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Shorts
Parting:such sweet sorrow.
By BrianRobertNeal
06 May 2006
Part of a pair of stories, part two "Best part of Breaking up" is into it's umpteenth re-write.


PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW?
She’d been dreading this day. They both knew that it was unavoidable but this made it no easier. She decided that she ought to say something, but wasn’t too sure what. She went out to them and after a short moment during which they both kept a frigid silence, she decided to break the ice.

“I thought that I ought to explain to you why you have got to go.”

They just stood there quiet and withdrawn.

“Look it’s not me, it’s the contract. If I keep you on any longer, I will have to pay the agency a lump sum and take you on permanently.”

She was not getting through.

“I’d like to say that I have really enjoyed having you on board. I have done everything to avoid this. The Contract’s three years were up last March and here we are in November. That’s an extra eight months and I know that the agency will find you a new home.”

They did not look consoled.

“We have had some laughs, do you remember when we had to get to a gig and we drove round and round and in sheer desperation pulled into the grottiest pub we’d ever seen. I went out and found this was the venue we were looking for. We’ve been to some places and seen a lot of strange things.”

Their silence was becoming unbearable

“I’ll miss you. You are always so bright and reliable not like some I’ve had in the past. I’ve never had any problems and would recommend you to anyone”

Why was she getting so upset?

For God’s sake it’s only a bloody car!

Yes but not just any car.

He’d been in that car.

She’d seduced him in that car.

It’s all she’s got left that has “him” in it.

He would never come to her place, it was always Hotels.

They’d met in a Pub Car Park.  She’d just picked the Golf up and this man came over and said,

“Excuse me is that a GTI because it’s got a 2L badge, but the wheels are wrong.”

She’d said, “It’s a GTI but they come “badged down. I’ve got the GTI badge in the glove box.”

He’d continued, “What a lovely shade of red. What’s it like to drive?”

She’d pushed things along and had said, “Hop in and we’ll go out onto the by pass and do a loop on the inner-ring road.”

He didn’t know what to say, but she knew the look in his eyes. It wasn’t just lust; it was that soppy look that men get when they are starting to fall in love. She’d noticed his wedding ring, but she really just wanted to show her new car off to somebody who’d appreciate it. She’d driven like a demon and at times he’d looked quite ashen.

When they’d got back and got out of the car he’d said “Well thank you for the experience but I don’t think that I shall ever need an enema again.”

Once again she’d pushed things saying, “Well you can buy us a drink: to say thank you to me and to settle your nerves.”

In the Pub she’d found out everything she’d needed to know. She in turn had told him that she was a semi-professional musician and had a regular spot at a Pub just a few minutes walk from where he lived. Every Friday night she backed local singers and on Sunday Lunch Time she played background music in the Restaurant. So can you imagine how she felt when on the next Friday he was in the audience.

She couldn’t bear to remember the six months they were together apart from moments in her car. They’d made love in her car. There’s this fag burn on the seat. She’d grabbed him, kissed him then slid her hand inside his trousers and he’d dropped his cigarette in surprise.

She could clearly remember the last time she saw him. They’d gone out to the Bird Sanctuary.  There was a “Twitcher’s” Cabin that nobody used as it was badly sited and awkward to get to. You could make love and watch for would be interlopers at the same time; that is if you did doggies. They’d sat afterwards in silence.

She’d asked him, “What’s the matter, are you tiring of me.”

He’d answered, “No, but my firm are re-organising. We are closing down all local offices and I am to go to London to run the new centralised admin set up. I think we are going to have to call it a day.”

All she could say was, “I’d better take you back. I’m not saying anything. I hate good byes.”

They’d driven back to where he’d left his car and she’d dropped him off. She’d refused to kiss him. He’d got out and she’d driven straight off. On the journey home she’d kept hoping that he’d phone but he never did. She never saw him again.

She and the car had gone  back to all the haunts. The car park where they first met and the one they’d made love in. She’d even had lunch in the Hotel that they’d used.  There were no photographs of him he for refused to give her any. He would not take any of those that she offered him. So he has nothing of her but she had the car. And now that’s going. She wished she could go with the it!

She thought -Well I shall. She got a hosepipe from the Garage and pushed one end onto the exhaust pipe; then took the other end and pushed it through the partly open passenger’s door’s window. She got into the car and closed the window with the button in the door’s armrest. The window closed on the pipe and then stopped and dropped down to the fully open position. She shouted “Bugger” then tried it again  but this time when it happened she burst out laughing and shouted out “You complete wanker can’t you do anything right!” She got out of the car put the hose back in the garage, closed the window and locked the doors with the remote; the car flashed its lights and blinked its indicators.

A car drove up outside her house. The driver got out  and walked up to her where she was stood by her old car. The cheerfull young lad greeted her with, "Morning Madam, I.ve brought your new car and I'm to take the old one back."

She burst into tears.

Reviews
Cars and girls
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3285 comments posted) 6th May 2006
I loved the beginning of it. I didn't get it at first but is was it was all the funnier when I did. Linking the car and the relationship was an ingenious concept. 
But I'm not sure women do get as attached to cars as men,having said that my friend does talk to hers. 
Anyway it was a pleasurable read with some great throw-away lines, my favourite 
 
Well thank you for the experience but I don’t think that I shall ever need an enema again.” 
Great stuff 
BBS 
two stories
Written by robokent (84 comments posted) 6th May 2006
Brian, 
 
In your intro you mentioned that this was the first part of two short stories. After reading this one, I actually had to go back to your intro to make sure I'd understood, as this story seems like two stories.  
 
There's the first very clever bit about the contract (I thought she was the agent for a musical group -- very well done!), and then there's the second, the story of the ill-fated love. 
 
It's excellently written, and I love the feelings it brings forward, the despair over the loss of her only tangible reminder of the affair, in particular.  
 
I guess my only real negative comment is that the two parts of the story don't connect well enough in that the first part is very funny, and the second is so sad. You tried to make it funny, with lines like the one BBS mentioned, and with the attempt at suicide, but I guess I felt a little too jerked from one phase to the next.  
 
But I really liked it, and with probably just a little tweaking here and there, it will flow better. Look forward to the next one!

Written by ndobiecka (20 comments posted) 6th May 2006
I like lots about this.  
 
I like that the beginning has you wondering - I knew there was more to the end of the contract sequence but couldn't decide between someone in a temp job being fired or a musician being dropped. 
 
I like that the main character is female, that she is attached to a car and that she is a seducer and scares the guy with her driving. 
 
As it happens I find this quite believable because a female friend of mine cried when she was faced with possibly losing her car (which, by chance, is a red golf!). Oddly she was the one who pursued and asked out her current boyfriend.... hmm I wonder if you know the same person...!? 
 
I also like the detachment and that each they have no mementoes, nothing of each other - which makes the car all the more significant. 
 
There was only one bit I was unsure about - I didn't really believe in the sucicide attempt as a 'real' attmept - given that the character seems quite strong and I didn't get a sense of her being in love with the guy. So I was expecting it to have a humourous ending - but I could belive in it sort of as a demonstration of anger.
Shushshshshsh.....
Written by gerardconnolly (1186 comments posted) 8th May 2006
Hullo Brian, 
 
I didn't notice you over here until I popped over mysef. Bit like noticing your next door neighbour in the doctor's waiting room. Remember the story of the woman who bumped into her husband at the IVF Clinic? But enough of that. We have to behave ourselves over here. There's literature about. Frankly I quit the Comedy site when than little squirt Siddie started posting. I mean...really!...Really! I can put up with the schoolboy toilet humour.... But him!!? When he turns up the Fat Lady really is singing fortissimo.  
 
Anyway well done. You are well aware that I think this is what you do best. I must admit when I saw the title my heart sank into my boots. I have little time for other people offloading their personal relationships in print. I can take The News of the World for that. But this was a skillfully crafted piece with a good doorstop of an abrupt ending. Characterisation came through too. Something I haven't been aware of in your pieces before; save perhaps the Octopus. 
 
Slainte! 
 
In reverse order.
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 8th May 2006
Hello GC, 
 
You're so right about CS, people like that are curse of Writers' Web Sites. 
 
"Characterisation came through too. Something I haven't been aware of in your pieces before" 
 
Try "Am Drams" 
 
Now I owe you one. Thanks for your time and comments, 
 
Brian
Thanks ndobiecka
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 8th May 2006
Re the suicide, you might have noticed that she never turned the engine on. It was nought but a half-hearted gesture. 
 
I dont recognise your nickname so Welcpme to GW. 
 
I shall say a proper thank you later today. 
 
Brian.
Hi ROK
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 8th May 2006
This is one of my tease stories-(See Losing then Winning) 
 
I wanted to try to reflect the MC's state of mind. The car is a powerful symbol representing a lost relationship. 
 
She initially transfers her emotions to the inanimate car and feels that she has to apologise to it,as it is the car that regrets the parting. 
 
"Why was she getting so upset? 
 
For God’s sake it’s only a bloody car!  
 
Yes but not just any car. " 
 
 
This is the point were her forced bravado collapses and she finally has to admit that it is over and she has nothing left of "him" 
 
Thus the humour of the first part and then the sadness of the second, which reflects her state of mind. 
 
Thanks for your time and comments. 
 
Brian.
last but not least
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 8th May 2006
Thanks BBS for your time and comments. 
 
I keep re-writing part two but each time it gets sloppier and more theatrical. 
 
I'm keeping an eye out for next post. 
 
Brian
good read.
Written by alastair79 (47 comments posted) 8th May 2006
Being a car nut, I did want to hear more about the GTi, but anyway the story moves along at a quick pace and I think the non suicide attempt was handled superbly. All in all a cracking piece, but it sort of left me a little cold, not sure why. 
 
Alastair
Thanks alastair79
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 8th May 2006
"it sort of left me a little cold, not sure why" 
 
The story really shows the MC's state of mind. Humorous bravado finally collapsing into pathos. She is left "cold", for the last vestment of him is going, for ever. 
 
So hopefully this feeling has come across to the reader. 
 
Thanks for your time and comments, 
 
Brian.
A humorous read
Written by Leigh (226 comments posted) 10th May 2006
I see you've had quite a lot of reviews, but thought I'dd my bit anyway. 
 
Really enjoyed the plot and rather dark humour of this. Like the teaser element to start with, the original plot, witty lines, the way this woman is in control. 
 
I didn't find the suicide attempt particularly sad - there was humour all the way through it too, in the "can't you do anything right" line. 
 
Was the car deliberately a VW, as this reminded me of that advert from the 80s where the girl dumps her fur coat and pearls but still has the car??!
Thanks Leigh
Written by BrianRobertNeal (1195 comments posted) 10th May 2006
The suicide was typical of her, an empty gesture, she loves life far too much but then she loves him too much. But don't let him know! 
 
As you know, you write and hope to be read, so every review is precious, 
 
So thank you for your time and comments. I shall now go looking for a piece of your work to review, 
 
It's a way of saying thank you, 
 
Brian.

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