A Chance Encounter-Complete
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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: A Chance Encounter-Complete Author: Fiona McLocation: Bendigo, Australia PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:09 pm
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My apologies for any discrepancies with any of the characters, but this bunny has been sitting looking mournfully at me for the past few days so I thought I would post it

Budapest, Hungary 1952
Margia examined the small clock. It had been such an odd encounter with that woman she thought. She had been so haughty, as though Eastern Europe was so wonderful and yet she gave her this beautiful Hungarian clock. It looked old and valuable. Margia sighed, what was it she said?
‘It was of old Hungary and why keep it, but she, Margia might like it.’
Margia did, there was something quaintly charming about it. Then the woman said the oddest thing, almost indifferently,
‘You may wish to get it cleaned, just remind them not to boil it, polishing would be better.’
Margia had almost started at that but something in the woman’s eyes was pleading with her to understand.
‘Thank you,’ was all Margia said. ‘It’s lovely, I’ll always cherish it.’
‘Boil it.’
And Margia started. ‘Oh no,’ she thought, ‘who would tell me not to boil a clock? What was she really trying to tell me?’
Margia leapt up off the bed and knocked on her Manager’s door.
“Peter,” she said, “I’ve left something behind I need to go back to the State Theatre.” “What?” said Peter answering the door.
“I left something behind,” repeated Margia firmly, “I need to go back.”
“Can’t it wait til morning?” he asked.
Margia shook her head, “no,” she said, “I’ll be all right, I’m sure the cleaner is still there.”
“Come on,” said Peter good naturedly, “I’ll come with you.”
The two headed downstairs and bumping into the concierge along the way explained where they were heading.
“I’ll call the State Theatre and ask the cleaner to wait,” said the Concierge helpfully. “Thank you,” said Margia gratefully. “I would appreciate that.”
Margia leapt into the building and saw the woman dressed in her outdoor clothes standing by the stage waiting for her. She was staring at the piano when Margia entered the auditorium.
“The first concert I ever played, I was so nervous,” said Margia softly.
“I can’t imagine ever being good at something like this,” mused the woman reflectively. “I was always invariably at the bottom of my form at school. My husband is a teacher; fortunately our three children take after him. They’re so bright and they love school.”
“Did you love school when you were young?” smiled Margia.
The woman nodded a little sadly.
“It’s so long ago,” she said with a sigh. She became almost brisk, “what did you leave behind?” She asked.
“A photo,” said Margia still smiling. “I carry two photos with me whenever I’m on tour and I tend to leave them in the piano for luck. May I have a look please?”
The woman nodded surprised by the statement.
“Here they are,” said Margia a few minutes later. She hadn’t left anything behind but knew she needed a reason and didn’t want the woman to get in trouble for knowing an English woman. This was behind the Iron Curtain.
“It’s of my family,” she said handing the photo over to the woman. “My parents, with my sister Amy and me. Amy is married now with two little girls Margaret and Cecilia. She still writes poetry and is so very happy. Her husband is lovely. The other photo is of me with my friends from school Corney, Evvy, Elsie and Lonny.” The woman started to see the group.
“Corney is married and living in America. She has a little girl Meg. Evvy lost her fiancé during the War and married a widower a year or two ago. She has three step children a boy and two girls. Lonny became a Professor at the London University. She’s married with a boy and a girl. Elsie was a PT Mistress at Red Gables until she married and she has two gorgeous children.”
The woman looked almost hungrily at the photo. “You look like a nice group of girls,” she said almost formally.
“They are,” said Margia softly, when she realized Peter was talking to the Theatre Manager.
“It’s alright,” Margia called out cheerfully. “They’re here. I always put these photos in the piano for luck. Thanks for letting me in.”
“Anything to be of service,” said the Theatre Manager politely.
“And I won’t boil the clock either,” Margia said in undertone to the woman.
“It would probably make it chime more than it probably should,” the woman responded almost humorously.
The two stared at each other for one long moment.
“Good-bye Margia,” the woman said quietly.
“Take care, Cyrilla,” said Margia and slowly walked out the door.

#2:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:21 pm
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Oh gosh, I'm all goosebumpy. Thank you Fiona.

#3:  Author: meeriumLocation: belfast, northern ireland PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:45 pm
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Cor, Fiona. That was really fantastically good. I was in Budapest in November 2005 with work and met some of the dissidents who'd taken part in the revolution - absolutely fascinating people, and a fascinating city too.

#4:  Author: LizzieLocation: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:49 pm
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That was lovely, Fiona, really lovely.

#5:  Author: ElbeeLocation: Surrey PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 4:21 pm
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Lovely but sad too - poor Cyrilla, unable to even speak freely to an old school friend Crying or Very sad

Thanks Fiona!

#6:  Author: leahbelleLocation: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:16 pm
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That was really wonderful, Fiona. Thank you.

#7:  Author: TanLocation: London via Newcastle Australia PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:56 pm
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How beautifully written. And I do wonder what happened to so many of the girls.


Crying or Very sad

#8:  Author: Mrs RedbootsLocation: London, UK PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:25 pm
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Thanks, Fiona.

One of the things that struck me during my last holiday, when we visited the Imperial Capitals, and also during a visit to Poland a few years ago, was how pathetically short a time these have been countries. Poland and the Czech Republic were eclipsed for so long.

And it must have been terrible, even before the advent of Communism, for those who were born under the old Emperor to suddenly find that they now lived in a tiny little country, totally unimportant in the scheme of things. And then for Hungary (and quite nearly Austria) to be taken over by the Communists....

This was a good story!

#9:  Author: MaryRLocation: Cheshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:50 pm
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Thank you, Fiona - so sad. Crying or Very sad

#10:  Author: brieLocation: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:15 pm
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thanks fiona, how sad, but so poignant

#11:  Author: LizBLocation: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:31 pm
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Ruth B wrote:
I'm all goosebumpy.


Me too!

Thanks, Fiona - that was beautiful.

#12:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:55 pm
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Very clever of Margia - but how sad.


Thanks Fiona.

#13:  Author: Alison HLocation: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:03 pm
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Thanks Fiona.

#14:  Author: Cath V-PLocation: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:17 am
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That was so very moving, with so much implied under the surface. Thanks Fiona.

#15:  Author: MirandaLocation: Perth, Western Australia PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:21 am
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That was lovely Fiona, and yet so sad to have to conduct a reunion with an old friend like that. Margia handled it so well.

#16:  Author: janemLocation: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:02 am
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That was indeed lovely and very sad

#17:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:28 am
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How brave of Cyrilla to make contact. Thank goodness Margia picked up on it so well.

*hope they meet again in better times*

#18:  Author: FatimaLocation: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:57 am
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That was brilliant, thanks Fiona.

#19:  Author: KarolineLocation: Leeds, West Yorkshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:17 pm
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Thanks Fiona, that was lovely

#20:  Author: LauraMLocation: Bournemouth, Dorset PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:27 pm
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That was beautiful, and so sad.

Thanks

#21:  Author: Loryat PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:05 pm
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I liked that. Very moving. Any plans to carry it on?

#22:  Author: JustJenLocation: at a baseball game PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:42 pm
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How sad that they couldn't talk to each other in public Sad

#23:  Author: Fiona McLocation: Bendigo, Australia PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 1:36 pm
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Loryat wrote:
I liked that. Very moving. Any plans to carry it on?


I do have a ghost of a drabble lurking but the bunny hasn't fully pounced yet, hopefully in the next couple of months. Very Happy

#24:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:26 pm
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Fiona Mc wrote:
Loryat wrote:
I liked that. Very moving. Any plans to carry it on?


I do have a ghost of a drabble lurking but the bunny hasn't fully pounced yet, hopefully in the next couple of months. Very Happy


Yay!

that made me so goosebumpy too - thankyou

#25:  Author: Laura VLocation: Czech Republic PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:48 am
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lovely to see Cyrilla Crying or Very sad

#26:  Author: LottieLocation: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:59 pm
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Poor Cyrilla. I alwyas tend to forget how many of the early CS girls must have ended up behind the iron curtain. It would be lovely to see it carried on, particularly if Margia can rescue Cyrilla.

Thanks, Fiona Mc.

#27:  Author: JosieLocation: London PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:38 am
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This is great, Fiona. Certainly gave me chills. Would love to read more about Cyrilla's life *sends bunny food*



The CBB -> Ste Therese's House


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