Halloween

They came in droves, wave after wave of them in neat rows. The sky was black, the sun obscured and the stench was unbelievable.

We ran at full tilt trying to make it to the safety of the house before the bat shit landed on our heads.

Reaching the relative calm of the house, my first thought was of Hendra Virus, then reminded myself that a bat would have to bite me before the virus would be passed on.

My next thought was for the ripe mangoes which were now in danger. Our annual income was about to be decimated by this plague of fruit bats.

Checking the phone book I came across several Bat Busters and chose a local number.

“Help, “I shouted down the phone. “I need a team here immediately. We’re under attack from a plague of fruit bats. My entire mango crop is under siege. Please hurry.”

“OK, ma’m. We’re on our way. Just watch out for the Batmobile.”

The Batmobile arrived within 5 minutes and a team of overall-clad young men, my rescuers, proceeded to lock down the whole farm. Swathes of netting were laid over every tree and the smoke machines began to pump out their anti-bat mixture. The sky was black with fleeing bats and I felt my breathing begin to return to normal.

“Now ma’m. About our payment,” began the leader of the Bat Busters team. “How would you like to pay?”

“Well,” I began. “I have no cash on me but I can give you a cheque now. Would that be OK?”

He smiled slowly, and for the first time I noticed his large incisors and as he removed his mask I shuddered at the sight of his pale, waxy complexion.

“We usually ask for a small downpayment, but we do take cheques for the remainder……………….”

(Creative Writing 3.8.12 Exercise 2)

Dialogues

Overheard conversation

“Is this seat taken?”Eli asked of the blonde girl next to the window.

“No”, she replied.

Five minutes of silence ensued.

“Do you mind turning down the volume on your iPad?”he asked politely.

“Why? Is it bothering you? “Lily said as she dragged her attention away from the movie she was watching.

“Yes. It is. Bothering me, that is,” Eli said with a smile.

“OK, OK, I’ll turn it down. I left my earbuds at home this morning, rushing out the door after the alarm didn’t go off,” confided Lily smiling back.

“Thanks for that. I really do hate leaving home in a rush myself.”

Another ten minutes of silence elapsed with occasional sounds coming from Lily’s movie.

“Could you wake me if I’m asleep when we get near Gymea?”asked Eli.

“What? Oh, OK, I’ll try and remember, “replied Lily in a distracted tone.

The train sped on, stopping and starting at various stations.

“Wake up! Wake up! I think you missed your stop.”

“What! Where are we?”Eli snapped.

Internal monologue

“Why has this blonde bimbo spread herself out on two seats?”

“Oh bugger off, Dreadlocks Boy. I wanted this time for myself before I get to work.”

“Christ! I can’t stand another minute of that inane giggling in her movie!”

“Huh! Stop interrupting me while I watch my favourite movie ever, Legally Blonde, again!”

“Smile, smile, smile. She might listen if you’re sweet to her.”

“Oops, suppose I’d better be decent to him. It is a long trip after all and he is kinda cute.”

“Smile, smile. She’s doing you a favour.”

“Wonder if I should risk falling asleep and ask her to wake me? I’m so tired and it’s worth a try. Keep on smiling sweetly at her.”

“For God’s sake. Why can’t he just shut up and let me get on with my movie. Yeah! Yeah! OK…”

“Oh shit! Look at the time, look at the station we just passed through! Oh well, I only said I’d try and remember, didn’t I?

“Bloody hell! Why did I think I could ask this dimwit to look out for me? Now I’m really screwed, that big contract out the window. Thanks for nothing, bitch!”

(Creative Writing 20.7.12 Exercise 2 & 3)

July thoughts

Amy says that she hates this week in July every year and never knows how she will feel (http://www.blog.amykendall.com.au/2012/07/thankfulthursday.html) because her Dad died in July 2007.

I have felt like this for at least the last 16 years since my father died on 5 July 1996 and left a gaping hole in our family. We had never lost a close relative before except for grandparents. After that day I never again enjoyed Father's Day and I no longer wanted to acknowledge it for Peter and our children. To this day I still have trouble looking at wood turned objects as they remind me too much of Dad.

After Dad died I found myself dreading the onset of Winter, the longer nights and shorter days with little or no sunshine always reminding me of those first shocking days without my father. I always began to feel more "down" than usual as July approached and I would often try to take some annual leave in mid-July just as a break from my usual routine.

In 2001, six months of workplace harassment culminated in my leaving my job on 28 June and since then I approach June and July with some dread as I relive the mental anguish that I suffered at that time. Each year I deliberately take some time off work in July and I try to go north to the sun to try and make some happier memories.

Five years ago Peter died on 15 July and so July became even more difficult to endure. There are so many painful memories linked to the last 6 months of his life that I am still learning to deal with. July with its seemingly endless cold, dark days epitomises the sadness that I felt then and still continue to feel.

This year I made a conscious decision to mourn formally for Peter one more time and then move on, as if I had decided that five years of grief was plenty; as if tomorrow I would be a different person, carrying no grief and only happy memories.

But the day after the 5th anniversary of Peter's death I suffered a significant angina attack and I realised then that my body was obviously not listening to my mind.

The pain I had thought was asthma and muscle strain over the preceding weeks made itself felt very definitely as a heart problem.

Perhaps my heart had been broken and this was the pain of it mending itself; or possibly the thought of no more grieving for Peter was just too much for my body.

Character chart

Desmerelda came to the decision quickly although she was usually more careful in her decision-making. This time she knew that she had to leave and take the two children with her, and while he was at his doctor’s appointment was the time to do it.

Hurriedly, she retrieved the small suitcase she had hidden under the bed, threw a few more clothes into it and then went up the staircase to the boys’ room. Making it a game, she encouraged them to pack a small backpack each with some clothes and favourite toys.

Watching the clock and hoping that the medical centre was running as late as usual, she collected the children and the bags, gave the cat a small bowl of food and let herself out the front door.

Fortunately the car was parked close by in the busy street and it took only one trip to get the boys settled in the car and the bags in the boot. Remembering to breathe in an attempt to still her racing heart, Desmerelda drove down the one way street and quickly lost herself in the automatic actions of city driving.

(Creative Writing 01.06.12 Exercise 5 )

Describe the most significant moment in your character’s life. Explain what it was/where/when and how.  (10 minutes)

I remember

I REMEMBER when I was five years old and I started school. I had to go on the school bus and I hated leaving my family. Dad would drive me to catch the bus and my heart would sink when I saw the bus coming around the corner. 

I used to cry a lot and to make it right I told Mum that some of the kids on the bus teased me; Geraldine Davies was one of them. But I don’t think they really did tease me, I think I was just plain miserable at having to go to school. 

Then I remember having some happy times at school, especially when the School Inspector, Mr Lake, came around and I got to read for him in front of the class. I loved to read and didn’t realise that other people had trouble making sense of the words on the page. 

I also remember in primary school having to trace a map of Australia and then cut it out. Obviously my fine motor skills were not up to scratch as I caught the headmaster throwing mine into the fire. This memory has stayed with me for some 55 years! 

Toothache was another problem because our school was so remote and if you had a toothache during the school day the headmaster would give you Oil of Cloves to relieve the pain. Friar’s Balsam was the universal antidote for all manner of cuts and scrapes. 

When we had school photos taken the photographer arrived unannounced and we had to tidy ourselves up for the photo; I still have that photo with my hair standing up on end.

I remember sewing classes with Mrs Skelton who was a cranky lady, the wife of the headmaster, almost certainly a smoker as I can still smell it on her.

(Creative Writing 18.5.12  Exercise 3 )
Free Writing – free write for 10 minutes beginning with the words I REMEMBER. Don’t stop and if you get stuck start the next sentence with I REMEMBER again.