of the Gospell, who followinge and embraceinge true religione, do in one unitie of Spirite strengthen and comfort one another, daylie growinge and increasinge in true faythe, framing their lyves, government, orders and ceremonies accordinge to the worde of God. In one unitie of Spirite.

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Theres a difference though

Cathy I think takes the attitude like Tom Selleck's attitude in 'Quigley Down Under' where he kills the bad guy with s handgun at the end:

"Just because I have no use for it ( a hand gun ) does not mean I do not know how to use one."

or something like that.

There is a difference between having the practical necessity of using one versus going wax poetic over the the specifications - stopping power, handling, etc.

Also, it is recommended for home invasions that a shot gun is recommended anyway.

I am not saying that people should not have guns but it should not be in the hands of folks who only has the nuts in gun nuts *rolls eyes*.

Kim

Ahhh, here it is...

I was looking for the comment link, and couldn't find it... Only to find the form already open here at the bottom.

One begins to wonder if Simon actually is a Banker... Based on some of the stuff we've seen, he could be part of internal security... Do they have double zeros there too? In any event, I'm sure it makes everyone feel really good to know that Cathy and Henry are the "designated targets"... *sighs*

Thanks for carrying on with the story. I'm really curious where you take this. I still wouldn't put it past you to squeeze in a wedding after the dust settles... "After all, everyone's here on the estate anyway"...

Thanks,
Annette

catching up

I spent part of last weekend reading the first 613 episodes (no, it wasn't a lost weekend), but now I'm waiting anxiously for each new release. On the gun issue, our local police recommended against having one (or a Taser) because they felt that I would be more at risk being armed. I still have mixed feelings, maybe I could ask Cathy to visit for protection.

6 inch walls ?

Not a good thing. All it means is the baddies will just bring on heavier artillery.

Helicopter any one ? with missiles ?

Oh boy !

Kim

Probably a misprint...

Puddintane's picture

Six-inch walls on a fortified manor would be awfully thin, as it's actually less than a common two-layer hollow interior brick exterior wall, ten inches usually, and not terribly secure against even 13th to 14th century weaponry wielded against fortified manors when they were popular. A typical example would have outer wall thicknesses measured in feet, not inches.

Puddin'

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Six-Foot Walls

From what I know of Scottish castles and fortified mansions I think Ang meant walls that are six feet thick.

Gabi

(who should have picked it up earlier. Mea Culpa)

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

The original draft, says

Angharad's picture

“The walls are six feet thick, for goodness sake, it’s like a bunker.”

I checked it.

Angharad

Angharad

I am beginning to get the

I am beginning to get the idea that "banker" Simon is actually in MI-5 or MI-6 and being a "banker" is his cover. If you think about it, how else did he have the "clout" to get a Russian Mafia member's entire group and family eliminated? I guess it is jsut my devious mind at work. J-Lynn

You May Have Something There

jengrl's picture

Simon spends a lot of time away from home. He has not contacted Cathy for quite a few days and there has to be more of a reason so many bad guys are gunning for a banker's family. I think it might be a "True Lies" scenario. Cathy has already kicked him in the chest in a fit of anger. I wonder what she would do if she found out he was a spy? (Can you say " Blue Ball" anyone?)

PICT0013_1_0.jpg

Spread the dosh

Actually one does not have to be in the security services to have anyone eliminated in Russia.

All it takes is cash. The amount varies by the difficulty/stature of the intended target. But, there are other forms of payment. Say allowing the back to launder their money.

Which means nothing in the world of Cathy. Simon might be 008 and Henry "M".

Bear

TGNear-Avatar_0.png

Bear

>> Simon might be 008

Puddintane's picture

What terrible news, although that would explain the woman's voice on the phone. Everyone knows that British agents are duty-bound to romance every foreign spy they come to grips with, although Fleming's books cast a veil of discreet silence over 007's escapades with Blofeld and Krebbs.

Puddin'

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Due Diligence

Jason is a lawyer. Not that I don't trust the moral qualities of lawyers... I mean, being an American, I've been exposed to some very appalling ones, but even if we give British lawyers the benefit of the doubt, certainly some due diligence would be in order here?

Cathy should verify that Jason is, in fact, the person sent to pick them up. As for the shotgun she's being lent, if Jason had gone over to the dark side, you don't think he'd give her a functional gun with live ammo, do you?

Suspicious mind? Who, me? Pick up the phone, Cathy, and use it! And not text messages, either, you don't know who's holding the phone on the other end.

"You and Henry Are the Bait"?

Would now be a good time to trot out that old cliché about "waiting with bated (baited) breath"?

I love this story and the fact that I have no idea where it's going -- I mean that presumable Cathy and Simon **will** end up happily married with two or three children but how they're going to get there is something I'm going to have to wait to find out and I'm thoroughly enjoying the wait!

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

x

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

That's been my assumption too...

I mean that presumable Cathy and Simon **will** end up happily married with two or three children but how they're going to get there is something I'm going to have to wait to find out and I'm thoroughly enjoying the wait!

And I doubt that even Bonzi is cruel enough to harm one of the children. But what Angharad has coming is impossible to predict so it's just enjoy the ride and whatever comes.

>> Yours from the Great White North

Puddintane's picture

A charming place. I once worked for CN (Canadian Northern Railroad) for quite some time (in Edmonton), although I have to admit that my introduction to winter in the Great White North was a little daunting. I'd never seen electrical outlets by the side of every parking space before, or cars that would start by remote control, but always on headlamps were amazingly sensible, and I notice that the Canadian educational system has produced at least one other person in the world who knows that "bated" is not "baited" when used in that phrase, eh?

Cheers,

Puddin'
--------------
Native Californian but, in Edmonton, everyone who didn't already know were I was from thought I was from Vancouver within the first few days. I try to fit in.

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Special to Puddintane

My mother was an English teacher, my father was a French teacher. I'm doomed to be pedantic in either of Canada's official languages! ;)

But, thank you for the compliment.

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

x

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

>> doomed to be pedantic...

Puddintane's picture

It goes with the territory, but I do know how to have fun from time to time. I managed to persuade one of the engineers to let me drive the train from Edmonton yards (well, we were well out of the yards first) up into the Rockies toward BC and Vancouver, where they were due to deliver beaucoup cars of winter wheat for transhipment to the orient.

Those locomotives are incredibly noisy places! We had to wear ear protection, and the "facilities" could only have been designed by a man, or perhaps a large group of drunken men, as they rose only to the level of (charitably) wretched squalor. I got off at a crew stop in the foothills and caught the CN crew bus back to Edmonton, but they were going on quite a way before they had to stop. Uphill, the train was very slow. It seemed at times that I could have walked up into the mountains more quickly. It was quite fun to blow the horn, though. For my pains, I'd had to buy a pair of steel-toe CN-Certified boots for over CN$300, which I've never used since, but I'm sure they'll come in handy someday when I have to mush with a dogsled through the Yukon.

Puddin'

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Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

thanks for this fantastic story Angharad

Its amazing how you manage to keep it going day after and and still find new and exiting things to happen that while unlikely could happen.

I hope Cathy and her fam will get through it all savely and no one will end up to traumatized. I have been in awe how well the girls took it so far. However so far they had no real time to settle down and think about it. I hope it will not haunt there dreams in the future especially when they are older and start to realize what happend.

Cathy too will have a hard time especially with her high moral standarts. So far she had only injured never killed herself. Now that has changed. Its also a very tricky thing. It was not really selfdefens since she attact before they did. Sure she could asume with high probability that she would be atacked later on and which hardly any chance of survival but it was still not really self defence but preemtive strikes.

You could also see in her actions how things got more and more extreme.
First she tried to disable. Then the likely murder by accident. But the flameing of this oen guy was more than that. And the arrrows where ment to kill.

The problem is that this desensitizes a person.
I hope it will not change Cathy too much and I hope she will be able to live with it all. She had a hard enough time with the first time she though she had killed.

Her and Henry being bait is not an encouraging thought either.
I wounder how she will take that information.

Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.

firearms and self protection while on a bike

A number of individuals have noted the "cowboy mentality" of Americans... ie citizens of the United States...

I wish to point out just a few things.

1) The first thing any would be dictator does is to remove either the firearms from the citizens or the ammunition for those firearms.
2) The only reason I am still alive today is because I own, carry and have a FEDERAL permit for a firearm.
3) I do NOT enjoy harming anyone, even though I may write about it and feature such actions within my stories BUT... I shall not permit someone to dictate to me that I am either unfit, inept, or ignorant of the extreme and dangerous knife edge which I walk having posession of one or more firearms. Some of the most peaceful countries in the world are so because the citizenry is armed.

Don't take the actions of gangs and criminals as the "norm" of the citizenry of the United States.

Many of us are armed and never have to fire a weapon in anger or defense. Although I admit I have had to do so on several occassions.

The one time I was nearly killed was the one time I was not carrying my firearm. My not having it with me did not seem to slow my attacker at all so the arguement that they will not use deadly force if I don't show it does not hold true. Sorry.

I for one am glad to be a competent and law abiding citizen whether or not this is the "greatest country on Earth" which also is not something I have said or heard said by those of us who have traveled many countries of the world.

That's my opinion for whatever it's worth.

I fully comprehend the abhorant feelings toward the use of violence against others and I myself do not care to be a hunter of any form of life, having spent a number of years doing exactly that in SEA.

In the story "Easy As Falling Off A Bike" I can understand completely the spur of the moment requirement for action against an agressive enemy and the almost instantaneous switch to non-agression and revulsion following the use of same. The portrayals are quite accurate. It is those rare individuals who are able to take action which allow the rest of us to live our lives relatively unmolested.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL...

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I Agree Teddi

jengrl's picture

The argument that some make about an assailant being less likely to kill their victim if victim is unarmed is pure hogwash. Most assailants do not want their victim to identify them, so they will kill them. Some armed robbers who use ski masks might allow their victim to live, but if it is a situation where the crime was particularly violent and the perps face was uncovered, then it is more likely they will try to kill their victim. Cathy did what she had to do to save the lives of the people she loved. The police who are giving her a hard time are being totally unfair. I suppose to their way of thinking, Cathy should have just let the bad guys kill her, the girls and Tom. What a warped way of looking at something! If she hadn't had the bow and arrows and used the guns from the bad guys, they would be dead. The police need to get their head out of their ass about it.

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Defending The Indefensible

I live in The Big City®. I've lived here for most of my lifetime, and have lived in three of the city's 5 boroughs. I have some experience.

I've been the victim of crimes: unsolved break-and-enter burglaries committed when I wasn't home (one for each borough), and a clever pickpocketing discovered too late to confront the team of pickpocketers, who had already exited the subway at a prior station. Had I owned weapons at home, those may well have fallen into criminal hands. Had I been carrying a pistol, that might have just as easily been lifted as my wallet was on the subway. Benefit to me, zero, to the thieves, plenty, to society, not so good. As it was, weaponless, my losses were minimal. Insurance and a lawsuit against a landlord took care of most of it.

While I lived in Manhattan, I had an upstairs neighbor who was a writer, working on his "Great American Novel". A good friend, who played a mean game of chess, could carry on a brilliant conversation, and had an artistic, ethereal air about him that I greatly admired. We lived on the edge of a pretty rough neighborhood, and he knew not to go wandering around into the rough part. Still, trouble seemed to find him. He might as well have had a "Mug Me" sign painted on his back. Being tall, and very thin seemed to mark him as not being a very big risk to rob. Ten times he was mugged before giving up and moving back to Indiana to teach.

He described each mugging to me. The NRA-sponsored propaganda about the defensive use of guns is pure nonsense, at least as far as I can tell in cases like his from his described experience. In not one of these real, committed crimes, would a gun have been of any use whatsoever. I don't know how crime works in other places, but this was his typical, reported experience of getting robbed at gunpoint: He's walking along, unaware of any danger at all, along a populated sidewalk. Suddenly, one or two young men grab his arms from behind, and another points a gun in his face. That's his first clue that he's going to be robbed. It's not a solo crime. It doesn't come with a warning. You're not facing one person. Conversely, you probably won't be attacked if you seem aware of your surroundings and on the alert. It's typically a crime by a group that carefully selects their victims, and won't give you a chance to defend yourself. I'd wager to bet if any of the victims they selected had carry permits for weapons, the weapons would be the most valuable thing they would steal before they scampered off. They patted him down each time, even finding the money he kept in his shoe to try to avoid being robbed of that.

The NRA guns-is-defense scenario is based on a number of false assumptions. Not all criminals are completely stupid or rank amateurs. Not all crimes are unplanned. Not all consequences, such as the possibility of a victim being armed, are unanticipated by the baddies. And, you can't expect to be clairvoyant about knowing when or where the baddies might strike.

My defense, successful so far, is to walk tall, purposely, appear to be engaged in my surroundings, try not to look harmless, trust my instincts, and be suspicious. All things you should do if you're carrying a gun, btw, but they work just as well if you aren't. I've crossed a few streets to avoid walking past a person or group that was acting a bit suspicious. I've stopped a few times in front of a store to let people I thought might be following me walk past, as I casually turned to look them in the eye and mentally scan their faces. That's it, and I don't think it averages out to more than once for each year I've lived here. That's been my unarmed brushes with violent crime in The Big City®.

The Big City

I lived in the north most borough of 'The Big City' and I agree with all your precautions.

When I was a kid I had a knife to my throat from behind, let me try to reach my gun in that situaton. Above and beyond, when you are a city dweller, you have to act aware and not look like a tourist. That is half the battle. For woman, in a way it is good to have a cheap purse and keep chump change in it and let some purse grabber steal it and keep the real money on your person. A snatch and run is far more pleasant than somebody coming up to you with a knife or gun.

I can go on but there are a lot of things to do when you are in the big smoke.

Kim

Disagree about the unfit part

... I assume you did not have to be tested to get a driver's license, huh ?

And yes, I do know you have a permit to carry which is as it should be.

However, there should be a way to keep them out of the hands of unstable people. We are not a dictatorship so that is not likely that guns will be banned in this country.

There are situations where it IS possible that one gets killed due to the lack of a firearm. Then again, there are situations where you will get killed for not wearing a seatbelt, going to bed with the wrong person ( a transphobe for example ), not having a knife handy etc.

Point is there are always exceptions to the rule.

Where is the statistical basis for those people who say, whew, it is a good thing I had a gun in that situation versus not having had one in that same situation ?

People on both sides of this argument can arm wave with their personal accounts all they want but it does not constitute proof.

Finally, I am NOT against a sane person, LICENSED, which has a need for self defense for having a gun and who is competent at using it. However, there is no system right now in the US to guarantee those conditions right now and I as a bystander is at more risk from a person who does not properly know how to use one.

Extremist pro-gun people, especially, have not presented a reasonable compromise to preventing the Columbines of the world except 'personal responsibility'.

All I can say, a little balance please from the gun owners and the prospective gun owners of the world.

I apologize for the rambling.

Kim

firearms and bikes

I was tested for both my drivers license and to carry a firearm.

I completed three years active duty training in pistols, rifles, automatic weapons and explosives.
To obtain my firearms I was investigated both as to competency and mental attitude.
To obtain my permit to carry I was again examined in both.

Possessing the weapons has allowed me to halt two ARMED robberies and two assaults on my person. The only assault which nearly succeeded occured when I was not carrying a weapon and I was the specific target by four individuals who's total purpose was to kill me and not rob me. My actions and those of several others allowed me to live although with some facial rearraingment.

I still empathise completely with Cathy's instinct to suppress the enemy and then kick herself over it. I do the same thing.

Does that mean I am a bad person? I don't think so. I think it means I am a survivor and if I must act alone to protect myself and those whom I love I will do the same as Cathy. The story is accurate. Accomplish the job and break down in tears afterward for what you were forced to do.

Those who perpetrate unwanted violence upon others understand only one thing -- violence to themselves, you cannot reason with them.

Ever onward... Cathy is a real heroine in my book.

God Bless You...

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Gun Control

I am a firm advocate of gun control. I hit what I aim at. I have never used guns for self defense, but if I need to I know how.

But then, I'm in Texas. It is not a cowboy mentality. This country gained our rights by force of arms. If needed we will keep our freedom by force of arms. Reasoning with an opponent only works if they are willing to talk, which is actually pretty rare with violent people.

Bait?

Something I read somewhere, don't remember the source or exact wording:

Once you've been used as bait, even if you don't catch anything, you're never quite the same.

Damaged people are dangerous
They know they can survive

More firearms then the 1st Parachute Regiment

Hey Whizz, Jason sounds like a bloke from 'Merica named Kevin or some such. I don't think Bonzi wrote this chapter.
In the 'Godfather' this was called going to the mattresses.

Cefin