(aka Bike) Part 1215 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
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I woke up feeling the morning was darker than it had been the day before. I remembered that the snow had probably gone; washed away by rain. Simon was still sleeping when I slipped out, washed and dressed. I crept downstairs to enjoy a quiet breakfast if I could–Tom was up but he took his coffee and my Guardian into the study with him.
I felt a twinge of irritation because he always gets coffee on it; then I thought about how life might have been had the dream not warned me. I really wasn’t sure what was going on, except it was someone’s turn to die and I just got Tom to duck the ‘incoming’ as I believe they call hostile fire in Afghanistan.
I stopped thinking about war, its futility and causes make me too angry to allow me to start the day that way. I finished my tea and poured myself another cup buttering my toast and nibbling it. Trish was the first one down, followed by Julie who was back at the salon and had miraculously got herself up and it was only half past seven.
Trish and I had a little chat, she was concerned that I hadn’t had my celebratory meal for my birthday. I tried to explain that I hadn’t felt well enough to enjoy it, so had come home as Daddy had met up with some others and was not on his own.
“But I heard him swearing at you, Mummy.”
“No, I think that was at his trousers, he got the zip of his flies caught in his underpants.”
She squealed with laughter, “Silly Daddy, how did he do that?”
“I suspect it was because he was as tight as a tick.”
“What does that mean, Mummy?”
“He’d been drinking and was somewhat inebriated.”
“Oh, and he couldn’t undo his zip?”
“Nor get his trousers off over his shoes.”
“He went to bed in his trousers?” she laughed.
“Not really, he went to bed with his trousers pulled down inside out, still attached to his underpants by his zip and over his feet because he was wearing his shoes.”
“That is so funny, Mummy.”
“You might not think so if it was your husband.”
“Is he like it now?”
“No, I undressed him in case he woke needing the loo, he could have broken his neck.”
“Oh,” she gasped, “I hadn’t thought of him hurting himself.”
“Hi, Mummy, Trish,” said Julie flopping down at the table. “Could you run me in, today, Mummy, it’s chucking it down.”
“Yes of course I will.”
“Can I come too?” Trish decided she wanted a ride in the new car.
“You’ll need to go up and wash after your breakfast.”
“I’ll have breakfast when we come home,” suggested Trish.
“No deal, kiddo, eat your cereal, have a piece of fruit and some toast plus a drink.” She grumbled but finished her breakfast. Julie and I waited in the car for her.
“What happened last night?”
“What d’you mean?”
“You coming home by yourself from the restaurant.”
“I changed my mind. I’m a woman–remember, cats and women can do so.”
“But it’s not like you to come home early.”
“It’s what happened. Ah, here she comes.” I jumped out and opened the door for Trish, the handles are quite high. She scooted in and belted herself to the seat.
“This is very nice, Mummy.”
“Yes it is. Hold on here we go.”
“What’re you going to do with the Mercedes?” asked an anxious Julie.
“I think Daddy was going to sell it, why?” I teased her.
“Oh, I was hoping I might have it.”
“You haven’t got a licence yet.”
“No, but I’ve applied for one and I’m saving for driving lessons.”
“You’ll need an old banger to learn on, not a good idea to let a learner near a newish car, they tend to wreck the clutches.”
“Wossa clutch, Mummy?” came a voice from the backseat.
“A group of eggs from the same nest, why?”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Mummy. Cars don’t have eggs.”
“Well, for that matter, Gramps often calls you hen, but you don’t lay eggs, do you?”
“No, silly Mummy.” She gave an embarrassed laugh.
“The clutch is the thing which enables you to change gear in a manual transmission,” offered Julie.
“Oh is that the bit that disengages the gear box from the drive?” Trish asked grinning.
“Look here, clever dick, if you knew all along, why did you ask me?” grumbled Julie.
“I wanted to see if you knew.”
“’Course I do, I know loads about cars,” Julie boasted, but was always on thin ice when she did so to Trish who would always create cracks under victim’s feet before letting them walk out further.
“What’s synchromesh, I read it in a book but it didn’t say what it was?”
“Summin’ in the gearbox, why?” floundered Julie.
“What’s double declutching–is that robbing two bird’s nests?” Trish pursued her quarry ruthlessly.
“I dunno, do I?” shrugged an embarrassed Julie, “Ask Mummy, she can already drive.”
“What is it, Mummy?”
“I think you already know, so I’m not telling you. If you don’t know, then you can research it by yourself when we get home.”
She huffed and puffed in the rear of the car but I was adamant knowing she was quite able to find it on Wiki or elsewhere on the internet or in a whole pile of books we have, including a version of Britannica.
We dropped Julie off at the salon, “Nice wheels, Mummy,” she said as she disappeared through the door of the place of beautification.
I turned the car round and we headed back home, “You, Trish Watts, can stop winding up your sister.”
“She’s a bit of a big head at times, so she asks for it.”
“She can be difficult, but then so can you.”
“But she tries to boast when she knows nothing about things.”
“She has a bit of an inferiority complex, especially with you.”
“Does she–so why does she brag?”
“Because she is trying to hide her inferiority, it might mean you won’t feel confident enough to pop her balloon.”
“But I won’t argue unless I know something about the subject.”
“You know that, and I know it but Julie seems a bit of a slow learner in some areas.”
Trish giggled with a sort of glee that immediately got up my nose. “Serves her right,” she giggled.
“Trish, she may not be as clever as you but she has a certain amount of life experience more than you, in fact nearly three times as much. She knows about a lot of things you can’t learn from books. Show her some respect for that.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I shall intervene if you don’t–and you’ll like that even less.”
Her expression, as I could see it in the edge of the rear view mirror changed from being smug to sad. “You always get cross with me, Mummy.”
“No, I’m not cross, that will happen if you don’t do as I ask. I’m actually concerned because you are a gifted child but I want you to be a grounded, gifted child, not a bigheaded, unfeeling, intellectual snob.”
“You’re cleverer than Daddy, aren’t you?”
“No, he’s just as clever as I, he’s got a master’s degree too.”
“He can’t do the crossword in the paper–the big crossword.”
“That isn’t a sign of anything but the way your brain works. I can’t always do it either and he does do the Sudoku, which I can’t.”
“Is that because you don’t like figures?”
“Probably, who told you that?”
“Daddy did, he said if you could conquer your fear of mathematics, you’d be much cleverer.”
“Oh did he now?” The cheek of some men–if he had another brain cell, it would be lonely.
Comments
Is Bike like Cocoa?
Must be a nightcap of sorts for you Ang, It amazes me how you do it every night almost without fail. Just into Boxing day there and late morning here. Thanks and keep on keeping on won't you.
Kris
Cathy has grown into a fine woman
I have to say that I used to get so disgusted with Cathy's churlish personality in the face of completely illogical support of Si. I think it was caused mainly by her own fears, and it is a great Christmas prezzie for me to see her in action now. I had always hoped that she would embrace faith, but she has her own and it seems to be on her terms, and I highly respect that.
Ma Salaama
Khadijah
Angharad, this is such a
Angharad, this is such a wonderful story and I love how all the children interact with each other at times, they sound just like a real family. I have a grandson who is just like Trish, extremely intelligent, but sometimes lacks the sense to be kinder to others. I did notice a very small error in this portion of the story, as you say that Trish was let out at the salon, rather than Julie. No biggie however. Hugs, and thank you for your super story. Janice Lynn
Oops!
Sorted.
Angharad
Angharad
Bike 1215
The cheek of some men—if he had another brain cell, it would be lonely.
Trish hasn't yet learned tact. Mind you, a lot of adults haven't mastered it either.
S.
Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner in 1983 came up with the theory of multiple intelligences to account for the wide variety of cognitive abilities that people have.
Obviously Cathy doesn't do so well with her logical-mathematical intelligence, but she certainly makes up for it in other spheres.
Thanks A+B+I (breakfast): I always enjoy reading the dialogue between your characters.
Personal Skills
Bike Resources
Bike Resources
Bike pt 1215.
I wonder just what Julie can do to imprress TRish? ulie may just surprise everybody and put Trish in her place.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
That would be an interesting
chapter as long as it wasn't hurtful.
“Oh did he now?†The
“Oh did he now?†The cheek of some men—if he had another brain cell, it would be lonely. <---- I really loved that line I thought it was the perfect ending line for tonights daily episode of the bike :)
Porridge
Bike may be cocoa for some but it was porridge for me this morning. Had the nieces around for Christmas night and a hectic night it was too. Ended up going to bed early, (That is 2'0'clock this morning.) cos of the hectic Cristmas day. Didn't get a chance to go on my 'puter' all flippin' day.
I think Trish is like a lot of young bright kids, they pick their subject before choosing to humiliate their victim. Angharad is right to bring the 'precocious little brat' into line. Too many intelligent kids are allowed to to grow into 'bigheaded, unfeeling snobs' and some of them even get to end up as doctors, described elswhere as obssessive academic over-achievers who are neither grounded nor compassionate.
Loved the ephisode Angie, savoured it in the quiet of my study with my coffee and my porridge. Just me and the better half in the house today, all the family are out visiting and stuff.
Hold on maybe my daily fix of bike is more like class A not supper or brekkers.
Still lovin' it. You keep writin' it an' I'll keep readin' it.
Love and hugs.
Beverly.
Growing old disgracefully.
I don't think that this is always the case
As one of those "gifted" kids I've seen lots of other kids like me and they were mostly OK.
There are some that are too arrogant about it, but thats almost always due to the fact that their parents make them feel like they own the world because they are smart. Most of the times their siblings suffer from self confidence issues cause their parents don't appreciate them as much as they do to their "gifted" siblings.
This is exactly the case in here. Cathy is always raining compliments when it comes to Trish and rarely do so to the others.
I can't get how people say she is a good mother, she is a TERRIBLE mother .
Trish is a down right brat and a BULLY
I can't believe that Cathy didn't delve deeper into the situation.
Trish just does it so she can feel more superior while trampling down the feeling of those around her. Julie , for all her downsides , is a good person and doesn't deserve being treated like this. Add to this that Trish does it to every one, without ever taking into account their own feelings , and it tells me how snob and annoying little kid she is.
I think she needs to take down a few notch .At the moment it seems like Cathy see her as a wonder child and all the rest are average and she treats them differently as a result. She lets Trish mass with the other even when she knows it hurt their self confidence .
If it was me in this situation(as Julie) I would just ignore Trish and make her feel unwanted, maybe try to ask Danny to do it as well. I know that it might seem cruel but its not even as half as cruel as what Trish is doing to every kid older then her in that house. They could make her feel unwanted and push her away from them , which is really hard on a kid, but she is completely destroying their self confidence and she doesn't mind one bit.
She is almost monstrousness in her disregard to others. she would do anything so anyone so other can see she is cleverer. She is one of the worst bullies I've seen and should be given a really hard time by her parents, cause in the end she can ruin other people lives
Also I think that people underestimate how Simon is smart and exaggerate in Cathy cleverness she is very smart but still).For good sake he is a world class banker, its a very tough job and requires a lot of analytical and math knowledge. Someone as good as Simon in real life would be chased down by half the modern world for being the top level consultant or even to manage the entire bank monitory system. This also leads to Trish view of her parents , as she doesn't seem to have a too high of an opinion of her dad which is mostly due to the way the females of the house see and treat Simon.
Trish has officially just became my least favorite character in here, heck I down right despise her right now!
Trish and cars...
If Cathy can improve relations between Trish and Julie, the former will no doubt be of great help to the latter when it comes to revising for the Theory Test and Hazard Perception.
Then again, imagine what driving anywhere will be like once Trish has memorised the Highway Code...
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!
I don't think Cathy would marry an idiot,
but Simon has different strengths. I do think Cathy needs to keep working on Trish though, Trish has to understand she is hurting people when she shows them up or makes them look bad. She has to learn there is something called emotional intelligence, that is as important as intelligence.
Ho, Ho, Ho - Santapimp and his three girls
Trish is manuvering Cathy now, Getting Simon in trouble.
The little minx !
Julie hasn't a chance in the world with this one.
Cefin