YOU TOOK ME BY STORM

 

You took me by storm

Broke my resistance

Conquered my heart

Quite mercilessly

But on the way

To capturing my heart

You tainted me

SHE SPOKE SWEETLY

 

She spoke sweetly

With a songbirds melody

But within the beauty

One word could slay me

SHE WAS A TAXI DANCER

 

She was a Taxi dancer

10 cents a dance

He was a patron

And they were dance partners

Each night he would be there

A pocket full of tickets

Each night he looked for her

And they danced all night

He lived for the dances

All day he watched the clock

All night he danced with her

He thought she was special

He hoped he was too

But she was a Taxi dancer

10 cents a dance

She liked to dance

But she liked her commission more

He was just a pocketful of tickets

Nothing more than a cash cow

Who lost his heart

To a dime-a-dance girl

Uncanny Love Tales – (40) Alone with Jaylene Barker

At the western end of the Finchbottom Vale lays the small market town of Childean and on the outskirts of the town was the cottage where Ben Arscott lived.

It was a lovely early summer morning and Ben was just doing a bit of housework around the cottage, when there was a knock on the French window, so he stopped what he was doing.

However, when he looked, Ben couldn’t see anyone, not at first but on closer perusal he could see it was Jaylene Barker.

She was wearing knee length blue shorts, tight like leggings, and a kind of short floral summer dress, scooped down at the front, fitted at the waist and just about long enough to cover her bum.
“Hello” he said opening the door

“Where’s your buddy?”

Her “buddy” was Jackie Smith, her best friend, inseparable since kindergarten, which was a perfect friendship, as they complimented each other.

Although there were similarities, they were both attractive for a start, their likes and dislikes, and their sense of humour, but really as individuals they couldn’t be more different.

Jaylene was a brunette, dark complexion and had no fear, Jackie on the other hand was a strawberry blonde, pale and freckly and would tremble in shadows.

Jay was an extrovert, precocious, a real Lolita, very confident, self-assured, and pretty, and she knew it, though not in a cocky way.

Jackie on the other hand, though also very pretty, was unsure of it.

She was shy and socially awkward and lacked self-confidence

Being with Jay made Jack feel more confident, daring to do things she would never do alone, so she lived her life on her friend’s coat tails and without Jaylene, she floundered.

“She’s at her Gran’s funeral,” Jaylene answered

“Ah yes” he responded “I forgot”

To be honest, he wasn’t really bothered where Jackie was, he was just happy to have Jaylene to himself for a change.

The girls were both in their final year at Abbottsford University and worked at the Cherry Bean Café which was owned and run by Ben.

“Not that I’m not glad to see you, but how come you’re here so early” he said

“I thought you were on this afternoon”

“I am, but I’m on a split shift today”

“Covering for India” she said in response to his raised eyebrow “I’ve come straight from the shop, so I was wondering if you minded me hanging around here for a bit, because by the time I get home it’ll be time to head back again, then we could walk to the shop together”

“Sure, no problem” he replied flatly but inside he was doing cartwheels.

Jaylene Barker wasn’t just a pretty girl who worked for him, she was also the girl he loved, not that he’d ever told her how he felt.

He knew she was out of his league, by some distance, she was lovely, and he was just ordinary looking, so it was a real mismatch even if she wasn’t his employee and 4 years younger.

Though he would soon have to love her from afar when she finished Uni and made her way in the world, but for a few hours that day she was his and his alone.

 

They sat and chatted on the Patio for a little while before she asked

“Could I have a drink?”

“Of course, I’m so sorry, I should have offered” he flustered

“It’s ok” she responded and chuckled as she walked past him towards the kitchen, and because she was a foot shorter than him, he could easily look down her top at her beautiful breasts encased within lace trimmed satin cups, what he was unaware of was that she knew he was looking, and she liked it.

Ben flicked the kettle on to make a hot drink, but she asked 

“Can I have a glass of water?”

“Of course, help yourself”

“Ok, I think I will” she said inside her head

The glasses were in the top cupboard and being only five foot one she had to stand on tiptoe to reach the glass, and the act of stretching up her arm, raised the hem of her skirt to expose the curves of her perfect little cheeks in her skin tight shorts.
When she had retrieved a glass she turned and looked at him.
“Were you staring at my bum?” she asked accusingly
“Yes” he confessed “sorry”
“You’re a terrible letch,” Jay said “I saw you staring down my top at my boobs earlier”
“Well I’m actually a very good letch” he corrected her

“Don’t you like me looking?”
“Of course I do” she said and blushed and then she walked across the kitchen and said

“I would like you touching me better though”
And then she stood on tiptoe to reach up and kiss him and showed that she didn’t care if he was just ordinary looking, or her boss, or four years older, she wanted him in her league.

 

 

Snippets of Downshire Life – Lark in the Square

 The Finchbottom Vale nestles comfortably between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest to the south and the rolling Pepperstock Hills in the north, and to the east, 15 miles inland from Sharpington-By-Sea, equidistant between the seaside resort and Pepperstock Green was the rambling village of Brookley and at its heart was St Mildred’s Church where Emily Sanders worked in the office and she had an admirer in the shape of Chorister Roy Peach.

Emily was a bright bubbly girl with a delightful giggle, at least in Roy’s opinion, he however was neither bright nor bubbly, he was shy and withdrawn, apart from when he was with his closest friends, or when he was singing in the choir where he would come alive and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

If only he was able to come alive when he wasn’t singing just long enough to ask her out.

 

Emily was a busy beaver around the church and was heavily involved in all aspects of Church life and was always the first to volunteer for everything.

So, it was not an exaggeration to say that the church was her life, and its people were her family.

There were of course some people she liked more than others and although she was on the face of it the bright bubbly girl, she was in reality a quivering jelly beneath her confident façade, and one of the things that made her quiver was Roy Peach.

So, when the time came to prepare for the St Mildred’s Lark community event she had no hesitation in co-opting Roy on board to help her with the task.

The first was to go to Wellham Farm, or more precisely the Wellham Barns which were both large and numerous, too numerous for the needs of the farm so many of them had been converted into storage spaces, popular with companies wishing to house their archives off site, theatrical and film companies storing sets and costumes, and St Mildred’s church who stored a variety of things there, Santa’s Grotto, all the stalls for Fete’s and Bazaars, processional items, the nativity scene and costumes of all shapes sizes and uses.

So, they travelled in her car, the four miles from the village, with Roy and his cousin Susan, in order to locate the St Mildred’s Lark props and paraphernalia which was required in order to prepare for the Church’s community even over the following week.

 

Before they left Roy noticed Emily was wearing heels and a skirt, which was unusual, he didn’t know the reason why, but he liked it.

He may not have cared why she wasn’t wearing her usual flats and trousers but Emily’s reason for the change was to show off her legs, with the intention of getting Roy’s attention.

It was beginning to rain, so she walked fast, but in her heels, it made her lean forward from the waist and consequently it made her thrust her buttocks backwards as she moved.

But when she reached the car she turned and saw the look on his face and she knew she had him.

Emily was two years old than he was and more experienced with the opposite sex, but that counted for nothing.

She found it infuriating that she could flirt with people she wasn’t attracted to, but not with him, so she would have to try a different tack

 

When they reached their destination they met Sam Wellham, who managed the storage side of the farms business and he only had one full time employee to assist him and he had just quit, so he led them to the appropriate barn and unlocked the door.

“You’ll have to manage on your own today” he said

“Why? Are you short staffed?” Emily asked

“No, I’m no staffed as on twenty minutes ago”

“I’m looking for a job” Susan blurted out

“Do you live in Brookley?” he asked

“Yes”

“So, did the last person and he was always late” Sam stated

“Well I can vouch for the fact that she’s annoyingly punctual”, Roy said “in fact she is punctual to the point of obsession”

“She will never ever be late” Emily added “Because she is half an hour early for everything”

“I am still here you know” Susan said and blushed

“And what can you do when you get here?” he asked with a smile

“Whatever she’s asked to” Emily answered

“Thanks mum” Susan said

“Ok come and see me before you leave, and we can have a chat” Sam said and headed back to the office.

Emily had just entered the barn when a thought occurred to her, which was that getting Roy alone in the barn might give her the chance she had been looking for, so she said

“Susan! Why don’t you go and talk to Sam now?”

She opened her mouth to protest but Emily quickly continued

“Strike while the irons hot, I’m sure Roy and I can manage to locate the bits we need while you’re busy with Sam”

“Oh ok, if you’re sure” Susan said

“Absolutely” Emily assured her

 

While Emily was busily getting Susan out of the way Roy had located the mobile steps and was wheeling them down the appropriate aisle.

“Do you want to go up and hand the boxes down to me or vice versa?” he asked

“Well as I’m wearing a skirt and heels I think in order to preserve my modesty and dignity I should stay down here” she said

“Yes, good point” Roy agreed and made his way up the steps and very quickly located the two dozen boxes they had come for, and began handing them down to her, none of them were particularly heavy, but some of them were awkward sizes.

They were making steady progress between the two of them, but Emily knew that if she was going to do something it had to be soon, or Susan would be back, and the chance would be gone.

“The weight of this one is a bit lopsided” Roy said as he handed it to her

“Ok I’ve got it” she said and watched him as he turned to get the next box.

“Ahhhh!” she exclaimed and when Roy turned to look he saw Emily lying prone on the floor with the box on top of her.

“Emily! Oh my God Emily” he shouted and rushed down the steps

“Are you ok?”

He removed the box and cast it aside and knelt beside her and asked

“Are you hurt?”

There was no response to his question, she just lay there

“Even unconscious you look gorgeous” he thought but then grave dark thoughts filled his mind about how he might lose her before he got the chance to tell her how he felt about her, so Roy took her hand in his hands and said

“Darling Emily, please don’t leave me, I don’t….”

“Did you call me darling?” she asked, and he gasped

“Yes, I did”

“I like the sound of that” she said

“Are you ok?” Roy asked with concern still holding her hand

“I like this too” she said and squeezed his hand.

“Are you hurt?” he asked

“I’m fine, but why are you holding my hand and calling me darling?” Emily asked

Roy was really concerned that she was delirious and might lose consciousness again any moment and he didn’t want to lose her without telling her what was in his heart

“Because I love you, Emily Sanders” he said “I have loved you since the first moment I saw you, and I always will”

“Good” she said “Now help me up”

“No, you might collapse again” he said

“I didn’t fall to the floor” she confessed and giggled “I arranged myself seductively, so help me up off this cold floor, and then you can kiss me”

“There’s no need for you to get up for that” he said and kissed her where she lay.

 

So, the trip from Brookley to Wellham Farm was a very fruitful one, St Mildred got the Lark Community Event decorations, Susan Peach got a job and Emily and Roy got each other.

 

 

Snippets of Downshire Life – Whit Monday

It was in the late 1980’s when Ian Rapley, a Uniform Police Constable in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of fellow officers at the traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea.

Which was a popular destination for visitors with its Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, and has all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.

They were staying in a Caravan Park up at Whitecliffe Hill for a week beginning on the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend and were blessed with warm clement weather, which brought many more visitor to enjoy all the seaside fun.

The lads had been there for one day when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces, a group of girls from Abbottsford and among them was Catherine Pugh, his sister Sian’s best friend.

Ian had fancied her for years, but she had always given him the cold shoulder, but suddenly they were both at the same resort, at the same time and with no romantic attachments, so he thought he would chance his arm one more time.

 

It took the best part of the three days but she eventually she weakened and agreed to go to the Palladium Ballroom with him to see the Proclaimers on Whit Monday.

It was a great night, they sang and danced and cheered, and afterwards they went to the bar and drank and talked for a couple of hours, before they walked along the beach together, hand in hand in the moonlight.

The beach was deserted and silent but for the gentle breaking of the waves on the shore.

When they reached the pier, she stopped and turned toward him and smiled and a moment later their mouths met in a kiss that was a delicious taste of tender passion. 

It was a kiss he had dreamt of for years, but the reality of it far surpassed his wildest imaginings, but for Catherine it was a revelation, an unexpected delight, and her senses were heightened, her perception altered, the kiss had opened her eyes and her heart.

“Wow, it looks like you finally got me” Catherine said with her head on his shoulder

“I was beginning to think it would never happen” Ian admitted

“I was certain it wouldn’t” she replied “But what do I know”

She added and giggled and then she kissed him again before she ran to the water’s edge where she began splashing in the breaking waves.

“I was wrong” she shouted to the moon “I was wrong”

Then she ran back up the beach giggling to where Ian was standing

“I was wrong” she said quietly and hugged him “All these years I was wrong”

Ian was speechless as he held her, and he prayed that it wasn’t just a vivid dream and then she whispered.

“But I’m not wrong anymore”

       

 

Snippets of Downshire Life – Spring Bank Holiday

It was in the late 1980’s when Nick Ransome, a Uniform Police Constable in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of fellow officers at the traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea.

Which was a popular destination for visitors with its Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, has all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.

They were staying in a Caravan Park up at Whitecliffe Hill for a week beginning on the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend and were blessed with warm clement weather, which brought many more visitor to enjoy all the seaside fun.

The lads had been there for one day when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces, a group of girls from Abbottsford and among them was Rachel Purvis, who he knew slightly from his University days.

He thought she was pretty enough and had a nice figure, but he always found her to be a bit aloof.

But early on Whit Monday morning as he walked along the pier he saw her in an entirely different light. 

It was 6 am and Nick had been up and about for a couple of hours and had been to the end of the pier and had been enjoying a joke with the fishermen and then he decided it was time for breakfast.

As it was early, other holiday makers were few and far between but the first one he saw was a familiar face.

Rachel Purvis walked towards him with the sunlight behind her and after the initial recognition his eyes were drawn to the contents of her white summer dress, which were unfettered, and dancing hypnotically, it was the most delicious sight, because the early sun had rendered her white cotton summer dress almost invisible and displayed her exceptional figure to great effect.

She saw him staring with his gaze fixed and unshakable and she turned up her nose as she approached him and gave him a look conveying utter disgust.

“Have you seen enough?” Rachel asked with contempt
He smiled and nodded and then replied
“I’ve seen everything thank you”

Unaware of his meaning she delivered yet another contemptible look and then he said.
“You might want to slip this on” he suggested as he offered her his jacket, but she just gave him a puzzled look in response and sneered at his offering.

“Your dress is totally see through in the sunshine” he said and offered her his jacket again, but it still took a moment for the penny to drop.

“Oh God” she said and quickly put on his jacket and she was blushing vividly as she stood outside the toilets.   

“Thank you”

She walked to the door and half turned as she opened it

“Thank you” she said and smiled, and with that smile he saw her in entirely different light again.

 

Once she reappeared, her embarrassment had subsided so he took her to breakfast where he discovered that a kind and gentle young woman dwelt beneath the aloofness.

After breakfast he walked her back to her guest house to change into something less revealing and then they spent the rest of the day together.