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Great Writing - Home > Short S. > Wacky Jill-Interlude
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| Wacky Jill-Interlude | |
| By BrianRobertNeal | ||||||||||||||||||
| 05 October 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||
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The story restarts with part 2. But I'm trying a new approach. So bear with me. Wacky Jill Interlude At about 10 o’clock an “IT” team arrived and by 12 WJ was the proud possessor of a new computer, associated Broadband line and a second telephone number. The days of squabbling with her daughter over access to the phone were over. 45% of the rows between them would now disappear over night-some hope, it would just give more scope for the other cause celebres! The next four hours were spent signing and photocopying on her new computer scanner the many forms and declarations that her employer required her to fill in. Electronic copies were acceptable. Part of the exercise involved reading related documentation. At 4pm the house burst into life. Her Daughter, accompanied by Harry and Harry’s Boy came bounding in. “Mum, gives us your car keys; Harry and Harry’s Boy will fit your new Mobile Phone’s hands free mobile kit. And we’ll need your new Phone.” WJ threw the keys to her daughter who led the charge out. “Jayne” bawled WJ “Yes Mum” Shouted the exiting daughter “You better take the phone,” It was still in the box, “And ask them if they would stay to tea.” “OK, but the answer’s yes, as I’ve already asked” Harry like WJ was a “one parent family”, however his wife had run off with a man who’d been driving the coach for a local WI outing that she’d organised. That was ten years ago and she’d had no contact with even her son let alone Harry. The divorce was uncontested and heard ex-parte. She made no claim on her Husband’s estate. Harry ran the local garage, managed the local youth football teams and adored WJ. Harry’s boy did actually have a name, but only his dad and his teacher ever used it. Even he called himself Harry’s boy. He was sixteen and worked in the Garage on a Saturday and in a few months time when he left school he’d work there full time. The garage was the last local business left, the Pub had closed and had been converted into the Head office of a local building Company. The village shop had closed, when it lost its Post Office franchise. The building was knocked down, but the plot remained vacant. The Local Council rather pointlessly refusing the Property Developer owner “Change of use Consent”. The Café which had briefly become “The Lotus Garden” burnt down taking with it two other empty retail premises. One had been a Chandlers and the other a Farrier. So what had been a run of shops was now a fenced dereliction resembling a bomb site. The two non-conformist Chapels had closed and were now converted into “Holiday Let” apartments. Harry’s family had owned the Garage premises since 1819. It had been a smithy and cartyard, it got its first Petrol Pump in 1928 this was removed in 1998 following the opening off the Supermarket’s Store and Petrol Station. In less than ten years a lively pretty village had become a dead eyesore. WJ had taken advantage of the slump in village house prices to take a mortgage out on a three bedroom cottage. This had belonged to Harry’s Family since they built it in 1832. It had become the Family’s dower house and generation after generation of widowed granny came there to die. Harry’s mother had decided to break out of the routine by dying at the age of 53 in 2002. Harry’s father moved in then drank himself to death. So in 2003 WJ had bought the house and moved in. Though in perfect condition the cottage had been built without mod cons, Harry had an upstairs bathroom, downstairs wash room and modern kitchen fitted prior to the sale. The work had been carried out by the Local Building Firm. Harry picked up a plant, equipment and vehicle maintenance contract from them, he also leased to them part of the garage premises for the storage of these items. Finally Harry paid for the Modernisation by the Sale at a London Auction of the Cottage’s furniture and fittings. Some of the items dated from the 1750’s and nothing was later than 1910, Harry’s was always a frugal family. The sale raised over £100k. One piece went for £25K. WJ fitted it out for less than 2k. She also went to auctions but those of a more modest nature dealing in house clearance and “bankrupt” stock. WJ went into the kitchen and did Bangers, mash, beans and oodles of fried onions. She was fond of Harry but could never go to bed with him and politely refused any social invitations that he made. But it was comforting to know that she was loved by a man, even if it was Harry! At 5pm the three traipsed in, “It’s all done Mum and Harry won’t accept a penny for the work. However you’ll have to charge the phone up overnight. “Not a penny Missus, I should be paying you for the tea,” Chimed a chirpy Harry. “Mum next Saturday Harry Boy’s under16 team are playing in the Final of the East Anglian Cup, they’re getting a coach and I’m gonna be the cheer leader.” WJ nodded and started to mash the spuds, her daughter then served up the Bangers, Beans but the onions were being mashed into the spuds, just like Harry’s Granny did them. Harry then produced from his work bag a bottle of a remarkable pre-war Burgundy, “Close de Tart 1935”. WJ loved a good red wine and so surprisingly did Harry. “It’s to celebrate your good news.” “Harry that must be worth hundreds of pounds” exclaimed WJ. “Probably, but Granny left a case of it, for celebrating big events and I don’t get many of those any more. I’ll just open it and let it breath. So while we’re waiting for that I’ll open the “Cooking Claret”.” This was a 1963 Chateau Battaille. The evening was really enjoyable, the meal went down well, they all mucked in and washed up and then played a board game called “Go For Broke”. The objective was to lose all your money. Somehow ending up with £30m and losing didn’t somehow seem so bad. Harry always played to make a fortune and always won. He often got caught stealing money from the Bank. It was silly, light and delicious. At about eleven, when the wine was finished, a rather boozed Harry and an exceptionally sloshed Harry’s Boy bade their farewells and left. WJ looked at her daughter and started to tease her, “Who’s got a soft spot for Harry’s Boy?” To her surprise, a slightly tiddly Jayne replied, “Me, he’s a little love, he’s kind, gentle and so funny. You should see him “take people off”. When he does you and Harry he has me in fits” Jayne realised in vinas veritas so she shot off shouting ,”Night Mum” WJ wandered round, locked up, put off the lights and went to bed. She set her alarm for 6am. Harry was a love he’d make a great Father in law for Jayne.
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