Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 951.

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Wuthering Dormice
(aka Bike)
Part 951
by Angharad

Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved.
  
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I awoke on the morning of Good Friday. What a strange name for the day upon which they executed a god/king–I mean, it’s not as if it was some pagan they were talking about–unless you examine the rituals: it’s all very pagan. Still back in the first century Current Era, Jesus wasn’t a god, just the founder of a new sect.

Anyway enough of history and distortion, back to the future–hey, that’d be a good name for a film. I smirked at my own silliness. Simon would be home later–oh poo, I forgot to tell him about Maureen’s visit–oops.

I couldn’t sleep any longer and it was daylight, so I got up. The aliens were still in the land of nod–with or without Enoch. I went down and made myself some breakfast. Actually it was tea I made, then some toast–I couldn’t fancy much else–too uptight.

I sat and drank my tea wondering if I’d made a mistake–had my almost compulsion to do good works, got me into trouble? Had I done it once too often? I was roasting a chicken and using a recipe Delia Smith had shown us on the telly, with grapes as part of the stuffing, with shallots and tarragon. I had a bottle of Riesling, which the sauce required, so it looked interesting.

Julie came down and sat beside me. “I’m sorry, Mummy,” she linked her arm through mine and leant against me.

“Why, what have you done?”

“For copping out with your latest project.”

“It’s not a project, it’s a person–Maureen.” Mind you, I’d never think of that name in the same light again.

“Yeah, whatever–anyway, I still can’t face it, her, whatever.”

“That’s up to you–it’s not compulsory. Tell me, why are you frightened of her?”

“Who said I was frightened?”

“Aren’t you?”

She leant her head against my shoulder, and began to sob. “Yes I am frightened, frightened that people will see her and me together and think we’re the same.”

“Essentially, you are–so am I.”

“No you’re not, Mummy, you’re a woman now–you’ve got paper to say you’re female–and you’re married. You’re not the same.”

“Given that we’re all individuals and have individual differences, I’m still the same as her, just surgically transformed into something more acceptable to most people and to me.”

“No, Mummy–you never were a boy–you’re far too pretty to have ever been one.”

“I was as far as the rest of the world was concerned–well mostly, some of my peers found it fun to humiliate and torment me, but my parents were convinced they had a son.”

“So–they were wrong–look I know about these things.” She sounded deadly serious until the edges of her mouth went up and she began to snigger. “I don’t know anything, do I?”

“You must be the only teenager who doesn’t.”

“Oh–well, I’m as unique as you then?”

“Yep, you’re unique–just like everyone else.”

“Hey, that’s clever.”

“It was, but I didn’t think of it, I saw it on something years ago.”

“Pity–it’s really good.”

“Enough of that, what are you going to do about lunch?”

“I dunno–can I have Shelley an’ Tracie around again sometime?”

“Of course you can, if they don’t think I’m too posh. Now, what about lunch?”

“Can’t you just leave some in the kitchen and I’ll take it up to my room?”

“I’m not sure I’m very happy about you eating in your bedroom.”

“All teenagers do it–you know we find half eaten meals and dead cats under the bed on the annual bedroom clean.”

“I knew there was a good reason why you’re not eating it upstairs. You’ll have to eat it in the kitchen or wait until she goes.”

“Aww, Mummy, that’s like so unfair. I mean, I like live here––”

“I know that, but I make the rules.”

She put her arms on the table and put her head down on them. “That is like so unfair.”

“Yep–I do it deliberately, just to make you angry and frustrated.”

“Some days I think you do?”

“Have some breakfast. Have you taken your pill?”

“My girly pill? Yeah.”

“Well I suspect it’s better absorbed with food. So have some cereal.”

Tom came into the kitchen, so the conversation changed somewhat.

“Whit time’s yon guest arrivin’ fa’ lunch?”

“About twelve–thought we’d eat, half twelve, oneish–is that okay?”

“Aye fine b’me. Whit wis Stella sayin’ aboot her bein’ like a wrestler in drag?”

I’ll shoot that woman one day–“Maureen, is transitioning, she’s not very feminine looking–but I’m hoping we can help her with that.”

“Whit’s this aboot ye afferin’ her a job?”

“She’s unemployed, so I thought we could get some of the outbuildings renovated, painted and so on.”

“Whit fa’ is Leon paid?”

“Maureen used to be a welder, so she has some skills in engineering–so I suspect she knows one end of a paintbrush from the other unlike Leon–who I thought you’d like to have do more gardening for you, Daddy.”

“Aye aw’richt–mind ye, I’ll pay Leon.”

I shrugged–“If that’s what you’re happiest with, that’s fine with me.”

“Och–if yon welder’s mendin’ ma gates an’ oothooses, I’ll pay her tae.”

“How about we go halves?” I knew any sort of refusal would be met with intransigence, so I offered a compromise.

“Aye, aw’richt, but mind we doo.”

I was about to think it was a good idea as the girls’ school fees would be due after Easter, but Henry paid most of that–sweetie that he is. He loves the kids and they love him, because he spoils them rotten.

I was just thinking about this when the phone rang. Julie jumped up and answered it. “Mummy, it’s for you-hoo,” she almost sang at me.

“Who is it?”

“Grampa Henry.”

“Oh, okay.” I took the handset, “Hello, Henry–you won’t believe this but I was just thinking about you.”

“With you, Cathy dearest, I’d believe absolutely anything–obviously your thoughts forced me to pick up the phone and call you.”

“But of course, Henry–you are completely in my power.”

“Oh, yes please,” he said back.

“You silly old goat.”

“Hey, less of the old.”

“Anyway, I’m sure this is more than just a simple social call?”

“Yes and no, Monica and I will be down at the hotel for the Easter weekend–I canna go skiin’ wi’ ma baddy legs, sae there’s nae point in gang a’ the way tae Scotland, the noo, is there?”

“When you put it like that, Henry, I don’t suppose there is.”

“So, what time dearest daughter in law would you like to come over with your massive brood?”

“Oh–um–I have someone coming to lunch.”

“Whit’re ye cookin’ hen?”

“Actually yes, roast.”

“What?”

“I doing a hen–well, chicken, with grape and tarragon stuffing.”

“Oh that sounds nice–got enough for two more?”

“Yes, on the understanding that you appreciate I’ve invited someone who is transitioning.”

“Transitioning? What does that mean?”

“They’re changing sex, but in the very early stages–so they still look very male.”

“No problem–are the kids alright with that?”

“Julie isn’t–but I’m hoping she might come round–it’s up to her.”

“Why are they coming to dinner, I thought you’d finished with all that except with your kids?”

“I met her at the doctors and she’s out of work, so I’m offering her a job.”

“Doing what?”

“Well, she’s a trained welder, so I thought I’d get some jobs done outside to the outbuildings and garages.”

“Hmm–okay, what time’s lunch?”

“Twelve to half past?”

“Fine–I’ll bring some wine–whad’ya fancy?”

“Some Chablis would be nice, father in law dearest.”

“You drive a hard bargain, but it shall be so.”

The rest of the morning was a blur, and after dealing with what seemed like a hundred children, I showered and changed and began sorting the lunch. I made the stuffing and then sorted the veg. New potatoes, baby carrots, and petite pois . The peas were frozen, but the rest was fresh.

At eleven I popped it in a hot oven as per Delia’s recipe and waited for either it to be cooked or my visitor to arrive. I admit my tummy was churning a bit. It was raining, so the girls were all upstairs and the boys were in the lounge playing cards or something–I hoped they weren’t making too much of a mess.

Trish had helped me lay the table and Tom had sacrificed a few daffs and crocuses for my table display. I waited on either the cooker or the doorbell to ring–and waited.

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Comments

Dinner

Never mind Julie feeling a little intimidated by Maureen (even though they haven't met yet) - what about Maureen herself? She'll be coming to a dinner with six other adults (Henry + Monica, Cathy + Simon, Tom, Stella) and seven children (aged 16, 10, 10, 6, 5, 5, 1)!

Not to mention a certain spaniel cooped up in the kitchen, eagerly awaiting any leftovers...

 


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Where’s Maureen?

Something of a mini-cliffhanger today, in that the scene is set, and there's no way of knowing whether Maureen’s going to turn up, or if she does what’s going to happen as far as the reactions of the inhabitants of chez Agnew/Cameron go. Then too Angharad, you’ve thrown Henry and Monica into the mix, and Simon the wildcard may or may not be there too.

This reminds me of one of those bucket-chemistry situations from a previous lifetime: add all the ingredients, mix well then stand back and observe! The results are unpredictable.

It really is a treat, getting a new fix of Bike each morning (my time). Thanks Angharad, as someone on one of your many other works has commented, you really do the dialogue well, and this episode along with all the others has been a pleasure to read.

Plain Speaking


Bike Archive

Bike pt 951

Why do I get the feeling that Monica will be the one who leads the charge and flirts with Maureen? Is she not Bi sexual? If so, then she'd be quick to accept Maureen.

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

Whheeee with the Chablis

Maureen's gonna get schnockered for lunch :)

>> founder of a new sect

Puddintane's picture

Not exactly. Jesus appears to have thought of himself as a Jew. He says himself that not one jodh or tagh will pass from the Law until the end of days. A yodh is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and looks a lot like an apostrophe. A handwritten yodh has a tiny "tag," a sort of vertical serif in the upper left-hand corner, which has to be there or the letter isn't properly formed for religious purposes, but is often ignored in rough and ready daily use. The rest of the saying is a direct quote from Hillel and the rest of it, "Go and learn," was probably redacted some time later.

http://www.safrus.com/alephbet.html

The Mithra-cult-syncretism came along later, after proto-Christianity had escaped into the Roman mainstream, where it partially merged into the Mithraism of the Legions and was carried throughout the Empire. That's where the December 25th birthday came from (Mithraism was a Sun cult, and the birth of the Sun is Midwinter) and the stable or cave, as well as the triumphant militarism of the early church one still sees, even in slogans.

Shepherds don't keep watch in midwinter, but in spring, when the sheep are lambing, so there's an uneven bit of joinery there that suggests that a bit of Isis/Demeter/Kore/Eleusinian Mystery Spring cult was woven in for the ladies. Grrls rule! Guys drool!

I'm glad to see both Stella and Cathy approaching a rapprochement in which they can resolve problems without throwing things with murderous intent. Breaking the crockery is so déclassé, even in Scotland.

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

Keeping Watch.

Keeping watch in Winter? You bet they did!!

Hold on Puddin, Beverly Taff 'ere.

There were flippin lions around in Biblical times in Israel and Iraq not to mention leapords an' wolves.
If you 'ad a flock of sheep, you bloomin' well kept watch all the time; winter summer night and day.

Large predators are not seasonal or circadian, they's jus' 'ungry.

OXOX.

Beverly.

bev_1.jpg

And so to lunch

But will it be missing an important guest? Was Maureen so scared at the prospect of meeting the Camerons, That she used the money Cathy gave her for clothes to buy a wee drop of the hard stuff? Or could it be just a simple case of getting lost on her way to Chez Cameron....Whatever the reason, I for one can hardly wait to find out what happens at lunch.... But i do wonder if everyone will still be on speaking terms, Come the end of lunch!

as far as I can tell

the end of the episode does not say that Maureen is late but I'm with everyone else and wondering if she or others fail to show up for lunch. I (along with Cathy) will be pissed if all of the work she's gong to to make a nice lunch gets messed up. Maybe Henry can employ a welder to reinforce bank vaults or something.

Hennry

think about this. Henry's banks have branches likely being built & or refurbished every single day. He also a real estate owner, ever consider how much maintainance a castle requires. another thing bout Bank, It's a Merchantile Bank. you know the ones that deal with coporations to build things. Lots of customers that could use welders if they even 1/2 capable.

on a personal minor note, this new addition hits a spot for me, I am online friends with a Welder for ship building in N.Orleans. She's never lkely going to be a beauty queen even with alot cosmetic surgury, but, like maureen decided to transition anyway & did. She's now a 3 or 4 level supervisor down there now days & happy as a lark, but, homely butch dyke as she calls her self is prob. generious as to looks. But to me she's the most georgious person I've ever met in life cause her inner happieness shines so bright. I hope Cathy can help Maureen.

This should be a really

This should be a really interesting lunch by all concerned. Simon is the only 'voice' not heard so far, and that is because he doesn't even know or so Cathy stated. Henry does sound like a dear sweety, nothing seems to ruffle his feathers. Maybe Julie will loosen up after Maureen arrives, but who knows if she will even show? I can almost see the clcok as it tic-tocs around to the appointed time, kinda like the clock in the old Gary Cooper Western "High Noon"; "tic-toc", "tic-toc", waiting and waiting and waiting. Jan

Pay back.

Well done Cathy.
Nice to see that Cathy's prepared to help fellow sisters in distress. Reaching out and back, that's a true indicator of genuine charity.

Give Julie time, she's only just started out and Maureen is maybe a bit too close behind her on the path. (Bit like the sliced loaf saga.) When Julie arrives at her life's goal, (or more correctly when she gets closer to it,) she'll perhaps have a better understanding of the whole T.G. Scenario.

Lovely girl that Cathy.
Love and Hugs,

OXOXOX

Beverly.

bev_1.jpg

Mareen

I have to admit I look forward to meeting her. She could have been me, and I her.

My personal feeling is my time is almost gone, but I'll always wonder what I missed.

We can't all be pretty, or even passable, for that matter.