Wednesday 14 April 2021

REFRESHED

 


Laughter rings now
In the once empty caverns
Of my heart
Sweet wine now
Replaces the bitter brew
Which once coursed
Through narrow streams
My senses once dulled by time
Are now sharp, concise
Vision like an eagle soaring
Able to hear the beat
Of a humming birds wings
Nostrils filled with exotic scent
Heady and cloying
Exquisite tastes tantalize
An unsophisticated palate
And the reason
For my transformation
My metamorphosis
Is an angel
Earthbound
Who has energized an old man
Invigorated my senses
She has re-awakened me
Stirred my soul
But she will never know
Must never know
How she has affected me
I will view her from a distance
And exchange polite greetings
A warm smile, A familiar nod
I will keep my own counsel
And I will feel contentment
My love unrequited

Snippets of Downshire Life – Just Pay It Forward

 

It was in the late summer of 1966 and Grace Weldon was stranded by the side of the road somewhere in the Dulcets.

The Dulcets being a collection of villages and hamlets comprising of Dulcet Meadow, Dulcet St Mary, Dulcet Green and Dulcet-on-Brooke, to name but a few, and of course Dulcet-on-Willow which was a large sprawling village beside the gentle shallow River Willow, which ran unhurriedly from the Pepperstock Hills to the more vibrant River Brooke, and Willow just happened to be the nearest habitable civilization to where the “old bus” had given up the ghost, again.

She should have replaced it many years before, but she couldn’t bring herself to part with it because Jimmy, her late husband, was very fond of that car, and when she was out driving it she felt close to him, but alas it was getting more and more unreliable with every passing year.

Although if her doctors were to be believed she would be joining Jimmy soon enough, so to her mind there seemed little point in replacing the car now.

She wasn’t up to walking to a phone box, so she decided to sit it out, because she assumed someone was bound to stop for her, she was after all on the Abbottsford Road just north of Mornington, a busy road even then.

 

Grace was travelling from Shallowfield to Sharpington to visit her sister when the Alvis had called a halt to her sojourn.

As the light was beginning to fade Grace was beginning to worry as she had lost count of the number of car that had passed her by, and not one car had even slowed down for her, until a beaten up Commer pickup pulled up in front of her.

 

Phil Bradshaw was in his early thirties and was local man and was something of a jack of all trades.

He had just done a day’s work ditch digging on the Mornington estate and was on his way home, and he was dirty and scruffy and looked a fearful sight as he got out of the van.

Phil didn’t know if he could help but when he a saw a woman alone on the roadside he had to see if she needed help or not, it wasn’t in his nature to ignore someone who needed help, so he walked towards the driver’s side of the car and gave the driver a smile.

 

Grace was relieved to see someone stop for her but when he got out of the vehicle he looked a bit of a rough type and her first response was to be afraid and she locked the door, even when he smiled at her she was a little scared.

“Never judge a book by its cover Grace” Jimmy’s voice said in her head, so she unlocked the door and returned his smile and then wound down the window.

 

As she was an elderly woman on her own, Phil could well imagine that she might be frightened at the sight of dirty looking young man approaching her.

“Do you need any help?” he asked warmly

“Yes please” she replied

Thankfully Phil was a jack of all trades and mechanics was one of the skills he possessed, so he opened the bonnet and spent the best part of an hour tinkering under there.

Finally, he closed the bonnet and wiped his hands on a rag.

“Is it bad?” Grace asked

“No, but I don’t have the part to fix it” Phil replied

“Oh dear” Grace said

“There’s a garage a couple of miles up the road, I can give you a tow”

Phil suggested.

“Oh, dear I’ve never been towed” she said with concern

“Ok, then I’ll drive you to the garage and they can send the tow truck back for the car” He offered

“As long as you don’t mind slumming it in my old van”   

“That’s very kind, thank you” she replied “And you may not believe it to look at me now, but I’ve done my fair share of slumming” 

 

Phil opened the passenger door for Grace and closed it behind her and walked round the front and got in.

As he started the engine Grace noticed his hand was bleeding.

“You’ve cut your hand” she said

“Oh, it’s just a scratch” He said glancing at his hand.

 

He drove onto the forecourt of the garage and came to a stop outside the office.

Phil went in and spoke to the mechanics and when he reemerged he had a middle-aged man in an oily blue boiler suit with him.

The man spoke briefly to Grace and then went off and climbed up into the cab of a tow truck, leaving Phil and Grace talking and she shivered.

“Why don’t go and get a hot drink and something to eat” he suggested indicating the café next door.

“They have a public phone in there, so you could call your sister”

“That’s a good idea” she agreed

Phil nodded and said goodbye and opened the van door. 

“How much do I owe you Philip?” she asked

It would have been very easy for him to take money from the obviously rich woman and he was sure she would be very generous, but he didn’t stop to help her because he saw an opportunity to make some easy money, not that it wouldn’t have come in handy, he stopped because he saw a lady on her own who needed help.

God knew that over the years there were people who had helped him when he needed it.

“No charge Mrs. Weldon” he said

“But...” she began

“I was glad to help” he said “just do the same for someone else should the opportunity arise”

“I will” She said “Thank you Philip”

“Pleasure” he said and drove away

 

As he rejoined the main road he felt that familiar warm glow that he always got when he had done someone a good turn and then he headed for home through the darkness.

 

Grace walked into the café and sat in a corner booth, it was a fairly dingy looking place but at that moment it was as good as the Savoy.

A waitress came over, her name badge said Marion, she had a lovely smile but there was fatigue in her face and tiredness around her eyes.

“What can I get you madam?” she asked pleasantly

“Tea please dear” Grace replied, “and is there a phone?”

“There’s one in the lobby by the toilets” Marion replied and went back to the counter and then Grace went to use the phone.

 

Despite her smile Marion was not happy, Elaine, the girl who normally did the late shift had phoned in sick, she claimed to have a sore throat, but Marion knew from experience that when Elaine said she had a sore throat that meant it was the type of aliment she cured by throwing Brandy and Babycham’s down her neck.

Marion was exhausted, she had been on her feet all day and she still had another six hours to go, on top of that she was heavily pregnant.

 

Grace returned to her booth having spoken to her sister in Sharpington just as Marion returned with a pot of tea on a tray.

Grace couldn't help noticing the waitress was pregnant, eight months pregnant by the look of her, but she didn’t seem to let it slow her down.

“Thank you dear” she said as Marion set the tray on the table.

Then she went on to explain she was waiting for her sister to drive down over from Sharpington, so she would have time to eat something.

“What do you suggest?” Grace said “I’m in your hands”

 

“Ham egg and chips” Marion said placing the plate on the table in front of Grace.

“Oh lovely” she said, and Marion smiled her a sweet smile.

Grace liked this girl who despite her obvious fatigue from the long hours and the effects of the pregnancy still managed to go the extra mile, and then a thought crossed her mind.

 

Grace looked out of the window and saw her sister’s car drive into the car park just as she finished her meal.

She put down her knife and fork and wiped her mouth with a napkin and called the waitress over for the bill.

 

Marion brought the bill which totaled three shillings exactly, just as a fresh group of customers came through the door, so she left it on the table and rushed off to greet the new arrivals.

Grace opened her hand bag and found her purse, and she removed five, five-pound notes from her purse and slipped them under the plate and put the three shillings on top of the bill, then she got up and gave Marion a wave before going out the door.

It was another five minutes before Marion got around to clearing Graces table and when she saw the £25 pounds she cried.   

 

By the time she’d seen off the last of the customers she was dead on her feet, but while Dave the cook was cleaning the kitchen she still had tables to wipe down and the floor to mop before she could get home.

Eventually she was done, and Dave was switching off the lights and locking up, and then they got in Dave’s car and he dropped her home.

 

The downstairs light was still on in the cottage, so she assumed her husband had fallen asleep in front of the TV again, he didn’t like to go to bed before she got home, but he worked so hard himself that he invariably ended up asleep in front of the test card.

When she unlocked the front door, she saw immediately that she was correct as Phil was asleep in front of the TV.

As she woke him up she noticed a bandage on his hand, he kissed her sleepily and headed up stairs and she followed quickly behind him.

Despite her obvious exhaustion, that night before she climbed into bed, she knelt and thanked God for answering her prayer, and the unexpected generosity of that old lady, that night left her with renewed hope and she felt at peace.

 

 

HURT

 

When your heart

Has been broken

And stepped on

It leaves you hesitant

Reluctant to try

To give in once more

To open up To emotion

To dip your toe

Into the mire

Into the ocean

Of desire

To dip your toe

Into the ocean

Of unknown emotion

If you don't

Enter the water

You won’t get wet

There is no danger

Of being dragged under

Should you take a chance?

On love again

Throw caution to the wind

Open yourself up to the pain

Or the pleasure

Feel the love

Washing over you

Immersing yourself

The waves washing over you

It may drown you

If you do

If you resist the temptation

You will be safe

Unharmed in your segregation

Yet a single moment spent

In the refreshing waters

Stood on the ocean floor

Is worth a lifetime

Spent safely on the shore

CHOICE

 


She sat on an eternal shore, silent
Calm unexpressive face, still like granite
Contemplating her destiny, knowing
The path she chooses she must take alone
Upon the expected cross roads she came
It arrived suddenly, but then not so
The long awaited, long dreamed of moment
Choices when made can extend far beyond
Like ripples in the water from a stone
Inside herself she must look for the answer
A deep breath, a sigh and she plants her foot
Upon the chosen trail to who knows where
With confidence she sets off on her way
Has she made the right choice who can say?

 

GUARDIAN

 

She was only slight

And petite of height

Her complexion light

Her smile so bright

 

Her hair was brown

Her eyes looked down

She never wore a frown

But a halo for a crown

 

Her eyes were green

And her intellect keen

Her limbs lithe and lean

With the poise of a queen

 

An angel in human form

Protecting me from the storm

Her embrace both soft and warm

From despair I will transform

Snippets of Downshire Life – Getting Noticed

 

The village of Highfinch sits just on the edge of the Pepperstock Hills, and the Lily Green Hollows Golf Club separates the village from the Hamlet of Lily Green, and the combination of those two and Kingfisherbridge made up the parish of St Martins and an important part of the parish was the Greenwood Guesthouse owned and run by divorcee Janita Front.

She was a native of the village, as was her husband, and they started the Guesthouse together, but he did not share her passion for it, but he did have passions, but those were mainly for the female guests and it was with one of them that he chose to leave Highfinch and Janita.

Undeterred she divorced him and continued to run Greenwood alone and as she approached her forty seventh birthday she had been doing so for twenty years.

There had been men in her life over those twenty years, but none were worthy of her because they didn’t share her interest in the B & B or have the same work ethic as she did.

But there was one man who she hoped might fit the bill, plumber and handyman Andy Whiting, who was her go to guy for repairs and maintenance, the problem was he was a little backwards in coming forward, and she hadn’t been able to get his attention.

 

One morning in June she had to call him to Greenwood because the shower in her en suite bathroom wasn’t working but when he arrived he was his usual bashful self, so she went on about her morning, dealing with the guest’s breakfasts, which kept her busy for the next two hours and at the end of it she noticed Andy coming down the stairs, so she went to intercept him.

“All done?” she asked brightly

“I’m afraid not” he replied “I just need to go and get a new pump”

“Oh, ok I’ll see you later then?” she said

“Yes, I shouldn’t be too long” he replied and went out the door.

 

When the guesthouse was busy, which was pretty much all the time, Janita employed two local girls to clean the rooms and the common areas, so with them gainfully employed, breakfast finished with and Andy off at the plumber’s merchants she had a couple of hours to spare before she had to think about lunch, so she decided to go and have a bath in the guest bathroom as her own was out of commission.

She had told the girls what she was doing so she knew she wouldn’t be disturbed and she had a long hot soak in the tub.

She really enjoyed it, but she knew she couldn’t stay in there forever, so she pulled the plug out and got to her feet, before stepping out and wrapping a fluffy white bath sheet around herself and wrapped a smaller one around her head.

 

Once she was dry, perfumed and powdered she wiped the steam off the full-length mirror and then loosened the towel wrapped around her and stood with her arms outstretched and the towel stretched behind her like a victory flag and admired herself in the mirror

“Not bad for an old bird” she said to her reflexion “Not too bad at all”

And then the door opened and startled her, and she turned towards the door, still with her arms out stretched with her full nakedness on display, to find Andy Whiting stood in the doorway with his mouth open.

Janita was not as surprised as he was, and she knew she should probably have covered herself, but he just stood staring at her and was clearly struggling to draw his eyes away, and she liked that.

“I appeared to have got his attention at last” she thought and then he said,

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t think, washer… tap… drip…”

And then he closed the door and headed hurriedly across the landing, so she covered herself and opened the door and could hear him repeating

“Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry” Until he reached the sanctuary of her bedroom, and by extension her en suite.

 

Janita replaced her towel with a towelling bath robe and crossed the landing and was smiling broadly to herself.

She slowly opened the door and stepped in and found the room empty, but she could hear muttering and what she assumed was the sound of him putting his tools away, so she just stood her ground and waited, and she didn’t have to wait long.

He stepped through the door from her en suite and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her.

 “IIIII’m…” he started to say but she put a finger up to her lips gesturing him to silence, and then she undid the belt of her robe and it fell open briefly before she dropped the toweling dressing gown to the floor revealing her dry, perfumed and powdered nakedness, before she walked towards him and kissed him, and he made no protest.

 

CRUEL WORLD

 

My tears ran like autumn rain

When cupids love was slain

In my heart there was only pain

I turn my back upon the world

 

My world was shattered

When I lost all that mattered

And my dreams were scattered

I turn my back upon the world

 

My heart has been broken

Her love for me was only token

All her promises now forsaken

I turn my back upon the world

 

The loss of my hearts desire

Cold embers where once was fire

To love again I can only aspire

I turn my back upon the world

 

But with head high I went forward

Feeling not a little awkward

And I found my just reward

When I went again into the world

 

Though my love ended in tears

It’s never as dark as it appears

I’ve put aside my darkest Fears

And I must go again out into the world

 

Now back from the brink of madness

With only distant memories of Sadness

My heart no resounds in gladness

Now I’m back again into the world