Monday, March 14, 2011

Chapter 5 begins

     Now it only took a few minutes for Xavier to fall fast asleep on the long comfortable couch that smelled of green apples for some reason. Deeply he felt his mind and body relax as he curled up underneath the warm blanket the old woman provided. A nice, quiet dream filled his head and Xavier dreamt he was back at home on his ranch high in the saddle, riding his beloved polo pony 'Mr.Whiskey' with the wind in his hair and the warm Argentine sun on his face.
      "You seem so blue lately son? What's the matter?" Gertrude inquired of her only child, who was the spitting of her dear departed husband Dennis Pierce, God rest his soul.
     Norman looked across the table not having much of an appetite as he sighed setting his elbow on the table and his hand on his forehead "Shelia sent me packing." the exasperated, desolate man said in all honesty to his mother, whom he respected highly.
      "Dear, oh dear..," she shook her head giving her son a sincere look of sympathy and understanding as she set her fork down on her plate, reaching over to touch his right hand across the table asking "Now when did this occur?"
      "A few nights back." he said eating a bit of his mashed peas.
      "Where have you been staying these last few days?" his mother asked deeply concerned.
      "In my work van." Norman confessed humbly.
      "That will not do Norman! After our meal here, go down and collect your belongings, bring it all up to me. I am sure your clothes need a good washing." she instructed him showing her devotion to her beloved child.
      "Thanks mum."
      "I just want you to know son, you needn't be embarrassed about matters of the heart here in this house. Nor should you be 'camping' out in your vehicle. My Lord these past few nights have been terribly cold! You must have been freezing out there!"
      "It was fine mum, honestly."
      So mother and son sat a bit longer eating up their midnight supper of scrambled eggs, mashed peas and fried sausages and home baked honey wheat berry bread with Devon Shire double clotted cream. His mother could see the pain and loss on her son's face and she well knew every time he lost a girl he would go into a sort of mourning for her, as if she had actually died and was alive no more. Gertrude thought this a peculiar trait in the boy. So she tried to change the subject.
     "Oh my, I was so busy baking today I completely forgot to remind you." she said as her eyes lit up with the news. Stevie called for you this morning." his mother smiled.
      "What does he want?" Norman replied not pleased with the information.
      "He says to tell you to come out to a place called..," she thought for a moment "Rawhide! They'll be doing a jig at midnight."
       "A Gig, mum. It's called a gig."
       She laughed at herself loudly bring Xavier to stir in his sleep then she quieted her laughter "Of course! Silly me. He said to tell you they are playing under the name 'The Spots'?" she said unsure why the band would change their name, being they were already so popular, controversial, but popular none the less.
     "Did he sound smacked up?" Norman said having no inclination of seeing his former mates.
     "A little, but that's their lifestyle. And I have always told you. If you are going to allow someone to be your friend you have to accept them for who they are, not what they do." now, as most motherly advice, this went in one ear and right out the other. "Besides, he also told me the band is having a great big Christmas party next month for all the children of the firefighters who've been on strike. Won't that be nice, presents for the little ones. What a lovely gesture." Gertrude said trying to put his old friends in a good light, but of course Norman was not impressed as he rolled his eyes.
      "Well now, let me think. The Sex Pistols throwing a Christmas Party for children, surely this is one of the signs of the Armageddon. I can see it now, the opening song can be 'I want an abortion!'!"

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