Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 554.

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Wuthering Dormice
(aka Bike)
Part 554
by Angharad
       
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I entered reception and said who I was, then, after signing in, I donned the visitor’s badge they gave me and was led off to see Julie Stevens, one of the producers working on the BBC News.

I was taken to the News Office by a diminutive blonde who wore a pair of very short shorts, which revealed the curve of her buttock with each step. I was surprised they allowed her to dress so provocatively, maybe she was going clubbing later?

Her French manicured fingers pointed out Julie Stevens, although the fact that Simon was engaged in an animated conversation with her and Erin, would have made her my first point of call.

As I entered the room, Erin noticed me and waved, Simon looked around and smiled. I walked over and he hugged me and kissed me. He then introduced me to Julie. We shook hands and she led me over to a corner of the room.

“Look, we’re going to go with Today in the South if that’s okay.”

“I have a camp of tabloid journalists outside my house, I’d like to know why.”

“Do you not know who you fished out of the river?”

“The cabbie said Lady Ellen Townsend.”

“He’s well informed. I have an idea which I’d like to go for, Simon and Erin say they’re happy with it, but the choice is yours.”

“What is this idea? I’m not standing by the river and reliving the rescue.”

“No, none of that, we’ve already got a film of the fire and rescue team who actually pulled her out.”

“So why do you need me?”

“Because it was you who prevented her being smashed against the bridge or lost downstream. It was you, who called the emergency services, and collected her dog for the police. You were the one who effectively saved her, and I have half a dozen firemen prepared to say so.”

“So what’s this idea?”

“Will you let Sir Malcolm Townsend thank you for saving his wife, on air?”

“You mean on your programme?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t he be at his wife’s bedside?”

“He’ll be going straight back there.”

“Won’t that make it a bit like, This is Your Life? The bit where they say, ‘You thought your aunt had died in Australia twenty five years ago, but we traced the cemetery and she’s here now.’ Won’t people be a bit turned off by it?”

“On the contrary, I think it could be very powerful stuff.”

“Is it right that he should be exposed like this?”

“He’s on his way now.”

“What if he tries to kill me because he wanted her dead?”

“I don’t think he did or will try to kill you. They are well known for their devotion to each other.”

“Yeah but is it real?”

“I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t believe it’s anything but sincere.”

“Isn’t this going to look like Blue Peter? You know, badge winner of the month, sort of stuff?”

“You can say, no?”

“Okay, no.”

“Before you confirm that, we have a compilation of your previous exploits and status, which we wouldn’t have time to show if you met with him on set.”

“Hang on, you are threatening me.”

“Not at all, I have a schedule to fill, you are the lead story which means I have to say loads about you–which we have, a rescue in Bristol or on the motorway nearby, a rescue of a Russian girl from people traffickers, rescue of your sister in law from Russian mobsters, interception of a bag thief, plus miraculous cure of two children you foster, neither of whom could walk before you had them. You’re either a witch or an angel? Then, there’s the dormouse clip…”

“All right, you’ve done your homework.”

“And we haven’t yet mentioned your most unusual attribute?”

“Yes?”

“Your sex change.”

“Why is that relevant?”

“It makes you even more intriguing. I suspect it would make you a natural spokesperson for the cause.”

“What cause?”

“The acceptance of transsexual people.”

“Come off it, I represent me, I’m an ordinary woman–okay, I have a slightly different route to womanhood, I was born with a urinary defect, which has been fixed.”

“So you have never changed sex?”

“Not in my mind, no. I had a urinary anomaly sorted. I was a girl with a problem.”

“Isn’t that a little self-deluding?”

“I could just go home.”

“Would that be wise?”

“I’m beginning to think coming here wasn’t.”

“Television is the best way to get rid of the tabloids, plus Sir Malcolm owns several and could call off his dogs.”

“I cannot believe your programme would sink to such levels, just to boost ratings.”

“Cathy, this is the biggest story of the week, it even knocks the credit crunch off the lead story. It has everything, a rich media magnate, an heroic rescue by a beautiful heroine who isn’t all she seems, even an animal element. It’s perfect.”

“What do you mean, I’m not all I seem?”

“You know what I mean.”

“You can stick your bulletin as far up your stuck up little arse as you like. I’m going.”

“I’ll destroy you.”

“That remark has just cost you your career. I will speak with Sir Malcolm and ask him to do me a favour…” Julie Stevens went very pale.

“Please, I didn’t mean it.”

“Too late. I don’t take threats from anyone. I stood up to a group of Russian thugs, so you don’t even do more than irritate me. However, you are obviously not suited to your current job, so you have two minutes to resign or I shall ask to see your boss and tell him what you just said.”

“It’s your word against mine,” she said smirking.

“True, except I just happened to record it on my mobile phone.” I flashed the Nokia under her nose.

“Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. I shall go and tell them I don’t feel very well.”

“There might be another solution.”

“Yes,” her expression changed although she still looked very pale.

“We do everything my way.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“We forget all my previous, including the dormouse clip. We go with just this story, I’ll give you an exclusive interview and I’ll meet Sir Malcolm on camera, but we film it before hand not live on air.”

“What about the footage we have with the firemen?”

“You can show that, then do an interview with me live, and then finish with me meeting her husband.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Yes,” I said holding up my phone.

“Now, who’s threatening who?” she said.

“Yes but I’m from an underdog minority seeking public acceptance. For all you know I could be a suicide interviewee.”

“I know you’re not that.”

“Do you?”

“Yes, you have two foster-kids, and you’re a woman. QED?”

I smiled at her. “That one liner has just saved your career. Let’s do it.”

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Comments

Cathy, your fangs are showing, No, not you Catherine Linda

I don't see quite what got Cathy quite so hot under the collar. Just when it seemed teh kids were gentling their new Mommy, too.

It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born

Holly

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Holly

The Press Always Seem To Take A Big Story And Overexpose

jengrl's picture

The press always seems to take a big story and overexpose it for way longer than they should. In the battle for ratings, common sense goes out the window. Cathy knows that the circumstances of who she rescued and her own personal story were going to be used to boost the ratings of the BBC without regard for the victim and her rescuers.

PICT0013_1_0.jpg

Fighting Fire With Fire

Apparently, our Cathy can show great strength of mind and it seeems she is not without influence. She seemed to size up Ms Stevens fairly accurately and took suitable precautions. The problem is that today's journalists would sell their grandmothers if they thought they could get a story from it. Ms Stevens was after the kudos of putting a top story to bed, and Cathy was seen as a soft touch; luckily, realising her vulnerability (as well as that of Trish and Mima) she took precautions and fought fire with fire.

An excellent chapter

Hilary

Do it, anyway

Cathy's first instincts are correct, take her down. Cathy doesn't like the spotlight, and the TV woman's responses show her character, or lack of it. Make it an object lesson to any other "journalist" who considers doing the same.

Yuri!

Yuri!

Are the British press, even the BBC that agressive/amoral?

In the US we sometimes hear of the horrors of the British Tabloid press and are getting a taste of it ourselves what with the Rupert Murdocs of there world buying so much US media.

Is the British press really that rabid, that "ratings are everything, the public/the truth be damned?"

John in Wauwatosa

P.S. I think Cathy was reasonable in her attitude after the reporter said she would distroy her. And the BBC is suposed to be the good guys, crap, what are the independent stations like?

John in Wauwatosa

press

Murdoch is Australian.

What Was Fun Was That Simon

Simply sat there, knowing that Cathy would do what she did if she did'na like what was said. I can see him chuckling at that poor Julie, and evidently Erin knew better too.
May Your Light Forever Shine

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Actually,

I thought that Simon and Erin had AGREED with Julie's proposal... Or so she claimed... And neither of them said otherwise.

I think some interesting chats are due to come out soon. :-)

Annette

Cathy

Cathy is still very much interested in her career as an academic, which the reporter would destroy casually without reguard to what Cathy wanted. So she is right to be cautious. The other side is if she ever deals with that reporter again they now have some understanding of each other, which is good. I didn't get the feeling Cathy made enemies here, just showed she was no ones free lunch (except perhaps Erin's). All in all, a good chapter.

Angharad, you must really detest reporters. Maybe sometime I'll find out what they did to you.

We had a local TV reporter who trashed her career with similar tactics. An old man, a veteran of several particularly nasty WWII battles, had a salvage business that was also his home. People kept breaking in and stealing things from his house, so he started keeping a shotgun at the ready. Remember, this was his home. After two unfortunate events where he shot two guys inside his home this reporter decided he was a maniac that needed taking down. She ambushed him on his way out of a gun store (which she loved, the police had impounded his other two shotguns for evidence), didn't bother to mention this business was his house, and left him crying in his car after disregarding his request not to show his face on the air.

Enough readers knew the full story and raised enough hell that she lost her job. The station issued a formal apology to this old gentleman, I don't know if there was anything financial after that.

So, Daisy Duke is a slime ballette !!

There's a light at the end of the tunnel, however it's your career light , and it's flashing, ready to go out!
Wow, they never saw that coming. Sir Malcolm probably would do what Cathy threatened the Bimbo with ( where did you find her, in a small shop at the mall ?)
Delicious !

Cefin