guy – & hes missing out on so much young guy stuff it breaks me up – so there!
Tom pulled alongside – & called – hello there Franny! – hows things –
– great – he said – giving me a big smile – & how are you – Charlotte?
– fine – I said – nice wheels.
Idiot thing to say – as it was a small boxy MPV – chosen – I guess – because the sliding doors made things easier.
– yes – he said – I dithered between this & the Porsche for a long time –
But he gave me a big grin – to show I hadnt really offended him.
Tom said – you wont forget the planning committee meeting at the Avalon on Friday –
– such excitements – said Fran – the committee on Friday – Lady Ds hog-roast on Sunday – then less than a week to recover before the Festival – be still my foolish heart! –
Tom – who doesnt do irony – said with concern – Fran – is there a problem? –
– no no – grinned Franny – of course Ill be there – Charlotte – will you be staying on for the Bank Holiday weekend & the great Festival of Health? –
– no – Im heading home this Saturday – I said.
Tom looked devastated – tho Id made it clear this was my plan – & Franny winked at me & said – then why not let Tom bring you along on Friday – not to the meeting – wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy – but Lester will be laying on some booze & snacks afterwards. Its the Festival action committee – so all us therapists will be there – great chance to pick their brains for your thesis – & Ill be first in the queue! –
Tom thought this was an excellent idea – & I was rather flattered by Frans keenness to see me again. (OK – I know – Im anybodys for a kind word!) Also I wouldnt mind seeing the inside of the Avalon – so I said – why not? – giving Franny my best smile.
– great – he said – look forward to seeing you then –
– me too – I said – meaning it.
Dont know whats happening to me! Maybe Sandytowns one of those magic places – like Brigadoon or Oz – that you stray into – then get taken over by.
Yes – thats it – definitely a magic place. But what colour magic Im not yet sure!
Write soon before I forget the real world out there!
Lots of love.
Charley xxxx
How do, Mildred!
Don’t recall when I’ve slept for so long if you don’t count being in a coma! Must have needed it ’cos when I woke up this morning I felt more like my old self than any time since I’d been here. Went for my physio session with Tony. Said he were pleased and suggested I finished with a massage. I said no thanks, thinking it were one thing doing knee bends with Tony on hand to steady me if I keeled over, quite another to be lying on my face with my bum in the air while he took a running jump at me!
Then this strapping blonde appeared, lovely smile, said her name was Stiggi and she was sure she could help me, wouldn’t I change my mind? So I did.
It were grand, nice and relaxing. Too relaxing. Suddenly lying there face down with her straddling me back, I realized I were close to embarrassing myself, so when she tried to turn me over, I let on I’d dozed off. She wandered off to do something and I scrambled into my jim jams and dressing gown. Hadn’t got dressed so fast since that time thirty odd years back when I were banging Sergeant Pocklington’s missus and I heard his size fifteens coming up the stairs! All I need now is a bit more red meat on my plate and I’ll soon be ready to make Cap eat her
Hang about. I’m coming … oh, its you.
Hi there, Mr Dalziel! How’re you doing? Hearing good things about you so I thought I’d drop by to check you out for myself…
Oh aye? Well, take a look, lad. What you see is what you get, isn’t that what them ET anoraks say?
IT I think you mean. Yes, they do, but it doesn’t really apply in my line of business any more than I expect it does in yours. We both know there’s no art to read the mind’s construction in the face, right?
If you’re trying to say you need to be a trick-cyclist to be a good cop, you’ve come to the wrong shop. I’m not saying it never comes in useful but I’ve got clever buggers working under me to do the fancy stuff. Me, its collars I’m interested in fingering not souls.
Souls? Interesting choice of word, Mr Dalziel.
Sorry. Limited vocabulary. Don’t have the Latin so I’ve got to make what I do have go a long way.
I believe it. And it’s a journey I’d like to make with you if you let me. To lay it on the line, Mr Dalziel, physically you seem to be back on stream after your little glitch. You’re looking good …
I’d look a lot better if they stopped feeding me like a prize greyhound.
I’ll have a word. But as I was saying, how fast you’re recovering from the mental trauma of your experience, only you can say. I hope pretty soon you’ll trust me enough to feel able to say it, but that’s entirely up to you. How’re you getting on with the audio-diary, by the way?
Eh? Oh that recorder thing. Sorry, went right out of my mind. Can’t even recollect where I put the bloody thing.
That’s OK. I’m sure it will turn up. So, before I go, anything I can do for you, apart from seeing you get more red meat on your plate?
One thing, there’s a guy lives locally, name of Parker. Says he comes up here sometimes.
Tom Parker? Oh yes, I know Tom well. Important man round here. He’s got big plans for Sandytown, him and his partner, Lady Denham.
Her in the pub? You’re not saying he’s shacked up with her? Nay, I met his missus, at least I assumed she were his missus…
No, sorry, I was using partner in its old pre-permissive sense. Their union has much to do with Mammon and nothing at all with Hymen.
No need to talk dirty. Any road, I owe him twenty quid. Mebbe if I gave it to you, you could pass it on?
Happily. But better still, I’m having a little get-together tomorrow lunchtime. Tom Parker has persuaded me that the Avalon ought to play a major role in this Festival of Health he’s organizing to launch the hotel. We’re meeting together, some of my staff and his alternative therapists, to make sure we all understand our roles. Afterwards there’ll
