The CBB :: View topic - I lift my eyes up

#1: I lift my eyes up Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:43 pm

I did have a FCS floating in my brain but Charley bit me harder for this than the FCS which is now on the backburner. I've had the first bit of this written since my first year at St Andrews which I actually wrote about the beach by my hall and it's sat on a disk ever since whilst I tried to work out what to do with it. Here's the result...

“There’s a perfect day stretching out ahead of me. The pale blue, glass like sea goes on forever blending into a distant horizon with the hazy blue sky. There’s a calming breeze blowing across me breaking the sun’s warmth. I know the rough contours of the surrounding landscape so well by sight. If it weren’t for the people there’d be a blissful silence lulled only by the gentle lapping of the waves.

“I love this place more in the winter when the cruel grey skies, heavy with cloud bear down on us turning the sea to an angry grey. It’s so much more peaceful then as the icy breezes blow all around forcing the people to stay away and leave this place tranquil.

“A safe haven for a restless spirit.

“I love it when the rain lashes down and the waves rise higher to greet the new influx of water. I love it when the snow finely covers the beach like icing sugar on a cake. I love it at night, in darkness when the moon reflects, shimmering on the water. I love it at sunset when the fiery colours warm the sea. I love it as the tide comes in engulfing the beach, the sea knowing no mercy. I love it as the tide goes out revealing glorious unspoilt sand.

“I love the great sense of calm that comes as the waves lap gently on to the shore. The safe knowledge created on a calm day by the clearly defined horizon; a deep blue line of sea against the paleness of the sky. But I love the days when menacing grey clouds make the horizon a blur, its location undefined through hazy clouds. Things aren’t so safe then, the boundaries have changed.

“Time for change.

“The sea’s been almost perfect these last few days, not sea like at all. It’s more like glass and it looks so easy just to walk out on it. It’s freezing cold and the sand at the top of the beach is lightly covered in frost. Where the sun catches the water it glitters black and empty. Towards the horizon the sea’s a darker blue, more sea like than where the waves lap in.

“I came here seeking a sanctuary; somewhere I could be anonymous. This tiny village by the sea is perfect; people stare at you for the first few days with the novelty then leave you alone more interested in the weather and the price of peas. I spent my whole life fighting against routine and settling; always moving on seeking a new adventure. There was a whole world out there that I had yet to discover.

“Then something changed.

“I’ve never been quite sure what exactly happened to me a year ago that made me suddenly crave the safety of a place like this. I’d always been convinced before that when the time was right I’d move on to something new and even more exciting than what I’d been doing before. But then this time I suddenly began to crave a sense of security; something I hadn’t known since my childhood.

“So I came here. A sleepy, grey stone village miles from anywhere, a tiny grey stone house with roses climbing up the front wall. A mere stone’s throw from the tiny golden beach and the vast empty sea. For the first time in many years I felt safe, as though I had finally found somewhere to where I belonged.

“As though I had come home.

“It had been so many years since I’d called anywhere ‘home’. The perils of always moving on I suppose, but there were so many things I wanted to do. So many things I still want to do but now I guess I never will. I always wanted to ride the surf in Australia at daybreak or trek barefoot across the Grand Canyon or watch the sunset at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I had so many plans, so many places still to go, so many things to do but then I began to crave the security I’d always avoided.

“In the next pages I will attempt to recreate my life, as faithfully and as accurately as I can and hope that in doing so I cause no harm to anyone.”

Mary-Lou Trelawny sighed and laid down her pen. She’d known that trying to write everything down at this point in her life would be difficult. Years as a travelling archaeologist had left her without any firm roots as she’d moved on from place to place answering the call of her instincts. She’d followed adventures, always seeking something new and interesting. Over the years she’d lost touch with the people who’d helped to shape her early life; she knew it was the down side of her continual movement yet it still saddened her. She’d arrived here a little over a year ago when she’d retired to try and collect her thoughts together. A colleague on the last dig she’d worked in Greece had suggested she write her autobiography. At the time she’d thought it was quite possibly one of the worst ideas she’d ever heard, but the idea had grown on her after several other people had suggested it.

Coming back to Britain on a permanent basis had been a culture shock to her. She’d been back on numerous occasions over the years to deliver lectures but always knowing that it was only for a matter of weeks and soon she’d be off again. She had never been able to pinpoint the sudden craving for security she’d had or indeed why it had hit her. Upon her return she’d spent many painstaking weeks tracking down people who she’d met throughout her life; anyone who would be able to help her write. Of course a number of the people who’d helped to form her early years had since passed on, but a good number of them remained and had been more than happy to help out. She glanced up at the clock, time was running out.

Last edited by pim on Thu Nov 25, 2004 11:08 am; edited 14 times in total

#2: Author: Sue, Location: Tunbridge Wells

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:46 pm

It's beautiful Pim
Sue

#3: Author: Steph, Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:49 pm

Wow pim this is great. I can really see the beach and understand how Mary-Lou feels. Hope you can continue with this I would love to see the result!

#4: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:50 pm

May we have some more soon Pim? This is lovely. Nice to see a different ML too.

#5: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:54 pm

ooooooh

Mature ML.

Looking forward to more.

#6: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:16 pm

Wow! Pim, this is great! Looking forward to more!

#7: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:27 pm

Is it too early to start chanting for more?

#8: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:46 pm

Never too early, Ann!!

Please continue, pim! This looks good.

#9: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 7:28 pm

That was fantastic Pim, very moving, and very interesting to see an older ML.

*Joins the queue for those wanting more*

#10: Author: Donna, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:24 pm

Loved the opening section Pim - can really empathise with ML! More please! Smile

#11: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:02 pm

Wow. This looks brilliant pim, I was so glad when I saw you were writing again and I can't wait for the next part!

#12: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 8:54 am

Wow. This is looking amazing. Thank you, pim.

#13: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:59 am

This looks great Pim, thank you. Also great to see more of your writing. Look forward to the next bit, will be interesting to see ML viewpoint on her life.

#14: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 10:56 am

I'm looking forward tolots more of this, Pim.

#15: Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:22 pm

Pim

How about "No stone left unturned" as a title ?

really liking the start of this, hope there's more to come...

#16: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 3:27 pm

Intrigued! Definitely want to read about M-L's life.

#17: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:48 pm

I had a title... but I forgot it Confused

A handful of the broadsheet newspapers reported the death of Mary Louise Trelawny, the celebrated archaeologist, on their obituary pages. It was by sheer chance that Viola Lucy, or Viola Warrington as she now was, picked up that morning’s copy of the papers. Flicking through idly her eye was caught by a picture on the obituary pages. A face she knew so well, that she had known for so many years, but hadn’t seen for at least ten. At the age of 47 her once best friend was now dead. Vi skimmed through the report several times wishing it to be untrue, but knowing full well that it wasn’t. With trembling hands she picked up the phone and dialled a number that she hadn’t for many years.

There was no mistaking Verity Carey’s voice when she answered, still as silvery and fair as it had been back in their schooldays.

“Verity, it’s Vi Warrington. I was just reading the papers…” Vi broke off, unsure where to go next.
“You want to know if it’s true? About Mary-Lou I mean.” Verity’s voice remained neutral, almost impassive and emotionless.
“Yes.”
“I’m afraid so Vi.”

Vi and Verity exchanged a few more pleasantries and Vi hung up now in the knowledge of the funeral details. Alone, basking in the rare peace of a house without her family around, she read through the obituary once more as if trying to make sense of the last half hour. She hadn’t seen Mary-Lou in a good ten years, it had been impossible for them to continue their friendship.

Over the next few days Vi found herself speaking to friends she hadn’t heard from in a long time. It seemed strange hearing voices that she’d once heard every day but now hadn’t heard in years. In the thirty years or so since they’d left the safe confines of the Chalet School the world had changed so much; they’d changed so much. ‘The Gang’, as they had been known, had begun to splinter as they’d moved up the school; the movement into reality and the adult world had fractured it further. It had taken the death of their once great friend to try and begin to repair the cracks.

#18: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:51 pm

Wow! What happened it sounds as though it was more than just them growing apart!

#19: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 9:48 pm

Very intrigued. Ive always liked Vi, and sometimes got very annoyed she was so overshadowed by ML. I would love to see how their friendship progressed, and how they loss contact.

#20: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 9:51 pm

Okay, new bit for now, then no more til after the weekend as I haven't got time to work on what I've got.

Robert Fenchurch looked around the small cottage that his ex-wife had taken on her return to England before her death. Sifting through a pile of papers on her desk there was one in particular which caught his eye; on it were written the words: “In the next pages I will attempt to recreate my life, as faithfully and as accurately as I can and hope that in doing so I cause no harm to anyone.” Robert laid the sheet down again; she’d been writing her life story. He wondered when she’d begun it; he knew she’d been here for a year or so but he had no idea when she’d decided to start this or even how far she’d got with it.

Mary-Lou’s death was still raw to him. She’d known for more than a year about the cancer but she hadn’t told him until the end when she’d suddenly got in contact to ask to see their daughter, Abigail. The name meant father’s joy, she had been just that to him, but not her mother. Mary-Lou had left when Abby was three months old, just over thirteen years ago and they’d not heard a word until the end.

#21: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 11:20 pm

*hooked*

Wow, powerful stuff.

#22: Author: Rachel, Location: Plotting in my lair

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 11:41 pm

Pim this is fantastically gripping stuff. Really intrigued and wanting to know more about the break ups and family issues!

#23: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 7:27 am

Hope you can write another instalment soon, Pim, this is wonderful.

#24: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 12:10 pm

This is good, Pim. See how you've got us all on tenterhooks?

#25: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 2:32 pm

I didn't mean to start reading any new drabbles over the summer as I wouldn't be able to keep up with everything but I have to read this one! The opening extract was soooooo powerful and emotional, I am so envious that you can write like that (but in a nice way not in a nasty evil way)!

#26: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 4:13 pm

Ooh, this looks like being fantastic!
*settles down at computer to wait for the next installment*

#27: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 7:41 pm

Very, very interested, and impatient for more!

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

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:32 pm

This is excellent Pim. I love the hints you are giving us about what has happened, and look forward to reading the full story as it unfolds.

#29: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 5:23 pm

Wow. This is drawing me in already, why would ML leave her daughter? and her husband for that matter?

Looking forward to reading what comes next... Smile

#30: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:29 pm

Here's the next bit... my net connection is decidedly dodgy at the mo *grumbles* Anyways, all the bits from now in italics are ML's thoughts/writings and the rest isn't.

On the beach by the cottage Mary-Lou had been renting, Abigail Fenchurch stood looking out to sea and idly throwing a handful of pebbles into it. It was August but the menacing low grey clouds suggested otherwise; the high white crested waves of an equally menacing grey sea crashed into the shore. Abigail flung the final pebble from her hand out as far as she could, before turning on her heel and heading back to the cottage.

The last couple of days had passed in a whirl for her once the news of her mother’s death had come through. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel over the death of someone she had never known but at the same time was such an important part of her life. How was she supposed to grieve for the mother she had never truly known? Abigail had seen her at the end, but it had been impossible to make up thirteen missed years in a few weeks.

“Everyone was so full of how wonderful it would be to be a mother, but I never felt it. I never felt anything, only trapped, a rat in a maze with no way out. Everyone else cooed and said ‘oh isn’t she wonderful’ but I couldn’t see it. I just saw her as an obstacle, something which prevented me from being free and pursuing my dreams. I didn’t want to be pinned down to one place for the rest of my life, I just couldn’t be. So I wasn’t. I left, walked out on my daughter and back into my work. It cost me friendships to make that decision, I know it was selfish. I’d often felt as though I’d been pushed into my marriage. Robert was a doctor, it made him perfect in the eyes of many people I knew. I did love him once but everything was so rushed, the wedding, then Abigail, that once I was finally able to stop and look around me I realised that it wasn’t what I wanted. I had wanted it at one point, but I couldn’t live with it, with it cutting away at my freedom. I needed to be free, to feel the wind in my face, the sun on my back, the sand beneath my feet. So I left.”

Abigail lightly fingered the row of sympathy cards on the bookcase. She found them slightly distasteful, they didn’t belong. She didn’t understand why she needed sympathy over the loss of somebody she’d never really known. As a young child she’d noticed the absence of her mother but it had never really bothered her. As she’d got older she’d realised that all she needed to do was find anything related to archaeology and she could find out where her mother was in the world. It was never quite the same as having her mother around but it came close enough. The occasional woman had passed through her father’s life, always ‘Auntie so-and-so’, a polite euphemism for his latest girlfriend, but they’d never stayed very long. Was it her fault? She would never know.

Last edited by pim on Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

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

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:33 pm

wow. Gripping stuff. We see a little more of Mary-Lou and what happened, yet still wnt to know more and more.

Hope to this continued soon.

#32: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 9:11 pm

hooked and thirsty for next post...

#33: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 9:13 pm

*Wonder if Mary Lou's little dig about a doctor being perfect was aimed at Joey?*

Pim this is wonderful! Smile

#34: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 9:24 pm

Wow. Feeling rather sorry for ML if she was pushed to conform to a pattern which didn't suit her.

#35: Author: Rachel, Location: Plotting in my lair

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:06 pm

Brilliant development Pim. Yes, you are definitely stirring some long buried sympathy for OOAO!

#36: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:10 pm

Abigail sounds an intreguing young lady...

More please Pim!

#37: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:11 am

Pim, please hurry and give us lots more of this.

#38: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 4:03 pm

Very intrigued Pim, looking forward to more Very Happy

#39: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:00 pm

Pim this is a wonderfully emotive story. Poor Mary-Lou - she nmust have felt really trapped. No wonder she wasn't sure about writing her life story.

Looking forward to the next parts, meeting all the other members of the gang should be very interesting.

#40: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:53 pm

This is incredible...powerful

#41: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:41 pm

New bit... needless to say I've been doing very little at work of late... *koff koff*

The sun shone on the day of the funeral in a brilliant blue cloudless sky. The temperature had soared, prompting an outbreak of handkerchiefs mopping brows as a crowd congregated outside the church to pay their final respects. Amongst the masses Vi had easily picked out Clem Barrass and they stood awkwardly together picking out people they had known at school. Vi hated funerals, they never got any easier, and each one brought Hugh’s back to her.

The Chalet School was well represented at the funeral, as were all other walks of Mary-Lou’s life. She had touched so many people throughout her life. Amidst the crowd Abigail felt lost and confused, hearing all the voices around her saying what a wonderful woman her mother had been. Abigail’s thoughts kept churning back to the same one ‘my mother abandoned me’. Robert kept a protective arm around his daughter’s shoulder, shielding her from the looks of the strangers around her, shielding her from the strangers themselves. He could hear snatches of their conversations, the rumours, the accusations which floated between the people present. Deep down he wanted Abigail to understand what a wonderful person her mother had been, but like Abigail’s thoughts Robert’s churned back to the same one ‘her mother abandoned her.’

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

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:46 pm

Wow, you keep the same power running throughg this, and I still want to hear more of the story.

#43: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:51 pm

Thats so beautiful and powerful Pim, I feel so much for Abigail!

#44: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:57 pm

*feeling sorry for everyone* Sad

#45: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:34 pm

Thank you Pim. Crying or Very sad

#46: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:55 pm

Very powerful stuff.

#47: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:24 am

This is so realistic, Pim, so please give us lots more!

#48: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:49 am

Thank you Pim, very powerful!

#49: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:05 am

I'm addicted to this!!
Moreplease

#50: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 7:36 pm

Eleven figures all clad in black lined the graveside as the coffin was lowered in. They were the fragments of ‘The Gang’, Mary-Lou’s greatest friends from school, who had made their way to the funeral, united in their loss. Viola Lucy, Lesley Malcolm, Hilary Bennett, Catriona Watson, Christine Vincent, Josette Russell, Jo Scott, Jessica Wayne, Nina Rutherford, Clare Kennedy, Doris Hill. Verity stood a way in front being comforted by her husband. A gentle breeze blew gently ruffling the hemlines of the row of knee length black skirts, but none of them felt it; they remained focused on the last movements of their once great friend. In an instinctive reaction to the grief Vi reached for Lesley’s hand; the show of emotion caught on, the eleven in their line, hands clasped one in the other, a final show of solidarity, a final united front.

I often wondered what my funeral would be like when they first told me about the cancer. I wondered who would come, who would be there to bid me my final farewell. It seemed so unfair knowing I would die so young, it just wasn’t right; I still had so much to do, so much to achieve. Now the chance of the life I wanted was being snatched away from me before my eyes, like the child being told ‘no’. It’s so easy to say that you don’t want grieving at your funeral, that you want it to be a celebration of your life, but you know that in reality you can’t stop people being upset, you can’t stop the hurt that they are feeling no matter how much you want to stop it. When I was told my father had died I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel, I was only ten after all and I could barely remember him. With Gran and mother it was different, they were people who had played such an indescribably huge role in my life that without them I felt lost and abandoned. I knew they’d suffered so much in the end that they were glad to go; but all the same, and I knew it was selfish, I didn’t want them to go, I wanted to keep them forever. I promised Gran that I wouldn’t fuss, and I didn’t, but deep down my heart was breaking and I missed her so much I could have never even begun to talk about it. When mother died I became aware of how alone I was in the world. I knew that I had friends, very good friends, but nothing can ever take the place of a mother. All my life after that I knew that there were certain situations I would find myself in which only she could have comforted me in or helped me through and that hurt. I wouldn’t have wished the pain and suffering she went through towards the end on her all over again but, just like a small child, there were times when I simply wanted my mother.

Footnote - muchas gracias to my mother, who will more than likely never read this, for inspiring ML's part here following a discussion we had about her mum the other week who died when I was only 2.

#51: Author: shoe__gal, Location: St Andrews, Scotland

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 8:36 pm

This is fantastic - thanks! So glad I found the board! Smile

#52: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 8:51 pm

Pim, This is wonderful! Please keep going!

#53: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:06 pm

Pim, this is wonderful! Very Happy

#54: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:13 pm

*sniffles*

wonderful, pim.

#55: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:11 pm

Thank you Pim.

#56: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 10:35 am

Thank you Pim - wonderful, so touching.

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

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 10:40 am

This is so emotional and touching Pim, it is wonderful.

#58: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:42 am

This is really emotive stuff, Pim. Please do continue.

#59: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 8:22 pm

Oh gosh, just read my last post back, not sure if it's me or the 2 gasses of champagne and bottle of wine talking but oh...

“Vi?”
Vi turned round as a hand was laid carefully on her arm. “Robert,” she replied softly.

Their eyes met for a moment, it had been a good eight years since they had last spoken. Vi had remained in touch after Mary-Lou had left them feeling that she owed that much to Abigail at least. She’d fallen out of touch with Mary-Lou before Robert. Vi had never understood why she’d walked out on Robert and Abigail; it had made the situation with Mary-Lou difficult to the extent that it had ruined their friendship and caused the final break between the pair. She had never been sure why she had drifted out of touch with Robert and Abigail; she supposed it had just been one of those things.

“Here on your own?” he asked. Vi nodded in reply. “Where’s Hugh?”
Vi swallowed hard. “Hugh died five years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”

The silence between the pair became awkward. Robert’s eyes scanned the room unable to meet Vi’s as he searched for Abigail amidst the throng of people. He spotted her on the far side of the room with Verity, Vi’s gaze followed Robert’s.

“That’s some girl you’ve got,” she said.
“Abby? She’s my world.”

Vi smiled knowingly, she’d said the same thing about her own daughters when Hugh had died. Ruth, Tacy, Cathlin, Livia and Alexis, each formed their own part of her world and each had brought her comfort in their own way.

#60: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 11:35 am

Wow Pim this is amazing!

#61: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 11:46 am

*awestruck*

Wonderful

#62: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 11:50 am

New bit for today... maybe more tomorrow night if I can get back online, Monay if not.

Abigail turned and caught her father’s eye. The woman he was talking to looked familiar somehow, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on it. The day had been an unusual one for her, hearing so much about the mother she had never known had surprised her. Her father didn’t really like to talk about her and over the years they’d drifted apart from anyone who had known her, with the exception of Verity, so she’d been left to formulate her own opinions. Although her mother’s absence hadn’t really bothered her, she’d still kept a secret dream to herself in which her mother came back home to her father to be with him and be her mother, to be there when she needed her. Quite often she’d been jealous of her friends and the relationships they had with their mothers; it didn’t seem quite fair that she was the one to be missing out. It would have been different if her mother had died, but she hadn’t, she’d abandoned her.

“Abby.”

Verity’s silvery voice cut through Abigail’s thoughts and she suddenly realised that she hadn’t heard a word her Aunt had been saying to her for the last few minutes. She became aware of another woman standing with her, tall and slim in her mid sixties with long dark hair streaked with grey wrapped up in great plaits around her ears. Abigail stared, this was another face that meant something somewhere from her early years, but again she couldn’t place it.

“Abby, this is Jo Maynard. She…”
“I knew you mother from when she was younger than you,” put in Jo. The pieces in Abigail’s mind fell into place and she politely held out her hand. Jo examined Abigail carefully as she took her hand. “Yes,” she said with a small sigh. “You look just like her.”

I first encountered the Maynards when I was ten years old when I moved with mother and Gran from Devon to Armishire, more specifically to Howells village into Carn Beg the house which would be my home for so many years. I first met the triplets, Helena, Constance and Margaret, or Len, Con and Margot as they were more affectionately known, who were two years younger than myself, and the eldest two boys, Stephen and Charles who were a few years younger again. My first recollection of them was that they seemed so happy and carefree; I was still somewhat sore from the removal from Devon and guessed they’d never known anything like what I was going through. Their mother, Auntie Jo as she came to be, would soon begin to play an important role in my life. She was someone I could go to for advice and guidance. She had a wonderful gift of understanding people and being able to get right under their skin and figure out just exactly what made them tick. So many people said I had inherited her mantle but I was never so sure; I didn’t think that I could ever quite reach them in the same way that she could. Auntie Jo was always there for me through the hardest times in my early life, the death of my father, of Gran, of my stepfather, and my mother. She was always able to point me in the right direction and help me see things clearly when I simply didn’t know what to do. As I grew older we drifted somewhat, we both had such differing outlooks on life. I don’t think she ever understood the need that I felt to be free, to not be tied down. She thought Robert was perfect, I don’t feel that she ever pushed me into marrying him, but she certainly encouraged me in that direction. We never spoke after I left, she couldn’t understand why I chose to walk out on my daughter and I couldn’t explain. I regretted the split bitterly, without Auntie Jo in my life I’d lost the one person I could truly relate to and turn to in times of need.

#63: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 12:11 pm

fascinating, and utterly compelling.

Wonderful

#64: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 12:32 pm

Pim, please continue with OOAo' apologia, it's great.

#65: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 2:21 pm

Looking forward to the next bit Pim!

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

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 2:41 pm

Wow, that's great Pim, love the description of ML's relationship with Joey.

#67: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:29 am

Abigail simply blinked and stared at the older woman before her. No one had ever said that she looked like her mother before; people had often commented in passing that she bore a resemblance to her, but it had never been pointed out so blatantly.

“I…” she faltered.
Jo reached out and lifted the golden brown hair that fell straight as a yard stick to her shoulders. “Your mother’s hair was as straight as a ram rod like this; that was before the accident of course.” Abigail looked at Jo quizzically, she’d never heard about this accident, but it did explain why in all the pictures she’d ever seen of her mother she had curly hair. Jo looked back at Abigail in almost disbelief. “You’ve never heard about the accident?” she asked in a shocked tone. Abigail shook her head. “Abigail, how much do you know about your mother?”
Abigail shrugged. “Not much,” she mumbled nonchalantly.
“Robert doesn’t really like…” began Verity.
“Rot to that,” retorted Jo. “Abigail has every right to know about her mother. I know we didn’t part on the best of terms but no matter how much Robert tries to deny it, she is Mary-Lou’s daughter. I remember when the news came that Mary-Lou’s father had been killed on the Murray-Cameron expedition and I was the one who broke it to her. I told her then that she was part her mother and part her father and that she had inherited things from her father, which was why people said that she took after him. It’s the same for you Abigail. You are half your mother and you do take after your mother as well as your father, and so you have a right to know about your mother.”

Abigail stared at Jo. No one had ever put it in those terms to her. People had always pitied her, the poor child whose mother had abandoned her, she obviously wouldn’t want to know anything about her; it would be too hard on her. And now here was someone telling her that she had every right to know about her mother; for the first time in her life Abigail felt truly curious about her mother.

“Tell me about her,” she said carefully avoiding the cautious gaze of Verity. “There’s so much I want to know.”

Time it was and what a time it was, a time of innocence, a time of confidences. Long ago it must be, I have a photograph, preserve your memory. That’s all that’s left here.

Bonus points if anyone can name the song I blatantly stole the last lines from!

#68: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:54 am

Simon and Garfunkel 'Bookends.'

#69: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 1:51 pm

Amazing and moving drabble, Pim.

#70: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 5:25 pm

Thank you Pim, that was so moving.

(Oh and double post duly deleted!)

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

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:04 pm

That was beautiful Pim, and so Joey!

#72: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:29 pm

I really like this Pim, very intriguing, especially as I came straight to it from Carolyn's ML drabble.

#73: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:49 am

Thank you Pim. Am really enjoying this.

*though do have to mentally readjust so i don't confuse it with Carolyn's*

#74: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:19 pm

Bonus points to Jennie! More bonus points if anyone can name the songs that I've blatantly stolen the lyrics from in this bit...

The wake began to break up in the early evening as people drifted away to make their journey home. Old acquaintances and friendships had been renewed over the course of the afternoon, probably not to the extent that they once had been but the first baby steps had been taken towards repair. The members of ‘The Gang’ left with a shared aim to teach Abigail about her mother; a motion firmly encouraged by Jo Maynard who declared that she fully intended to play her role in this scheme. Vi left feeling somewhat happier than she had done in a long time and with a promise to go to help Robert sort through Mary-Lou’s cottage that weekend. They’d planned to take Abigail and Vi’s youngest daughters, Livia who was Abigail’s age and Alexis who was three years younger to give Abigail the chance to get to know them.

In the privacy of her room that evening Abigail let the thoughts run round endlessly in her head. Closing the door firmly behind her she selected an LP from the collection on the shelf and removed it from its sleeve before gently laying it on the record player, which was her prized possession. She moved the needle to the right place and let the music of her favourite song fill the room. As the glorious opening saxophone solo sent its familiar shivers down her spine she flopped on to her bed, flat on her back, knees drawn up and hands behind her head. “Winding your way down to Baker Street, light in your head and dead on your feet, well another crazy day, you dreamt the night away and forget about everything.” Crazy day was an understatement she thought to herself. She knew so much more about her mother than she had done twenty four hours previously and there was a promise that she would know so much more. She couldn’t stop her thoughts churning, there was so much she wanted to know, so much she needed to know. You are half your mother. Jo’s words had struck something deep inside her, something that she’d known by instinct but something she’d never brought to her conscious mind. Mulling it over she supposed it had been something she’d always avoided thinking about so as not to upset her father. On the rare occasions she’d tried to ask about her mother he’d always changed the subject, or just given her answers that didn’t really help and left her even more in the dark than she had been before she’d asked.

The song faded out and Abigail slipped off her bed, lifted the needle on the record player and removed the LP. She slotted it back into its sleeve and pushed it back on to the shelf taking another one down as she did so. She lowered the needle on to a well worn track, her comfort song, the one she always played when she wanted to think about her mother. The music filled the room as she settled back down on to her bed and picked up her book off the bedside table. “When the rain came I thought you’d leave ‘cause I knew how much you love the sun. But you chose to stay, stay and keep me warm through the coldest winter I’ve ever known.” But she hadn’t stayed.

#75: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:35 pm

Jerry Rafferty: 'Baker Street' - don't know the other I'm afraid...

This is powerful stuff, Pim - please post some more soon.

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

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:24 pm

I love this Pim and Abigail is really coming alive.

#77: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:22 pm

Knew Baker Street - not the other.

Lovely Pim.

#78: Author: Rachel, Location: Plotting in my lair

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 11:11 pm

Pim wrote:

When the rain came I thought you’d leave ‘cause I knew how much you love the sun. But you chose to stay, stay and keep me warm through the coldest winter I’ve ever known

Mandolin Wind by Rod Stewart.

Are there going to be prizes?

Excellent story Pim - any chance of a romance between Vi and Robert?

#79: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:14 am

Lovely Pim! Glad Abigail is going to find out more about her Mother and that some of the cracks will be healed...I hope.

#80: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 1:33 pm

Perhaps Abigail will also learn to be butter-in in chief.

#81: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:33 pm

Pim this is wonderful. ML's thoughts about her Mum echo mine about my dad. This made me want to cry (can't as I'm in work!)

Looking forward to the next bit and to seeing how the Gang teach Abigail about ML.

#82: Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:56 pm

This is great Pim. I echo Susan's comment about ML thinking the same way I did about my mum.

It's nice that ML isn't being painted as an 'awful person' for leaving her family. We are getting to see her reasoning for it and that others are moving on inspite of it.

#83: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:34 pm

[quote=]"Rachel
Mandolin Wind by Rod Stewart.
Are there going to be prizes?[/quote]

Bonus points to Ann and Rachel! Hmm, prizes? Haven't thought that far ahead yet! Maybe I should start to keep a tally. Anyhoo, for now here's some more story to be going on with but no more 'til either Saturday or Sunday!

Abigail and Robert drove up to Mary-Lou’s cottage that Saturday. The fine weather from the funeral on Thursday had soon passed and the sky had clouded over once again and rain threatened. It felt more like October than early August thought Abigail as she huddled into her cardigan. They never talked much on car journeys, and even less when Robert had changed his car earlier that year to one with a cassette player in it. Music had always been a bone of contention between the pair as they had wildly differing styles. Abigail couldn’t see how her father couldn’t appreciate the lyrical genius of Simon and Garfunkel, the anguished torment of Janis Joplin, the catchy melodies of The Beatles, the raw emotion of Joni Mitchell, the pure genius of Elton John, the powerful voice of Barbra Streisand or the fact that she would do anything for Rod Stewart. She’d tried hard to drag her father out of his glam rock phase and constant listening to the likes of T-Rex and Alice Cooper, or the likes of Black Sabbath in his darker moods, but to no avail. There had been one agreement between the pair in the shape of The Clash. Abigail could still recall when she first heard them at the age of six when the raw anger of Janie Jones had related to something inside her. She still didn’t understand what it was, but she liked the music. Now they drove along, windows wound down with the London Calling album blaring.

A light rain had begun to fall by the time they arrived in the village and found the bed and breakfast into which they’d booked to spend the next couple of nights. The woman who owned it remembered them from their previous visit before the funeral and asked a few polite questions before they headed to the village pub where they’d arranged to meet Vi, Livia and Alexis for lunch before going to the cottage. They arrived first and settled down at a table by the window, casting a glance over the menu. Neither of them spoke but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. They talked a lot but there were times when neither felt the need to speak because there was nothing to say. Robert crossed the pub and picked up the morning’s paper as Abigail pulled her book out of her bag and buried herself in it. It was upon this scene that Vi, Livia and Alexis arrived.

Robert stood up and politely greeted Vi with a brief peck on the cheek as Abigail lifted her eyes over the top of her paperback. She recognised Vi from the funeral where they’d exchanged a few pleasantries and smiled politely at her. It was only on the second glance that she noticed the two girls standing behind Vi, who she supposed had to be Livia and Alexis. Livia was strikingly pretty, tall and slim with a mass of blonde curls tumbling around her face and deep blue eyes, almost a violet shade. She wore tight fitted blue jeans and a blue denim jacket over a red and white checked shirt. Beside her Alexis was a completely different story. She was much shorter, slightly plump and looked younger than her ten years. Her hair was a darker shade of blonde, but long and straight and worn back in a ponytail; only her eyes were the same deep shade of blue and twinkled with mischief. She wore a pair of slightly too big blue jeans and a baggy white t-shirt with a picture on that Abigail couldn’t quite make out. They both carried themselves with an air of confidence.

Abigail suddenly felt quite shabby as she looked down at her faded old jeans with the hole across the left knee. She had never really been one to take notice of her appearance; even at thirteen she remained somewhat a tomboy and the way she looked tended not to cross her mind. Her good friends out of school, the ones she’d played with in the street from being a small child, were all boys and so she’d grown up climbing trees, playing football in the winter, cricket in the summer, tennis when there weren’t enough of them and generally running herself ragged. She’d taken dancing lessons from the earliest possible age, studying ballet, tap and jazz dancing, but that hadn’t stopped her from being one of the boys. Neither had her music lessons, she’d begun learning the piano and recorder at primary school, graduating to a clarinet at secondary school. She’d been a Brownie and tried Guides but given it up after a year when she’d had a fall out with the Guide leader. Robert had always been mindful to keep her out of school hours occupied. Working as a consultant paediatrician meant he’d never been able to spend the time he really wanted to with Abigail. Single fathers were a rare occurrence and nobody really seemed to understand the situation he was in. It had been okay for the mothers to go home to their children but whenever he’d mentioned getting back to Abigail, wanting to take time off to be with her, he’d been met by a frosty reception. He was lucky in that Abigail had understood the situation and had never challenged him for not spending enough time with her and their relationship had never really suffered as a consequence.

#84: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 9:33 pm

wow

interesting perspective on it.

thank you.

#85: Author: FionaW, Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:16 pm

love their conflicting music styles - what kind of respectable father listens to Black Sabbath?

enjoying this - thank you pim!

#86: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:30 pm

This is so beautiful Pim, and Im looking forward to how Abby builds up a picture of her mother. Thank you Very Happy

#87: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 5:12 pm

After a slightly awkward lunch of strained conversations the five made their way over to Mary-Lou’s cottage. Abigail, Livia and Alexis headed off to the beach with tennis rackets and balls whilst Robert and Vi went to sort through Mary-Lou’s papers and possessions. Watching the girls go Robert realised there were marked differences between his own daughter and Vi’s. Beside Abigail, Livia seemed to be little more than a child in her views and ways; he’d never noticed that his own daughter had such a mature, almost adult, outlook and perspective on life. Vi had noticed it as well over the course of the lunch but in a way supposed that she had expected it given that Mary-Lou had been famed for having a more adult way of seeing things when they had been at school.

Robert and Vi made their way upstairs to the tiny study. Vi stood awkwardly in the doorway not really sure why she was there. Robert was flicking through the pile of papers on the desk with a look of determination on his face. In her will Mary-Lou had left everything to Abigail, save a few bits and pieces that had gone to Verity. For somebody who had only been too aware of their mortality there was still plenty that needed to be sorted out. Robert suddenly laid down the papers and extracted a sheaf of them, held together by a large paper clip, which he handed over to Vi.

“What are…?” she asked, taking them from him.
“Just read it.”
Vi’s eyes skimmed over the first few sheets and her eyes rested on the words “In the next pages I will attempt to recreate my life, as faithfully and as accurately as I can and hope that in doing so I cause no harm to anyone.” She looked up at Robert. “Autobiography?”
Robert nodded. “Not complete by any stretch of the imagination, but the essentials are there.”
Vi flicked over the pages only taking in the occasional word. “What do you want to do with it?”
Robert shrugged. “I suppose that since she left everything to Abby, it’s really her decision.”
“What about having it finished?”
“As a biography?”
“Well maybe…” Vi paused as a sudden inspiration hit her. “Maybe we could finish it for her. We could use the base that’s here and then ask people who knew Mary-Lou to contribute to it and write a piece about her.” Vi broke off and stared at Robert thoughtfully. “I think Abby would like it.”
“I don’t…”
“You can’t protect her forever, nor can you hide the past forever. Abby wants to know about her mother, this would be an ideal way.”

Deep down Robert knew that Vi was right but he was still driven by the desire to protect his daughter. He knew that she was growing up fast and that she was bound to ask questions, be curious about her roots. The funeral had made sure of that and even though she hadn’t asked him anything directly, he knew that the curiosity was burning away at the back of her mind. He’d always steered away from the awkward questions, and if he was truly honest to himself, it was because it was too painful for him to talk about it.

“Even if it’s never published Robert, it would still be something for Abby to have. She can’t remember her mother, this would be, well, I suppose, the next best thing.”
Robert stared at the floor for a few moments. “I suppose you’re right.”

#88: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 5:21 pm

*goggles*

#89: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 5:44 pm

I wonder what Abby will make of the idea? I hope it helps her if it goes ahead.

#90: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 6:09 pm

Thanks Pim -wonder what will be in Mary-Lou's notes?

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

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 7:01 pm

Thanks Pim, it will be interesting to see Mary-Lou's own view of her life.

#92: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:29 pm

Wow, pim! I have just caught up with this and it is fantastic! Keep going!

#93: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:42 am

Lovely idea, Vi!

#94: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:53 pm

I'm actually feeling sympathy for Mary-Lou Shocked

Looking forward to Abby's reaction!

#95: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:59 pm

I think Abby will like that, after some thought anyway. I'm certainly looking forward to finding out more about the adult ML

#96: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:31 pm

Wow! Pim, this is so strong. I love it.

*Looking forward to lots and lots more!*

#97: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 6:12 pm

New bit for now, next on Wednesday - not battling getting online again til then!

For Vi the ensuing few hours were a trip down memory lane as she and Robert packed things away into boxes. Mary-Lou had kept so much from their schooldays that each new thing she uncovered prompted her to regale Robert with yet another story. He looked at Vi’s animated face as she recounted the episode of Mary-Lou and Jo rowing on the Tiernesee and losing their oar.

“I wasn’t with them of course, I was back at the hotel with all the others worried to death about them caught out in all the rain. Mind you, I suppose I shouldn’t have worried so with it being those two, they always managed to land on their feet somehow and come up smelling of roses,” she said with a rueful smile.
Robert smiled up at her from the pile of books he was sorting through. “Seems like a wonderful place where you went to school.”
“Oh it certainly was,” replied Vi, her eyes shining. “And my girls seem to think so as well.” Robert gave her a quizzical look. “Oh Ruth went of course, Tacy, Cathlin and Livia are all there now, and Alexis will go next year when she moves up to secondary school.”
“But don’t you object to sending them all so far away? Switzerland, wasn’t it?”
Vi chuckled. “You’ve obviously not looked it up yourself for Abby then. The school moved back to England in about 10 years ago, it’s been based in the South West ever since, out in the middle of nowhere 20 miles or so from Exeter. You see, with the decline of TB there wasn’t much call for the San, and obviously the School got a good number of its pupils through the San and numbers started to fall anyway at the start of the 1970s. People just didn’t want to send their daughters all that way abroad so the School moved back here. I have to admit that I’m not sure that I would have sent my own girls that far away; oh I know I had a wonderful time there but the world’s changed so much since we were kids, values are different.”
“It never crossed my mind to send Abby to boarding school or to any sort of fee paying school. She’s always managed quite nicely at the local state schools.” Robert stood up and crossed the room to look out of the window over to the beach where he could see Abigail playing tennis with Livia and Abigail. “They’re perfectly good co-ed places; I’ve never been convinced by single sex education. Besides, I’m sure Abby would hate it, she’s always been one of the boys from a very young age.”
Vi stared at Robert. “And you’ve never minded that?” she asked with a note of shock in her voice.
“I just want Abby to be happy. Vi, her mother walked out on her and rejected her, if I were to send Abby away to school she’d feel that I was rejecting her too and she doesn’t need that. Boarding school may have done quite nicely for you and Mary-Lou, it might do equally nicely for your girls; but I’m afraid it’s not, and nor will it ever be, an option for Abby.”

#98: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 6:49 pm

Can see Robert's point - it's possible that Abigail would see it as a rejection.

Thanks Pim!

#99: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 9:11 pm

Oh my gosh. I just read the whole thing through from the beginning - at one point I had tears in my eyes! Any chance of romance between Vi and Robert?

#100: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 10:14 pm

good stuff.

thanks

#101: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 10:24 pm

I like the way this is developing - new elements to the story keep appearing all the time. I'm hooked. How are we going to manage to wait until Wednesday?

#102: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:42 am

I love the way you're developing the characters, Pim. So I'll have to wait until Thursday, boo hoo.

#103: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 3:03 pm

Glad I read the last bit on Tuesday so it won't be so long to wait forthe next bit.

Will Abby hear about the school and want to go where her mother went? That would be a shock to the system for Robert.

#104: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 3:29 pm

On the other hand, she might reject the idea completely.

#105: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:07 pm

It's wednesday! Can we have some more?! Very Happy

#106: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:23 pm

Here's some more! It's slow and painful process at the mo tho, I meant to work on it lots last night but came home from work with a stinking headache and went to bed straight after dinner *sighs*, plus useless net connection isn't helping AT ALL *screeches*. Probably more on Friday if not sometime over the weekend, depends on my social life *g*

The Chalet School, for somewhere that would form such an important part of my early life I was remarkably opposed to going. Of course with the benefit of hindsight I wonder why I felt the way I did. It was change; it was completely different to anything I had ever known in my life up until that point. In a few short months my life had been turned upside down and everything I had ever known had been changed for something different; I was having trouble adapting and adjusting to my new life. With the years I lost this aversion to change, but back then I thought the world was going to end. My time at the Chalet School was enjoyable and taught me so much – both educationally and about myself. It provided me with my first experiences of travelling and I loved it; the chance to live in a different culture firsthand. It proved valuable in the following years as I moved around. The Chalet School provided me with so many integral experiences and memories that I cannot imagine myself without them. The people I met at the time were crucial to forming me and I will remember them always.

The Chalet School had undergone so much change since its heyday in the 1950s. The decline of TB had led to declining numbers of pupils being sent to the school. Society had changed so radically as well in the 1960s with many parents unwilling to send their daughters all that way to get their education. Hilda Annersley, the redoubtable headmistress of the school had retired in the mid-1960s, followed by her co-head Nell Wilson a year later. Nancy Wilmot had taken over the helm with her good friend Kathie Ferrars as her deputy and it was in these positions that they still remained; a testament to their leadership throughout the turbulent years of the 1970s. As the need for the San had declined it had become harder for them to find adequate staffing there and the TB specialists had begun to feel somewhat out of place in the ever changing world of modern medicine. These days it remained in Switzerland as a leading research and teaching hospital attracting staff from all around the world to share in their expertise. TB had still not died out in the world and those who had specialised in the fight against it were often called upon to share their knowledge, particularly Jack Maynard long since retired but often in demand to teach. The school itself had left the Gornetz Platz in 1974 after a general consensus from parents that they would prefer their daughters at a boarding school in England. Even now the school retained its international thread and parents from abroad based in the UK were eager to send their daughters there. The general trilingual aspect of the school remained intact as well but the scope for the learning of further languages existed. Nancy Wilmot was now looking towards her retirement within the next couple of years safe in the knowledge that the School would be in safe hands and in a safe position.

#107: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:45 pm

Thank you Pim!

#108: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 8:41 pm

Thank you Pim!!!
And I hope your headache has gone now!

#109: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 9:10 pm

Thanks Pim, hope your feeling better. A very interesting take on what might have happened to the school

#110: Author: Wrinkles, Location: My Bedroom

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 9:28 pm

Wrinkles hopes that Pim has recovered from her headache.

#111: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:34 pm

Thanks a lot pim - hope you manage to fit in a social life as well as lots of writing Very Happy

#112: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:27 am

Just caught up with this again - I'm glad you hadn't written too much more, since it means I haven't got too far behind.
Hope your head's better now

#113: Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:05 am

Really enjoying this one - thank you

#114: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 8:47 am

Thanks, Pim, that was good.

#115: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:32 am

Thanks Pim, interesting to see how the school has moved on!

#116: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 11:27 am

*likes the shiny title*

#117: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:12 pm

Loving the drabble, Pim - new title confused me though, I thought that we had a whole new drabble!!!! I thought it was rather brave to attempt two at once!

Gem

#118: Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:11 pm

Hiya Pim! I love this! In fact, I love all the drabbles I've just read..and I've still got RCS to go!

#119: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:40 pm

Just caught up on this; its fab!

#120: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 1:46 pm

I started reading this as a new drabble - wondering how I'd missed it for so long then quickly realised it was the title that had changed.

Thanks Pim, looking forward to the next bit as soon as you are able.

#121: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:19 pm

It's Friday!!!!!!!!!!! Only posting cos I skived off work so early I could leap on the net at 6 as soon as cheap rate started... tee hee. More on Monday proberably.

Vi, Livia and Alexis left before Robert and Abigail as they were staying a couple of villages away. Abigail soon tired of hitting a tennis ball against the wall on her own and went inside to find her father. Robert was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed his daughter’s entrance until she appeared at his shoulder.

“Is that her?” she asked pointing at the photograph in his hand.

Robert glanced up from the picture. Black and white, a young woman with short curls and dancing eyes, a face that had clearly stopped laughing only momentarily for the picture to be taken. She held on to the arm of the dark haired man with the animated face beside her. They were clearly having a good time.

Robert nodded in reply to Abigail’s question. “People in love do silly things,” he said quietly, half to himself.
“Walk under buses, burn their wings,” muttered Abigail in reply, almost under her breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” she shrugged. “Just a 10CC reference.”
“I didn’t think you… No, never mind,” he said waving his hand dismissively. “But it’s true. I was so crazy about your mother I would have done anything to keep her. But you can’t do that, we don’t own people, you can’t make them stay where they don’t want to be. People don’t belong, you can’t put them in a cage and expect them to stay as sooner or later they want to spread their wings and fly. Like your mother, she couldn’t be caged, she didn’t belong to me and I couldn’t stop her when she wanted to go. You have to let people go sometimes Abby, you have to let them spread their wings and fly away. You might not like it but you have to do it. Loving somebody means that you want them to be happy even if it means losing them. People are meant to be free, what right do we have to make them unhappy? Nobody has that right, nobody Abby.” Robert broke off to calm the lump rising in his throat.
Abby reached over his shoulder and took the photograph from his hand. “When was this?”
”New Year’s Eve 1969, the second time I ever met your mother.”
Abigail sat down on the floor at her father’s feet. “Tell me about it,” she said simply.

#122: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:40 pm

*chokes*
*reaches for tissues*

#123: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 6:10 pm

Another beautiful post Pim, I'm glad Abby wants to know more about her mother.

#124: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 6:16 pm

oh
*chokes up*

Abigail is completely lovely and adorable *hugs her* I'm looking forward to hearing the story from Robert Smile

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

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 8:48 pm

This is wonderful Pim, very emotional and Abigail is so alive.

#126: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:04 pm

Thank you Pim.

#127: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:21 pm

ohhh, thank you Crying or Very sad

#128: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:59 pm

Can I adopt Abigail? Please?

#129: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 12:49 pm

Do you really want the responsibility, Gem?

#130: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:53 pm

Wait until Monday?

#131: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 2:50 pm

Just discovered this, and it's very poignant and touching.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the others remember Mary-Lou.

Star Wars

#132: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 3:39 pm

I suppose that as adults, their memories might be viewed from a different perspective.

#133: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 3:45 pm

Beautiful Pim!
It reminded me of a night before a few days before new years eve which was one of the funnest of my life with a person I was only meeting for the second time! Thanks for making me remember that night now when I'm currently mad with him when I shouldn't really be, Very Happy

#134: Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 2:00 am

This is sooo good MORE MORE Very Happy

#135: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 5:34 pm

Monday's here so here's more drabble. Not sure when I'll next be online so either Wednesday or Friday I think.
Robert sighed and looked down at his daughter’s expectant face and knew there and then that he had to tell her. “The first time I met your mother was in the summer of 1969,” Robert stopped as Abigail started humming a tune quietly to herself. He smiled wryly. “Wrong month, wrong year,” he said.
Abigail giggled suddenly. “Right decade though.”
Robert chuckled at her. “Fair point. Anyway, it was in London, some lunch party or another for a course I was on in children’s medicine. Your mother wasn’t meant to be there, she’d just gone along with an old friend – the only time they could meet up apparently.”

“I hadn’t seen Daisy Rosomon in quite a few years but it just so turned out that in the summer of 1969 we’d be in London for the same week. I was giving a course of lectures on a recent dig and she was on a course about children’s medicine having just gone back in to medicine after bringing up her family. The only free moment I had when I could meet her was when she had some lunch party to go to and she invited me along.”

“I quite literally walked into your mother’s life, really rather embarrassing but something we always looked back on and laughed at.”

“I lost Daisy more or less as soon as we arrived. So there I was, standing around like one o’clock half struck with a plate in my hand when somebody crashed into me sending my half-eaten sandwich flying.”

“Of course I had to pick the sandwich up for her, wouldn't have been polite for me not to do so. When I looked up to see whose plate I’d sent flying I was stunned.”

“Dark hair, dark eyes, and an apologetic air about him, but there was something else and I didn’t know what it was. A shiver ran down my spine; well, I was an archaeologist, digging was what I did best and I intended to do just that with this man. So I made a wisecrack to put him at ease, just to show I wasn’t mad at him for walking into me.”

“We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and generally ignoring the world around us. She fascinated me; she had so much to talk about. I won’t say I was smitten, but I was disappointed when the afternoon broke up. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye properly.”

“I tried my best to put Robert out of my mind but every now and again my thoughts kept turning back to him and I couldn’t work out why. He was a nice guy, interesting, smart, funny, but nothing really special. Besides, I’d probably never see him again, unless my some twist of fortune.”

“I’d resigned myself to never seeing her and spent the rest of 1969 worrying about work and trying to get on, working towards my consultancy. Anyway, New Year was fast approaching and I had no fixed plans until I got a vague invite from a friend to one of his friend’s party. As I had nothing better to do I decided to go and see in the 1970s in London.”

“I came back to England to spend Christmas with Verity and met up with Clem who talked me into going to her New Year party. I didn’t really fancy an evening babysitting Verity’s kids so I accepted and headed off to London.”

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw your mother at the party, I swear my heart skipped a beat.”

“I never in a million years expected Robert to be at Clem’s party. But when he walked in through the door I knew that I had no intention of letting him go without a proper goodbye. As the night wore on I was acutely aware that neither of us had spoken to anyone apart from each other; but there was so much I wanted to say to him I couldn’t tear myself away.”

“As midnight approached we headed out on to the balcony to see in the New Year overlooking the Thames. As the chimes struck for midnight I suppose I got caught up in the festivities.”

“We heard midnight chime and toasted in 1970. And then he asked if he could kiss me. So we shared our first kiss as the New Year cheers echoed around us, overlooking the Thames as the fireworks exploded in the distance. It was magical.”

#136: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 5:39 pm

Due to technical hitches and the fact that I have to go and help make tea no more drabble til Wednesday when I can next fight my way back on to the net. *sigh*

#137: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 6:22 pm

Mary-Lou wrote:

looked like one o'clock half struck'

I love that line

#138: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 7:16 pm

Lovely - really clever way of combining the two viewpoints!

#139: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:27 pm

Wonderful Pim, both the last post and the whole drabble

#140: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:00 am

Thank you Pim!!!!

*wonders how long until Wednesday!!!* Wink

#141: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:43 pm

Its that patience thing again Vikki!!!! Wink

Too long!

Lovely Pim! The way you combined ML and Robert's viewpoint was so effective, love Abigail too and the fact she wantsto know about her mum, and all the musical footnotes!

#142: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:42 pm

I also loved the two viewpoints.
Can't wait until Wednesday!

Star Wars

#143: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:43 pm

Ahh, tis Wednesday and as promised... Probably more on Friday, if not Sunday.

“We exchanged contact details when I left the following morning. She was heading back to her sister’s and then looking up a few old friends before trying to get some funding for her latest plan.”

“I’d come back to England with the express purpose of getting some funding for my latest project. I wanted to head to South America to follow in the footsteps of my father and the Murray-Cameron expedition. But I had no idea how much that party would change my ideas of where my next steps would lead.”

“Ten days later she phoned up and asked if I wanted to meet up at the weekend. It was proving quite difficult to get the money she needed to go to the Amazon and I guess it was pretty disheartening. I had nothing else planned so headed down to the south coast for the weekend.”

“That weekend was almost perfect, with the exception of the weather. Still we enjoyed ourselves, walking in the rain, talking of our plans, hopes, fears, dreams. I felt completely at ease with him and I was really quite sorry when the weekend was over and he headed back north.”

“If you believe my friends I was as miserable as sin away from her after that weekend. The agony of not knowing when I’d see her again was too much. I knew that we both had very different outlooks and ideas on where our lives would lead us; but there’s nothing in the whole world that can stop you dreaming.”

“By the end of January I had run into brick wall after brick wall and I was at the end of my tether, completely frustrated. I went to the one place where I knew I’d be safe.”

“It was pouring down with rain that Friday afternoon at the end of January when she appeared on my doorstep. I could hardly believe it.”

“We spent the evening curled up on his sofa drinking our way through a bottle of wine and talking. I had no idea where I’d go next, South America I decided would have to wait. In the end I stayed with Robert and worked my way around some northern universities giving lectures.”

“February 1970 was wonderful. We spent it getting to know each other better but nothing would prepare me for the way our paths would twist next.”

“At the end of February I was offered a place on a dig in Italy for a month. The catch being that I had to be prepared to leave on 1 March. For the first time I was torn over my work. Of course I wanted to go and I knew that really I couldn’t afford no to; but a large part of me wanted to stay with Robert.”

“I knew that she wouldn’t stay put forever, but even so it was a shock when she said she was off to Italy on a dig in a few days. At that moment I knew where my destiny lay and what I had to do. So I proposed.”

#144: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:48 pm

wowowowowowow

brilliant

#145: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:52 pm

Thank you Pim!!! That was brilliant!!!

#146: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 6:30 pm

That was wondeful. Now how long is it before Friday Smile

#147: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 6:44 pm

Thanks Pim - easy to see, even this early, the problems there will be.

#148: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 7:08 pm

ohhhh, thankyou

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

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 8:40 pm

Lovely Pim, shows clearly where things are going, and very well done.

#150: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 10:26 pm

That was fabulous thank you Pim Very Happy

#151: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:23 am

wonderful! waiting impatiently for Friday!

#152: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:33 pm

Fantastic pim! You can see the seeds of their marriage failing even before he's proposed :S

#153: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 11:15 pm

IT'S FRIDAY AND THERE'S NO MORE YET!

Only being so impatient Pim because this is so good Wink

#154: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 1:06 am

Wonderful Pim. This is fantastic, love the way we are seeing the start of their relationship even though we know it doesn't go right. It is so nice Abigail is finding out about her Mum.

#155: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:47 am

Looking impatiently at the calendar and her watch.

#156: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 12:40 pm

Wow ... wow ... and wow!

Pim - this is amazing - I've only just got to it and I've rushed through the entire lot - absolutely hooked!

There are so many bits I could pick out but I particularly liked when the eleven members of the gang all held hands at her grave, when Joey made it clear that Abigail has a right to know about her mother and the brilliant way you're flitting between Robert and M-L's accounts of their relationships

This is fabulous stuff - thank you

#157: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 1:43 pm

Where is it then?!
Do we really have to wait unitl sunday?

#158: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:29 pm

Here it is! Think the next bit will be on Monday, connection being extra annoying right now. grrrrrrrrrrr...

“The proposal was a shock, in fact, more than that. I hadn’t expected it in the slightest and I really didn’t know how to react. I know it was a spur of the moment thing, he was so afraid of losing me and if I’m truly honest I didn’t want to lose him either. I said yes but at the same time there was a small voice inside me saying that it wasn’t what I really wanted.”

“March was a long month, counting down the days until her return. I’d never felt that way about anybody before and I hoped I’d never have to again. It hurt so much at times.”

“I’d written and told a few people about the engagement before leaving for Italy and word had soon got around, largely, I expect, to my Auntie Jo. The whole of March letters arrived in Italy wanting to know when the wedding would be and suggestions that it should be soon so it was over and done with. I did love Robert but suddenly I was beginning to feel trapped. The little voice inside me kept getting louder and it was getting harder to ignore it.”

“We planned the wedding for the first weekend in June in the hopes that we’d have nice weather. It wasn’t, it rained but that didn’t matter. It was the happiest day of my life. Your mother looked wonderful but there was something in her eyes that I couldn’t read. When I think back about it now I’m sure it was uncertainty.”

“Everybody loved Robert, thought he was wonderful. He was, I could hardly fault him but once the initial rush after the wedding was over I realised I was bored. My feet were getting itchy and I wanted to get out and on to another dig. But I couldn’t. I was pregnant.”

“I was going to be a father, it was the best news I’d ever heard and it had all happened so quickly I could scarcely believe it.”

“I couldn’t keep up with Robert’s excitement. Everybody kept telling me how wonderful it was going to be having a baby but I was never so sure. I couldn’t explain to anybody that I didn’t want to have a baby; I didn’t want to be a mother. I didn’t want restrictions being placed on my life. I knew I was being selfish and I kept on hoping that it would change when the baby was born, when I held it in my arms.”

“Abby, you were perfect when you were born. So tiny and beautiful, I couldn’t believe you were mine. I couldn’t bear to be away from you; without a doubt, you were the best thing that had ever happened to me.”

“I never felt that initial rush of love everyone talks about when they first laid Abigail in my arms. I looked down at this tiny bundle and felt nothing, I was numb. She reached up and reached out to me and I cried. I cried because I didn’t love her, because she represented the end of my freedom, the end of the career I’d worked so hard for.”

“I didn’t notice that she wasn’t bonding with you, if I had maybe I could have done something. Post-natal depression they call it, I’d seen it before but I never believed it would happen to me.”

“I liked Abigail very much, but not as my own child. If she’d been someone else’s it would have been fine, I could have loved her. But she wasn’t someone else’s, she was mine, my responsibility, and I couldn’t take it. If she’d been a difficult baby I could maybe have understood my reluctance to love her, but she wasn’t.”

“You were wonderful as a baby, fed and slept at all the right times. Never caused any bother, hardly cried. That made it harder for me to understand why she couldn’t cope.”

“After three months I knew that I couldn’t take it anymore. I wasn’t made to be a mother. The small voice that had tried to talk me out of my marriage now tried to talk me into staying and working it though with Abigail. I still loved Robert; surely I could learn to love my daughter? I’d tried to overcome my barriers, but I just couldn’t. I heard about the dig in Greece by pure chance and begged a place on it; everyone on the dig was sceptical about me going, convinced I’d run back to Robert and Abigail half way through. My friends couldn’t understand why I wanted to do it but they had no idea how I was feeling.”

“You were three months old when she came home and said she was off to Greece on a dig for six months. I tried to talk her out of it, tried to talk through things to work out where it had all gone wrong. But it didn’t work and I drove her to the airport to catch her flight. It broke my heart, but as we said goodbye there I knew I’d probably never see her again. We never bothered to sort out a divorce for one reason or another. I was left with you, at first there were times when I wondered how I’d cope but I loved you so much I knew we could get through anything. And we have, haven’t we?”

Abigail looked up from the photograph of her father, fifteen years younger, and realised how much older he looked now. She noticed that a tear had formed in his right eye and his expression was one seeking a reassurance that she loved him. Wordlessly she stood up and perched on her father’s knee, wrapping her arms around him as she did so. Taking his daughter in his arms Robert blinked back the tear that had formed, they so often did when he thought about Mary-Lou.

*

Raindrops fall like dreams I once had
When I was happy, before I became sad
Once you shared all your dreams with me
But now with you gone it was never meant to be

All I have to remind me of my dreams
Are the falling raindrops it would seem
Until you return and take my hand
And fulfil the dreams we once planned

#159: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:58 pm

Beautiful Pim, you express everyones feelings and emotions so well. I hope that it is all helping Abby.

#160: Author: Rosea, Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:50 pm

Only just read this tonight. Its sooooo good, really moving. Having experienced the death of a parent at a young age those sections really touched me and were so well written.

Can't wait for more!

#161: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:10 pm

I thought I had lost this drabble when the title changed! It's a really good title though.

It's very deep and so expressive. I love it.

#162: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:39 pm

Powerful writing and very touching.

Wonderful, Pim

#163: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:41 pm

oh excellent
very real
verymoving

#164: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:46 pm

Thank you Pim. Crying or Very sad

#165: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 10:15 am

Have a large lump in my throat from reading this. Very moving. Sad

#166: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:43 pm

This is very moving, Pim.

#167: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:58 am

Wonderful, Pim - so insightful ...

#168: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:15 pm

Here's today. Um, might manage to battle on Wednseday, if not it will be Friday. I hate being so uncertain about when I'll post but it all depends on whether my connection is going to play ball or not. 60 days and back to proper access at uni, huzzah!

“So how did you get on with Livia and Alexis then?” asked Robert over dinner later that evening.
Abigail looked up from pushing her salad around her plate. “They’re okay I guess… for girls.”
Robert tried hard not to choke on his chicken at his daughter’s assertion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Abigail shrugged. “Alexis is just a kid really, and even though she’s my age Livia is as well. She just doesn’t seem to care about anything that matters.” Abigail paused and caught the twinkle in her father’s eye. She knew he was thinking of all the scrapes he’d had to rescue her from over the previous two years. “Dad, all the protesting and stuff, we have to do it; we have to draw people’s attention to it. That’s just what I mean about Livia, she just doesn’t get the bigger picture.”
“So you wouldn’t like to go to school with them then?”
Abigail stared at her father wide eyed. “An all girls boarding school?” she asked incredulously, stabbing so hard at her tomato that seeds went in all directions. “You are joking right? I couldn’t imagine anything worse. I’d end up turning into Livia, very nice to look at but not much under the surface. And anyway dad, no one goes to boarding school anymore unless you’re in an Enid Blyton book or one of those Josephine Bettany’s, and nobody wants to be like that anyway.”
Robert stared at his daughter, his eyes twinkling. “I take it that’s a ‘no’ then?”
“Not in a million years.”
“Abby, do you know who Jospehine Bettany is?”
Abigail shrugged. “Some crusty old children’s writer who got a bit left behind the times. Alice made me read one of her books once, I didn’t reckon much to it.”
“She’s Jo Maynard.”
It was Abigail’s turn to try not to choke. “You are kidding me on right?”
Robert chuckled. “I’m afraid not Abby, and I’m sure she’d be very interested to hear your views on her books.”

Abigail flushed a brilliant shade of red and returned her attentions to her dinner missing the laughter written all over her father’s face.

#169: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:20 pm

Oh that's priceless!!! Why couldn't she have been asked her opinion when Joey was there to hear it??? Laughing

#170: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:47 pm

That's vicious Lesley!!

#171: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:48 pm

I would have loved Jo to have heard that plain unvarnished opinion of her books!

#172: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:16 pm

I'm sure Robert wishes his daughter wasn't quite so grown up that she's so perceptive about Livia and Alexis.

I absolutely love your comments about Joey's books!! Very Happy

#173: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:38 pm

oh, great! Laughing

like the perceptiveness

#174: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:21 am

*sniggers*

Love it Pim!!! Laughing

#175: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:59 am

*also sniggering*

Very funny, Pim!!
Laughing

#176: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:33 pm

Wonderful Pim, love the exchanges between Abi and Robert.

#177: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:43 am

The only thing wrong with this is that we don't seem to have had any for a long time.

#178: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:50 am

Wish Joey had been there as well! What do you think her alternative to Redheads would have been? Wink

Wonderful, Pim!

#179: Author: Cathy, Location: Australia

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:07 am

I've only just had the chance to sit down and read this. It's a lovely take on Mary-Lou. I often think that EBD didn't give her much of a chance. She's so bumptious and bossy, but I'm sure that's not what was intended, it's just that EBD liked her too much and couldn't resist giving her lots of "air time". Please write some more Pim, I'm loving this.

#180: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:15 am

Pim, I hope the connection hasn't been misbehaving Crying or Very sad

*Offers to poke it for you poke

#181: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:34 pm

Oh, I've just read the last part - loved to hear Abigail's opinion of Joey's books!
Like Lesley, I would have lked Joey to hear it, but it would have been so embarrassing for the poor girl when she found out its probably just as well it didn't happen.

#182: Author: Pim-as-guest,

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:54 pm

Hello, hello, I'm still here, well just about! Haven't been able to get online as it's mum's week as on-call senior manager for the hospital (where we both work) so I can't tie up the phone line in case there's an emergency/problem (no staff, no beds, problematic patients - speically in A&E - and the like). Not written anything I'm happy with yet either, seem to have worn myself out cycling 13 miles to work and back on a daily basis, went to bed at 8.30 last night and only got up for my driving lesson this morning before going back to bed, got up for lunch and am now heading back for the rest of the day! Just had time to sneak on now as m&d have popped out to Tesco, I shall return on Tuesday when they go out for the night and hopefully with some new drabble!

#183: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:08 pm

Looking forward to Tuesday.

#184: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:31 pm

We'll look forward to that, Pim. Have a nice sleep.

#185: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:52 am

Looking forward to Tuesday Pim.

#186: Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach)

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:29 pm

Tuesday's here and here's new drabble. Don't know when I'll next be online, hopefully Friday but don't hold your breath.

By teatime the following day the few boxes that represented Mary-Lou’s life were stacked neatly by the front door of the cottage waiting to be put in to Robert’s car.

“It’s not much to show for a life, is it?” asked Vi with a sigh as she surveyed the scene before her.

Robert shrugged in reply. He’d never been much good in these situations, always awkward, unsure what to say, how to act. Vi sensed his unease and laid a comforting hand on his arm.

“There are never ‘right words’ to say in a situation like this,” she said. “No matter how well meaning you are, you have to find your own comfort.”
Robert smiled and laid his hand over Vi’s. “I can’t help but think that Abby would do so much better. She just knows, she understands people, like her mother really.”

They stood a few moments in their own silent contemplation. Vi was right, in a situation like this there were no ‘right words’. There were no words needed now, nothing they could say would make a difference or change things. The bond of silence between them said so much more than they ever could. Vi was the one to break it.

“Do you know where the girls are?”
“Down on the beach.”
“We should go and get them.”

#187: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:31 pm

Good to see you back Pim.Thanks for this!

#188: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:52 pm

Thanks Pim, that was lovely. Robert and Vi are getting on well, is this a hint of things to come?? Wink

#189: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:51 pm

that's lovely Pim.

#190: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:18 pm

Lovely Pim!!!!

More soon please!!!!

#191: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:01 pm

Thank you pim, that was a beautiful piece Smile

*settles in to wait for Friday*

#192: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:12 am

Lovely Pim, am really enjoying this!

But I go away on Friday for a weeks camping...and am not back online til after the SG! Crying or Very sad

#193: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:29 am

Thank you, Pim.

#194: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 12:08 pm

Thank you, Pim - lovely! Looking forward to Friday.

Nell, just think of all the updates that you'll have when you get back! With all the drabbles on this board combined, you'll end up spending the entire day reading when you get back. Smile

#195: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:23 pm

yes...but unfortunately I'll be at work and supposedly working!!!

#196: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 11:26 pm

Thank you Pim - looking forward to Friday!

#197: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:57 am

Nell wrote:

yes...but unfortunately I'll be at work and supposedly working!!!

Nell, honey, since when does THAT stop you? Wink

#198: Author: Nell, Location: London, England