Search Results for 'garden'

Forums Search Search Results for 'garden'

Viewing 20 results - 141 through 160 (of 234 total)
  • Author
    Search Results
  • #4186
    F LoveF Love
    Participant

      The house is empty. Perhaps it is more correct to say I, Mater, am the only one home, for the emptiness which envelops the house so strongly has its own presence.

      The family have all left on their respective pursuits.

      Dido is off following another guru. I forget who it is …someone she had read about on the damned internet thing they all spend so much time on — I’ve still not come to grips with it but suspect it is time I did. I had hoped Dido would stay home longer this time — there is so much work to be done around the place and I am not feeling any younger. “Just for a week!” she told me excitedly as she left but it has already been nearly two.

      Prune, unique child that she is, always had such trouble making friends with others of her age however recently she made the acquaintance of a new girl at school who shares her predilection for unusual interests. Prune is staying at her new friend’s house for the weekend. I smile, feeling more than a little sympathy for the parents.

      I have not seen or heard much from Devan for a long time. He is in Brisbane, last I heard anyway.

      The twins, not my twins but the other twins; Sara and Stevie, decided they could not leave their mother. Not now. Not while she is in hospital and so poorly. The right decision I feel though I am also disappointed. At Clove’s insistence, Corrie has gone to visit with them. Clove and Corrie don’t know yet … Dodo and I talked about it and decided Fred should be the one to tell them.

      Goodness only knows where Fred is now.

      I decide I will try and get acquainted with the emptiness. Maybe even make friends. Thought this doesn’t feel likely at the moment.

      “Hello,” I say quietly. I can hear the question in my voice. The doubt. Clearly this won’t do. “One has to believe,” I admonish myself sternly. I try again:

      “Hello Emptiness. What is your name? I can’t call you Emptiness all the time. My name is Mater and this is my house”.

      I say this firmly. Much better.

      I notice that sunlight is attempting to enter through the kitchen blinds and I throw them open. It is a beautiful day. I see that Bert is already up and working in the garden. Planting something. I remember now, he told me he was going to start another vege garden, nearer the house than the other one.

      #4182
      F LoveF Love
      Participant

        “Forget about that!” cried out Roberto who was still looking out the window. “Who is this strange man wearing a hat lurking in the garden?!”

        “So many questions and so few answers,” smirked Finnley.

        #4177
        TracyTracy
        Participant

          “I’m not falling for that, Finnley. And I was being sarcastic, not humble. As if!” Liz snorted. “You silly goose. Now then, where is Godfrey and that scrumtious gardener, what’s his name? I’m reminded of a story.”

          Roberto? Didn’t you send him to another thread? Or turn him into a dastardly escaped criminal, or psychic double agent or something?” asked Finnley, who had come to her senses and removed the strange grimace masquerading as a smile from her otherwise rather sweet and curious face.

          “That’s much too long, Liz,” she added. “A “strange grimace masquerading as a smile from her otherwise rather sweet and curious face”? Bit wordy, isn’t it?”

          Finnley, please!” Liz was aghast. “You know you’re not supposed to do that!”

          #4163
          F LoveF Love
          Participant

            MATER:

            I jumped as Corrie burst into room.

            “Hey, Mater, guess what?” she called out with, in my opinion, unnecessary exuberance.

            I had been looking out the window and ruminating on my vegetable garden — the tomatoes didn’t seem to be growing this year — and felt a little irritated by the invasion. Irritated by the children in general that morning, I guess. I had just asked Prune if she could help me with some chores and had been informed that she was unavailable as she was communing with future Prune on Mars. I suppose as excuses for chores go, it was at least inventive.

            “What is it, Corrie?”

            Clove is coming home! And she is bringing some twins with her.”

            Feeling suddenly tired, I sat down on the sofa.

            “Some twins?”

            “The twins at the place where she is staying. Sara and Stevie, or something like that. Woo hoo, can’t wait to see her!”

            I didn’t know much about Clove’s living situation. She communicated frequently with her sister but correspondence with the rest of the family was sporadic.

            Another thing which irritates me.

            Sara and Stevie … my mind flittered through the years to rest on some other twins. Same names. Twins I had only met once — many years ago — but nevertheless thought about at times. Wondered how they were getting on in life. I wondered if Fred ever thought about them, or regretted his decision.

            Of course there was no connection, but I felt compelled to ask.

            “How old are Sara and Stevie?”

            “Oh, I dunno … old I think. Maybe about 30?”

            #4155
            TracyTracy
            Participant

              “Where’s Mum?” asked Steve. The kitchen door banged behind him.

              John winced at the noise. “What will the neighbours think with all that banging!”

              “Where’s Mum?” repeated Steve.

              “Oh, she had a stroke when she saw the new clothes pegs. Not bloody surprising, either! Far too bright for down the garden, they were! Enough to give anyone a stroke.”

              “No, seriously, Dad, where is she?”

              “I am serious! She’s in the hospital, lost her speech but her arms and legs are working fine. Blessing in disguise if you ask me.”

              “Dad!” Steve was shocked. “Poor old Mum. Who’s going to cook the dinner?”

              #4147
              TracyTracy
              Participant

                Liz smiled with satisfaction at the new growth of the turmeric plants. Such healthy looking shiny green leaves. As always she was amazed at where green leaves came from. Where did they come from? They just appeared out of thin air, miraculous it was. It took her mind off the battle with the latex supplier to ponder the magic of nature.

                Pondering the nature of magic in the garden reminded her of the peculiar things she’d recently read about a man who had a desire to appreciate nature, but was waiting until he had the time and the money to do it. One only has to look at the dandelions growing through the cracks of the concrete sidewalk to appreciate nature, she’d archly reminded him.

                The inflexibility of the latex supplier had been an exercise in firm but pliant resistance on her part. And it had paid off. At first it had appeared to be another aggravating and futile battle with impermeable insurmountable systems, Systems with a capital S, sacrosanct and rigid, inviolate, the new highest authority that growing hoards of the populus were dutifully grovelling at the feet of. But Liz had stood her ground, whilst simultaneously maintaining a lithe willowy air of good humour and pragmatism.

                By the time Liz had found a properly flexible and accommodating new latex supplier, the old inflexible latex supplier became acquiescing and biddable. But it was too late. With a modicum of undisguised glee, Liz informed them of this fact, and smiled with the undeniable pleasure of success.

                #4139
                AvatarJib
                Participant

                  “What do we do with this ?” asked Roberto.
                  Felicity removed her sunglasses and looked at the gardener appreciatively. He was wearing his usual dungarees, with no shirt. She then looked at the mannequin covered in maps he was holding in his arms.

                  “Put it back in the attic”, said Liz.

                  “Don’t tell me you still do collage”, said her Mother. “I could understand, barely, when you were ten years old, but now… Put it in the trash”, she looked at the gardener longer than necessary, “whoever you are.” She turned to her daughter still spread in the sofa. “What’s his name? Are you two… ?”

                  “I’m sure Leon and his twin are enough, don’t you think ?” said Liz bitterly. She felt possessive about Roberto, she knew it was silly but she had to get hold on to something before her mother could strip her of her life. An idea began to emerge in her feverish mind. There had been recent articles about a new game attracting swarms of players, she would ask Godfrey to make signs indicating there was a nest of those Pookemoon in her garden, and maybe in the house. People should certainly be more easy to get rid off than rats and roaches…

                  #4137
                  ÉricÉric
                  Keymaster

                    Her mother looked offended “That’s just like you, really. I’ve just arrived darling!”

                    But this was all a carefully crafted facade. She quickly took a more natural, meaner look “Well, if you should ask, as long as it takes to help you get your shit back together. Isn’t it the bee’s knees!”

                    Liz’ felt her usual wits and quick tongue completely floored by her mother’s invading presence. She couldn’t think of a clever thing to say, so she remained silent, while her mother was getting herself settled.

                    “Leon!” the mother waved at one of the muscular studs
                    “Yes, M’am?”
                    “Get those poor souls out of the cellar, will you. We’re in sore need of some cleaning there. And when you’re done, get the gardener to clean the pool. It looks like it’s full of tadpoles.”

                    #4114
                    TracyTracy
                    Participant

                      Liz adjusted her reclining chair and lit another cigarette. Idly, she contemplated getting up to make another cup of tea, but was not thus far compelled to take the necessary action. There were advantages and disadvantages to locking the others in the cellar to work on her anthology. She had to make her own tea, it was true, but the unaccustomed peace was worth it ~ so far, anyway. Glancing out of the window, she noticed the lawns were in need of mowing and the herbaceous borders needed dead heading, but it was still green and pretty, if a trifle unkempt, and the birds still sang in the branches of the plum tree. “Blubbit, blubbit, blubbit,” they seemed to be calling, with the occasional “peakle!” shreik.

                      “Can’t get the staff to stick around and mow the grass these days,” the thought popped into her head, which reminded her of something else, something a wise man had once said about certain types of gardeners. “Great at planting the seeds, not so reliable about finishing the weeding, though.”

                      A loud rumble like approaching thunder roused Liz from her thoughtful reverie. She was hungry. “I wonder if Finnley had the decency to leave some Peasland soup in the freezer?”

                      #4110
                      ÉricÉric
                      Keymaster

                        Liz’! We’re all waiting for you now, it’s been nearly a week you’ve been soaking in that bath of yours, I’m dreading how wrinkled you may look now, and the amount of virgin coconut oil you will need to moisturize everything, but I digress. Liz’ get out now!”

                        Godfrey was supervising an unusual and unexpected commission.
                        The Anthology of Her Works.
                        It was a working title, but the idea was simple enough, and yet completely nuts and daunting. Put together the massive material that Liz (and her ghostwriters) had amassed all those years.
                        That someone would want to sponsor the adventure seemed completely crazy, so they would have to hurry before the anonymous donor came back to his or her senses and realize the whole futility of the adventure.

                        LIZ’!” There was urgency in his voice.

                        COMING, FOR BLUBBER’S SAKE! STOP THAT RACKET AT ONCE GODFREY OR I’LL HAVE YOU FIRED.”

                        Liz’ finally emerged out of the room, in full regalia, with her silk dragon-patterned black bath-gown, definitely a bit wrinkled at the scalp, but overall looking completely re-energized and ready to embraze the magnitude of the work to be done (meaning: ready to boss everybody around to get it done).

                        “So what’s that all about Godfrey? Have we run out of peanuts?”

                        “Good Lord no, perish the thought.”

                        “So why are you here at the table with Finnley and the handsome gardener, what’s his name already?”

                        Roberto “ ventured Finnley, modestly rolling her eyes at such pathetic attempt at continuity.

                        “Yes, that’s right,… Alberto. Thank you Finnley, you’re a dear. So what is it, that has you all here plotting around? I’m not paying you to roll blubbit’s droppings in batter…”

                        Liz’, it’s serious. We have to start…” Godfrey was about to explain the whole thing to Liz’, but suddenly realized she had just given her approval.

                        “So that settles it: the Peasland’s story!” He, Finnley and Roberto acquiesced and nodded at each other conspiratorially.

                        #4029
                        AvatarJib
                        Participant

                          Liz gasped and almost choked on her soda mojito when she saw Godfrey’s strange attire.
                          “Where the hell are you doing like that ?” asked Liz.
                          “There is that party in another thread. The dresscode is Bring your Codpiece. As I didn’t have one, I asked Sandro the new gardener for some advice.”
                          “Why?” asked Liz speechless.
                          “Oh! My therapist told me I needed to get in touch with my manliness and Sandro is Hispanic, they are known to being manly.”
                          “Do you really think watermelon rind is a good choice?”

                          #3996
                          TracyTracy
                          Participant

                            The following is an e-mail from the past, composed on July 01, 2010. It is being delivered from the past through FutureMe.org

                            Dear FutureMe,
                            The Absinthe Cafe
                            Dawn and Mark had a bottle of Absinthe (the proper stuff with the WORMwood in
                            it, which is illegal in France) but forgot to bring it. Wandering around at
                            some point, we chanced upon a cafe called Absinthe. Sitting on the terrace, the
                            waitress came up and looked right at me and said “Oh you are booked to come here
                            tomorrow night!” and then said “Forget I said that”. Naturally that got our
                            attention. After we left Dawn spotted a kid with 2016 on the back of his T
                            shirt. We asked Arkandin about it and we have a concurrent group focus that does
                            meet in that cafe in 2016, including Britta. Dawn’s name is Isabelle Spencer,
                            Jib’s is Jennifer….
                            The Worm & The Suitcase
                            I borrowed Rachel’s big red suitcase for the trip and stuck a Time Bridgers
                            sticker on it, and joked before I left about the case disappearing to 2163. I
                            had an impulse to take a fig tree sapling for Eric and Jib, which did survive
                            the trip although it looked a little shocked at first. As Eric was repotting
                            it, we noticed a worm in the soil, and I said, Well, if the fig tree dies at
                            least you have the worm.
                            At Balzacs house on a bench in the garden there was a magazine lying there open
                            to an ad for Spain, which said “If you lose your suitcase it would be the best
                            thing because you would have to stay”.
                            Later we asked Arkandin and he said that there was something from the future
                            inserted into my suitcase. I went all through it wondering what it could be,
                            and then a couple of days ago Eric said that it was the WORM! because of the
                            WORMwood absinthe syncs, and worm hole etc. I just had a chat with Franci who
                            had a big worm sync a couple of days ago, she particularly noticed a very big
                            worm outside the second hand shop, and noted that she hadn’t seen a worm in ages
                            ~ which is also a sync, because there was a big second hand clothes shop next to
                            Dawn and Mark’s hotel that I went into looking for a bowler hat.
                            Arkandin said, by the way, that Jane did forget to mention the bowler hats in
                            OS7, those two guys on the balcony were indeed wearing bowler hats, and that
                            they were the same guys that were in my bedroom in the dream I had prior to
                            finding the Seth stuff ~ Elias and Patel.
                            Eric replied:

                            And another Time Bridger thing; a while ago, Jib and I had fun planting some TB stickers at random places in Paris (and some on a wooden gate at Jib’s hometown).
                            Those in Paris I remember were one at the waiting room of a big tech department store, and another on the huge “Bateaux Mouches” sign on the Pont de l’Alma (bridge, the one of Lady D. where there is a gilded replica of Lady Liberty’s flame).
                            I think there are pics of that on Jib’s or my flickr account somewhere.
                            When we were walking past this spot, Jib suddenly remembered the TB sticker — meanwhile, the sign which was quite clean before had been written all over, and had other stickers everywhere. We wondered whether it was still here, and there it was! It’s been something like 2 years… Kind of amazing to think it’s still there, and imagine all the people that may have seen it since!
                            ~~~~

                            The Flights

                            I wasn’t all that keen on flying and procrastinated for ages about the trip. I
                            flew with EASYjet, so it was nice to see the word EASY everywhere. I got on the
                            plane to find that they don’t allocate seats, and chose a seat right at the
                            front on the left. The head flight attendant was extremely playful for the
                            whole flight, constantly cracking up laughing and teasing the other flight
                            attendants, who would poke him and make him laugh during announcements so that
                            he kept having to put the phone down while he laughed. I spent the whole flight
                            laughing and catching his mischeivously twinking eye.
                            I asked Arkandin about him and he said his energy was superimposed. I got on
                            the flight to come home and was met on the plane by the same guy! I said
                            HELLO! It’s YOU again! Can I sit in the same seat and are you going to make me
                            laugh again” and he actually moved the person that was in my seat and said I
                            could sit there. Then he asked me about my book (about magic and Napolean). He
                            also said that all his flights all week had been delayed except the two that I
                            was on. He wanted to give me a card for frequent flyers but I told him I
                            usually flew without planes ~ that cracked him up ;))
                            ~~~

                            The Dream Bean

                            Eric cracked open a special big African bean that is supposed to enhance
                            dreams/lucidity so we all had a bit of it. The second night I remembered a
                            dream and it was a wonderful one.
                            (Coincidentally, on the flight home I read a few pages of my book and it just
                            happened to be about the council of five dragons and misuse of magical beans)
                            In the dream I had a companion with magical powers, who I presumed was Jib but
                            it was myself actually. It was a long adventure dream of being chased and
                            various adventures across the countryside, but there was no stress, it was all
                            great fun. Everytime things got a bit too close in the dream, I’d hold onto my
                            friend with magical powers, and we would elevate above the “adventure” and drop
                            down in another location out of immediate danger ~ although we were never
                            outside of the adventure, so to speak. At one point I wondered why my magical
                            freind didn’t just elevate us right up high and out of it completely, and
                            realized that we were in the adventure game on purpose for the fun of it, so why
                            would we remove ourselves completely from the adventure game.
                            In the dream I remember we were heading for Holland at one point, and then the
                            last part we were safely heading for Turkey…..
                            The other dream snapshot was “we are all working together on roof tiles” and
                            Arkandin had some interesting stuff to say about that one.
                            ~~~

                            There were alot of vampire imagery incidents starting with me asking Eric if he
                            slept in his garden tool box at night, and then the guy who shot out of a door
                            right next to Jib and Eric’s, in a bright orange T shirt, carrying a cardboard
                            coffin. He stopped for me to take a photo (and Arkandin said it was a Patel pop
                            in); then while walking through the outdoor food market someone was chopping a
                            crate up and a perfect wooden stake flew across the floor and landed at my feet.
                            The next vampire sync was a shop opposite Dawn and Mark’s hotel with 3 coffins
                            in the window (I went back to take a pic of the cello actually, didn’t even
                            notice the coffins). Inside the shop was an EAU DE NIL MOTOR SCOOTER Share, can
                            you beleive it, and a mummy, a stuffed raven, and a row of (Tardis) Red phone
                            boxes.
                            I had a nightmare last night that I couldn’t find any of my (nine) dogs; the
                            only ones I could find were the dead ones.
                            ~~~~

                            Balzac’s House

                            The trip to Balzac’s house was interesting, although in somewhat unexpected
                            ways. (Arkandin was Balzac and I was the cook/housekeeper) The house didn’t
                            seem “right” somehow to Mark and I and we decided that was probably because
                            other than the desk there was no furniture in it. Mark saw a black cat that
                            nobody else saw that was an Arkandin pop in (panther essence animal), and Dawn
                            felt that he was sitting on a chair, and Mark sat on him. (Arkandin said yes he
                            did sit on him ;) The kitchen was being used as an office. Jib felt the house
                            was too small, and picked up on a focus of his that rented the other part of the
                            house. (The house was one storey high on the side we entered, and two storeys
                            high from the road below). There were two pop ins there apparently, one with
                            long hair which is a connection to my friend Joy who was part of that group
                            focus, and I can’t recall anything about the other one. Dawn was picking up
                            that Balzac wasn’t too happy, and I was remembering the part in Cousin Bette
                            that infuriated me when I read it, where he goes on and on about how disgusting
                            it is for servants to expect their wages when their “betters” are in dire
                            straits. Arkandin confirmed that I didn’t get my wages.
                            The garden was enchanting and had a couple of sphinx statues and a dead pigeon ~
                            as well as the magazine with the suitcase and Spain imagery. Mark signed the
                            guest book “brought the cook back” and I replied “no cooking smells this time”.

                            #3980
                            ÉricÉric
                            Keymaster

                              “Tututut,” the Head Cackler tutted in between cackles. “Don’t think you are wiggling out of this wedlock, merely by bending your gardener’s gender. Can’t let that awful cousin Badul win, can we. Nor can we let all those crates of carrot champagne go to waste…”

                              #3978
                              TracyTracy
                              Participant

                                A strange peacefulness enveloped Idle as she stood immobilized beside the sapling. A feeling of imperturbability washed over her, the grace of stillness. She glanced down at her legs and rather liked the smooth cold marble effect; so much more attractive that purple veins and loose skin. While her neck still had a degree of flexibility, she looked around, appreciating the hard still silent trees, their infinite serenity and refreshing lack of hustle bustle.

                                But her quiet reverie was not to last long. The sudden appearance of a partly clad woman sent flocks of birds squalking away from the treetops in alarm.

                                The woman immediately set to removing her shirt and rearranging it across her torso in an attempt to gain some kind of conventional modesty, dislodging the sticky paper scraps.

                                Devan, who had chanced upon this usual scene in his search for his aunt, failed to notice the paper at first, so entranced was he with watching the attractive woman attempt to cover her voluptuous body with a gardening shirt. Mater, breathing heavily from the exertion of the search, came up behind him and slapped him soundly on the back of the head and gave him a push.

                                “The paper!” she hissed. “Get the paper!”

                                #3977
                                TracyTracy
                                Participant

                                  HELP ME!” Liz shouted over her shoulder, while simultaneously grabbing the back of the gardeners trousers with one hand, and attempting to floogle the phrase stickum lute putty on her pocket device with the other hand. What in tarnation did it mean? Probably some ancient tribal voodoo Finnley had picked up during her sojourn in the nether regions of the planet.

                                  Roberto struggled to escape the vice like grip on his belt, but Liz’s grip was firm. Godfrey charged across the lawn like like a wild boar to assist with the detention of the errant gardener and gripped Roberto’s shoulder firmly. The sticky shreds of paper in Godfrey’s hand stuck to the gardeners denim shirt like glue. Roberto wrenched himself free, sending Godfrey flying into the herbaceous border, and leaving Liz holding an empty pair of jeans in her hand. Focusing on the information now showing on her pocket information device ~ an aboriginal dreamwalker teleport code ~ it was a moment before Liz realized that she was no longer detaining the gardener but merely holding his trousers. Of Roberto, there was no sign.

                                  Godfrey, sitting in amongst the delphiniums, was looking as pale as Finnley after the cucumber mask. Although Liz had missed the sight of the gardener sans trews, Godfrey had not.

                                  “An imposter!” he cried. “That was no Roberto, that was Roberta Slack! A WOMAN!”

                                  #3970
                                  AvatarJib
                                  Participant

                                    That’s funny, Roberto thought, a bunch of nonsense.
                                    “What’s that ?” asked Liz, her curiosity picked by the alluredness of a strand of words.
                                    “It just fall off your hat”, said the gardener. He looked at the woman, thinking about what Godfrey had told him. The sunlight certainly made her look radiant. He noticed that the red of her lips was the same as the red rose bush he was just taking care of.
                                    Liz took the paper.
                                    “Be careful, It’s sticky”, said Roberto.
                                    “Say something I don’t know, dear.” She tried to get rid of the paper, tearing it in several pieces in the process.
                                    “I wonder…” she began, “Finnley”, she called waiting for her help. She would certainly know. She had a habit of sticking her nose everywhere.

                                    #3965
                                    TracyTracy
                                    Participant

                                      “Did you have to come out here and interrupt my quiet reverie on gardeners nether regions, Godfrey?” Liz said crossly. “And what is that on your head? Your bald spot is covered in dried spaghetti.”

                                      Guiltily, Godfrey tried to remove the debris from his pate.

                                      “Why, you old rascal! You’ve been a peeping tom again, skulking around in someone elses thread!” Liz shook her head and tut tutted. The head shaking dislodged a crumpled ball of paper from her straw hat, which flew across the lawn in the breeze and landed at Roberto’s feet. The handsome gardener bent down further to pick it up, revealing more buttock.

                                      #3958
                                      TracyTracy
                                      Participant

                                        Liz wandered out into the garden. There was a stiff breeze but the sun was shining and the sky was a dazzling blue. She spied Roberto bending over a rose bush, secateurs in hand, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of buttock crack. Liz laughed out loud. Tantalizing? She must be getting quite desperate if the sight of a gardeners bum crack appeared tantalizing. It had taken her mind off the others momentarily though, and her impatient thoughts of writing them all out of the story.

                                        It really was a most splendid day.

                                        #3925
                                        AvatarJib
                                        Participant

                                          Roberto, the new Hispanic gardener hired that very morning, was cleaning the windows. One of them was open, of course and he had heard what his employer had said about leader and supporters. He had always been a solitary person, and he dared think he was supporting himself. Would that make him his own leader ? He splashed water on the window and used a yellow rubber duck to clear the glass. It squealed. He saw Liz looking at him in a strange way.

                                          #3789

                                          In reply to: The Hosts of Mars

                                          ÉricÉric
                                          Keymaster

                                            When Eb woke up, there was a dozen messages left on his phone.
                                            He didn’t have to check to know.
                                            His mother wasn’t too subtle when he missed their weekly call.

                                            She now lived in a modest retiring home in Mississippi, spending most of her time on social networks exchanging links about anything from politics and revolution and anarchy, kittens and drugs. Oh, that, and politics too. And revolution.
                                            She was suffering from early stages of Alzheimer, but called it “transition” as the old-age hype advertised some decades earlier, and due to her refusal to take her prescriptions, it wasn’t improving much as time went by. But Eb’s prognosis was more like “selective Alzheimer”, as she would perfectly recall when (and how many times) he had missed their weekly calls.

                                            He could already hear her complain about how she was left out of the loop, that the world story would be over by the time she catches up with all the gossips they’d hidden from her. Often, she would become so agitated that Fancy, her nurse would come help her relax and stop waking up the others. Everything was much less confusing thanks to Fancy.

                                            After all that is said, he loved his mother deeply. She was always full of extravagant ideas and when she stopped doubting herself, she had her moments of sheer brilliance.

                                            Being his only son, that she’d taken care of as a single mother most of her life, he felt tremendous pressure to be worthy of her sacrifices. So talking about his job wasn’t really something he liked to explore with her. If she’d known what he did for a living,… he couldn’t bear to imagine the look of crushed hopes and expectations on her devastated face. Well, suffice to say her face needn’t any of it.
                                            Instead, he’d told her he was working in a tree nursery, working on pest control, with humane and eco-conscious methods. Which actually wasn’t too far off the truth. The pests were the glitches of the program, and the vegetables… well, that didn’t need much explaining.

                                            “Tricia speaking, who’s this?” Eb knew she knew perfectly well it was him, but the game was ever the same
                                            “Mother, it’s Eb”
                                            “Ebenezer, my dear boy, how kind of you to remember your old mother. What have you been up to? So many things happened here, with that new batch of decrepit old farts who arrived last month, so much drama. But you should tell me about you. Oh, makes me recall that stupid incident, a synch! I should tell Fancy about it! Fancy, Fancy!
                                            Oh dear… She’s gone cleaning up again. The last one who came in is a Chinese, and all his family is there, I bet she’s cooking some rice now, it smells funny. Fancy! Mind the rice! So well, it’s like the twins I talk with on the Internet, with funny names, Cilantro and Nutmeg, something like that, well, they have so many funny stories, like that meteor that dropped on Mars and blacked-out the TV show, they think it’s all bollocks. I told them I’d ask you about this, after all you did some studies in physics before becoming a gardener, you’ve always been the clever one in the lot, always helping with the dust stuck in my keyboard, and other IT problems. Oh dear… that was fun, but I think I must go, Fancy is waving at me, she says hello by the way! Oh, she rolls your eyes at you, how cute! Time for my siesta, … what? Oh, and change my nappies too, thanks Fancy, you’re precious, I keep forgetting everything. Talk to you soon my boy!”

                                            Well… If he hadn’t been so hungover, he probably would have tried to place some funny comments, or at least a well-meaning “hmmm hmmm”, to let her know he wasn’t just letting her monologue. Today was a good day notwithstanding, she hardly had a complaint. He should remember to send Fancy a card and a nice honey pot like he did every year, she was doing wonders at pacifying his mother.

                                          Viewing 20 results - 141 through 160 (of 234 total)