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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: Briesau Revisited Author: JellySheep,

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:34 pm
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"The party formed into groups and went for a stroll along the lake-path until they reached a little wooden bridge onto which a gate opened, and Joey, regardless of anything like good manners, pressed up to it and gazed at the big chalet partly hidden by the high wattle fence that surrounded it."

Joey stood stock-still, suddenly oblivious of the others. A shiver ran down her spine, as it felt as if she were in a haunted place: for her it was full of the ghosts of the past. Any moment now a group of laughing schoolgirls might run by, and she could almost hear the sounds of eager young voices and piano scales. She wished she could let go of the present and fall into an eternal vision of those golden times. She had hated their coming to an end, and hated still more the banishment of the School by the Nazi Anschluss. Before that had happened, it was as if the world of her schooldays still existed and there was the possibility of stepping back into it. Once the School had left Briesau, even though it did still exist, nothing could be quite the same, and though she might keep in touch with it, it no longer represented her youth.
Joey would never wish away her husband and family, whom she loved dearly, but she could never quite forget that her life with them was a compromise she had had to make: she would much rather never have had to grow up, but when the world of her youth was taken away, she had sought consolation and fulfilment in love.
A chill settled on Joey's heart. The Chalet was silent and empty. It was all just a memory, and the ghosts were all too real: ghosts of girls like Luigia di Ferrara, who had died in a concentration camp; ghosts of girls who had vanished; the ghost of Mlle Lepattre. The past was dead and there was no going back. Suddenly it all seemed so long ago, and she felt old, even at thirty-four. How could she bear to go through with this weekend, which was to be full of reminders of her schooldays? Why had she come, rather than letting the past be? Why had she been so excited; how had she not realised how painful it would be? She determined herself not to let her haunted melancholy show - what would the others think of her? She squared her shoulders, grinned enthusiastically, and began to exclaim about the scene before her.
" 'Oh, look, Frieda!' she cried. 'Our statue of the Blessed Virgin is still in the niche where we left her!...' "

#2: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:39 pm
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How revealing your post is. It could well have been like that for Jo. The war caused so many people to grow up in so many ways, and revisiting the past is always difficult.

Thank you.

#3: Author: Elbee, Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:41 pm
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Poor Jo. That was very moving, JellySheep, thank you.

#4: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:45 pm
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Thank you JellySheep. A lovely, poignant moment.

#5: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:49 pm
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A telling insight into Jo's thoughts. The comment about her marriage was interesting.

Thanks JellySheep.

#6: Author: JustJen, Location: waiting for spring training

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:08 pm
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I think that was nice look at Jo's POV

#7: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 6:13 pm
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Oh, I never thought she might feel like that. Thanks JellySheep.

#8: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 6:17 pm
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Yes, it's always hard revisiting the past.

Thanks JellySheep.

#9: Author: Sugar, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:09 pm
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Poor Joey

I can totally understand as I'm now back at the uni I attended 11 yrs ago and I am finding it slightily surreal as if the past and present are colliding in my head!

#10: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:35 pm
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Thanks Jellysheep. Nice to see a sympathetic view of Joey!

#11: Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:11 am
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Thank you, Jellysheep. Yes, it might well have been like that for Jo - for all of them, really - and they would have done their best to have kept their feelings hidden, both for the sake of Mary-Lou and co, but also for Frieda, as they were hoping to give her a really relaxing and refreshing weekend.

#12: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:47 am
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Thanks Jellysheep

#13: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:01 pm
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Thank you Jellysheep, that's a beautiful insight into Joey's thoughts at that moment.

#14: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:27 pm
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That was lovely, thank you.

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

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