| (aka Bike) Part 1066 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
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With all the work Stephanie was doing with my kids, I almost felt like her employer. Trish was just a question of keeping her stabilised, she’d done really well in school finishing top of the class and Livvie was tenth. I was so pleased with both of them.
Billie was dealing with issues of abuse and Julie had the trauma of the rape to deal with. The surgery had worked really well, that surgeon chap was absolutely brill, and within a week, she had more or less normal function in her derrier helped with moderate applications of laxatives.
I saw the young doctor who’d initially treated her and he came over to apologise while we were waiting for her surgery follow up. He told us that his girlfriend was a nurse and they were working nights together and when he mentioned Julie’s case to her, she told him to do swabs for the police for prosecution–which he did. She also told him to refer Julie to the rape counsellor, but apparently Julie declined–all this was news to me.
Finally he looked at Julie, “My chat with Claire, my girlfriend opened my eyes a bit to what you’d gone through–I’d been on duty for the best part of twenty hours, so I wasn’t at my best. I’m sorry, Julie, I wasn’t as helpful as I might have been nor as accepting as I should have been. I’m sorry, and I will understand if you wish to complain about it.”
Julie looked most embarrassed and looked at me for guidance. “I take it you’ll be a bit more understanding of the next transgender person you see?”
“She isn’t the first I’ve met, but she is one of the prettiest–you obviously take after your mum,” he said flannelling both of us. Julie blushed like a light bulb–one in a stop light. “If they’re like her, I might not just be nicer, I might fancy them.”
“She’s only fifteen, so before you say something you regret, it might be best if we say we accept your apology.” I looked at Julie who was still blushing but nodded her agreement.
“Thank you gracious ladies,” he bowed and walked away.
“What a tosser,” I said to Julie.
“Oh I dunno, I thought he was quite dishy.”
“Yeah–like syrup pancake, sickly sweet and no substance.”
“So why did you accept his apology?”
“Because if we did any other, it would have caused more trouble than it was worth, plus you could have been a marked patient next time you needed this place.”
“Oh, I see. The surgeon was quite nice, he told me he thought I was very convincing as a girl.”
“I should hope so, with all the coaching Trish and I have given you.”
“Trish?” she gasped.
“Yes, Trish, she has been a girl a bit longer than you,” and while we’re at it, Livvie has been one for longer than I, but no one has twigged me yet.
She was discharged as treatment complete and we went home. It was ten in the morning and as the day was turning warm, I asked the kids if they’d like to go anywhere. They wanted to go to the beach–but not Southsea–‘we always go there’.
“I suppose we could go to Hayling Island,” I proffered.
“Why can’t we go to Hastings and invade like Willie the Conk did?” Trish does enjoy her little jokes.
“Who wants to go?” I asked and they all did, including Julie. I felt like asking why. Instead I asked them to pack a towel, their bathing costumes, some sun cream and a change of clothes and a coat in case it turned cooler.
It looked like we were off to Hastings.
We used the Mondeo, because it was the only thing big enough to take them all. We put two seats in the boot, they lock in, and there are two seat belts–Tom had this done especially for us to carry everyone. Trish and Livvie sat in the back, Danny and Billie sat with Meems in the back seat and Julie sat very gingerly in the front passenger seat.
We arrived at Hastings about lunchtime, and after parking the car at exorbitant cost, traipsed off to find some food. Despite my protestations we ended up in McBurgers and they had burgers and fries. I had the sandwich I’d smuggled in plus a tea, which I hadn’t. Then it was off to the beach.
It’s mainly a shingle beach so the kids were disappointed. Trish and Livvie wanted to know where William landed. I told her I thought it was a bit further east at Norman’s Bay. The battle took place at somewhere called Senlac hill which is near Battle, named after the Battle of Hastings where William of Normandy defeated Harold Godwinston, an abbey was built there and it’s now a school.
Of course, after they’d finished messing about on the beach, Julie, lolling about in her bikini enjoying all the attention she was getting from adolescent males, Trish, Livvie and Mima running in and out of the sea and squealing, while Billie and Danny swam a bit. I think she was worried her boy bits might show under cossie, but they didn’t.
Julie lay on the beach sunbathing and getting her first tan lines, whilst I sat under the umbrella I’d brought with us, keeping out of the sun. The boys who were ogling her didn’t know the cleavage she was showing was mainly courtesy of the bikini bra, but it did her self esteem some good, I hoped. The cleavage I was showing was all organic and home grown, as were the wrinkles and cellulite.
At one point, Julie was blissfully snoozing lying prostrate, her bra undone for a better tan, and Danny ran up with a cup of seawater and poured it on her back. She jumped up and squealed, then screamed at him in less than ladylike language, realised she was flashing her less impressive chest and wrapped a towel round her while sitting and fuming.
I couldn’t do anything for trying to stifle the sniggers I was suffering–it was quite funny. She had her own back when some bloke tried to accost me as I was sitting reading the Guardian.
“You’re quite a stunner, aren’t you?” said this rather lethargic lothario.
“My husband seems to think so.”
“You jest. You’re far too young to be married, I suspect you’re still at university.”
“I am at a university, but teaching there, and I am married with six kids–I’m older than I look.”
“Mummy, may I have an ice cream,” said Julie in her best little girl voice, getting her own back.
“That’s your daughter?” he gasped.
“One of them–I was very young.”
“Yeah, so I see.”
“What time is Daddy collecting us?”
“When he gets off duty, darling.”
“Off duty, what does he do?” asked our would be chat up master.
“He’s a chief inspector of police, why?”
“Give him my best,” said the drippy guy and he beat a hasty retreat.
“That was a lie, Mummy dearest.”
“Yeah, so?” I snapped back, “It had the desired effect.”
“That is very true.”
After the beach, we went in search of ice creams, and after ingesting them, set off for the town of Battle, where the demise of Harold happened.
We had a quick look at Battle Abbey school, and then walked up the hill where it all happened. The kids were running about when Trish suddenly stopped them. “Mummy, is this where King Harold died?”
“I believe they said it was under the high altar of the abbey, but lots of other men died here as well.”
“Are we like walking on graves?” asked Billie.
“I doubt it, but I don’t know–it was a long time ago, nearly a thousand years. So if you are, I’m sure the occupants won’t mind.”
However, they decided that they didn’t want to visit a battlefield anymore and asked me to take them home. I actually agreed with them. Battlefields aren’t places for children unless it’s to teach them respect for those who perished there and the futility of much of it.
On the way home I explained what I remembered from history that the English had marched from near Newcastle in three weeks having defeated a Viking army there, to fight another battle here in Sussex. They should have won, but William tricked them and Harold was killed, leaving things open to a Norman invasion and generations of virtual slavery of the common folk.
Comments
Shingle Beaches and All That
What a pleasant interlude. Cathey is as quick witted as usual. Love her.
Portia
Portia
1066 and All That!
How appropriate, Ang, that the subject of episode 1066 should be the Battle of Hastings. Most enjoyable, and even better to see the doctor eating humble pie and alopogising to Julie. I'm not sure about Willie the Conk though, as I have no idea how big his schnoz was.
Gabi.
Gabi.
1066
That was really clever. Of course it went right over my head, but being a Yank, that's understandable. Seriously, do they have a Fourth of July in Great Britain?
Portia
Portia
We have a Fourth of July every year…
…in UK, but we don't celebrate anything on that day—unless it’s getting rid of an ungrateful colony :p
Here is a small section of the Bayeux Tapestry, showing another British Defeat! It shows the demise of King Harold.
Gabi.
Gabi.
A language made by men???
As I seem to recall, most children learn their first language at their MOTHER'S knee. So technically the language is created by women!!Hardy actually got it wrong but those were very Machoistic days.
Oops. Now I'm nit-picking.Sorry.
Bev.
enjoy while she can
as p.o.ed as the coppers were just the other day, I'm surprised they haven't already dropped a ton of rocks on her. Maybe they are holding off until they get even more together so they can really put up a good front, which Cathy and crew will then have to work hard to pick apart. The lawyers are going to be busy if they are not already working to provide an umbrella. Maybe the coppers should just deputize Cathy and the other elders so they can take care of themselves without being hassled so much.
Before Hastings
Harold Godwinson marched from the Battle of Stamford Bridge (the village, not the Chelsea football ground) to Hastings. However, it wasn't quite as far as Cathy suggests - Stamford Bridge is near York, not Newcastle.
She wrote 'Near Newcastle'.
She didn't say in Newcastle, she said NEAR it.Lets get this internet thing into a less parochial, None-Middle-England perspective.
To somebody reading this over the pond, Newcastle is less than 60 miles north of York. It's a larger city and a better term of international reference than York despite York's immense historic provenance.
< 60 miles is 'near' in my book. (But then I was mariner and sixty miles is truly a hop, skip and a fart.) None stop voyages exceeding 13,000 nautical miles were and still are commonplace.
Even for latter-day-motorists, it's just over an hour's commuting up and down the A1(M)/A59.
Yeah we all know that Stamford bridge lies but five miles East of York but for God's sake. That's bugger all to a big ship!
Anyway, she's bin' ill!
So stop nit-picking!
Beverly.
York or Newcastle
If Harold had indeed marched from Newcastle, he would have been a week late for Hastings (armies marched about 10 miles a day in the period), so the seventy miles between Newcastle and York were, in the context of the period, something more than a "hop, skip and a fart". Indeed, a mere century earlier, Northumbria was a separate kingdom!
(And, by the way, I wasn't criticising Angharad, I was criticising Cathy. Cathy's a biologist, and it's not unusual for scientists to be a bit spotty outside their area of expertise)
well the truth
of the matter is rather less romantic.
The first battle was a defeat for the English at York but days later the Danes were slaughtered at nearby Stamford Bridge on the edge of the wolds. Although Harald did indeed march south most of his army didn't, there was no known need.
However once in London news of the Norman invasion had Harald raising a new army from the home counties. The famous battle was actually very even and it could be argued that the English had the upper hand. Of course we all know about the famous arrow and how these lands were forever changed by the Normans but less known are the brutal episodes of ethnic cleansing, the Harrying of the North, those north of the Trent still preferred the freedom of Danelaw to the serfdom enforced on them by William.
Thanks Ang for a thought provoking episode and the girls needn't worry about bodies on the battlefield - William ensured that the fallen were all buried with honour.
The last succesful military invasion of England was a mere 944 years ago, of course we have had bigger invasions in the last 5 years!
Mads
Perhaps this part...
...should have been titled, “The Historic Dormouse!â€
Thanks A+B, I wondered if you'd do something special for Part 1066, and you didn't disappoint.
I trust you're better, and thanks too for your continuing contribution here. It's just not the same without a daily fix of Bike.
For those interested in the location of the places mentioned in this episode in relation to Cathy's usual haunts, the Bike Map (link below) has been updated to show a couple of them.
Past Stories
Bike Resources
Map
Hey, Peer Supreme, the map you put up is awesome. I haven't seen a lot of comments related to it, and folks need to go look it over. Clicking on the legend on the left takes you to the place on the map ith some notes so you can see the locations and distances involved, etc. Great work, in case no one has said that.
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1066.
Looks as if Julie is getting over her ordeal, but I expect for something to happen to bring it all back.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
See again
I'm learning something here. Bike should qualify for a national cultural content grant or some such like they do for the arts here in Canada.
Bailey Summers
Liked the beach scene.
The put downs for the intrusive ogler were just neat. It's only a few times in a lifetime that we get these opportunities in real life. Still it's nice to fantasize and read them in print.
Glad to see you're better or at least feeling 'better enough' to resume normal service.
Thanks for that but don't go over-doing it.
Love and hugs.
Beverly.
Getting an update from the font re A's health.
Sneery Medics
T and I have encountered unhelpful, openly hostile, "sneery" doctors on a couple of occasions in UK in the past, but certainly not recently, so they are getting better in the NHS. Mind you the attitude is sooooo different in Holland, and I often wonder what it is about us Brits that causes us to get our knickers in a twist over something like gender dysphoria. I am glad that he had the good grace to apologise to Julie even if he offered the excuse that he had been "at it" for twenty hours on the trot. Mind you I think the NHS powers-that-be still expect too many hours from our junior doctors.
Chapter 1066 is splendid and covering a most appropriate subject. I think we have a copy of Sellar and Yeatman's book, 1066 and All That somewhere in the house (probably in a packing case up in the loft that hasn't been unpacked yet), so I must look it out for T. I think she'll enjoy it. I certainly did at her age. Thanks to Gabi for giving us a glimpse of a tiny portion of the Bayeus Tapestry in her comment; it's well worth a viisit for anyone holidaying or passing through Normandy.
Hope you're feeling a bit more chipper, Angie,
Love
Hilary
Shigle is that a Cobble beach then
sand, gravel, and cobble those are what I have seen, Rather silly question I guess but after living on or near a sand beach for 41 years(of which I have about 30 years worth of memories)had a good laugh about the acoster, as early this morning I was out with my children they both were surfing, I sat under my large Brelly reading Tech updates, when I was chatted up by a couple of kids not believing I was there with my children. It was fun when Jessica and Rae came back with their Boards, then the two boys were trying to chat them up, I had gone back to my papers(well electronic ones) when I heard a slap and the boys ran off seems one of them suggested something that Jessica was not very keen on. He wanted a kiss.
Oh great story laughed so hard I cried, and Cried about Julie's rape some more.
3 out of 5 boxes of tissue and 5 gold stars
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
Shingle beaches
These are a mixture of pebbles and cobbles - Wikipedia describes them in a little more detail.
Meanwhile, I'm shocked to admit it was only after reading the other comments here that I realised the significance of a visit to Hastings in episode 1066.
We've probably got to wait a few more years until the next really significant date, but here are a handful of others:
1086 - Domesday Book
1176 - first Eisteddfod
1265 - first elected English parliament
1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan - legally made most of Wales a part of England (!)
1296 - Not content with capturing Wales, Edward I nicks the Stone of Scone from Scotland.
1349 - Black Death
1480 - Nobody expected this!
1483 - Princes in the Tower
1485 - End of the Wars of the Roses
1531 - C of E
1535/1542 - Laws in Wales Acts - further Anglicisation of the Principality:
"the people of the same dominion have and do daily use a speche nothing like ne consonant to the naturall mother tonge used within this Realme" and then declares the intention "utterly to extirpe alle and singular sinister usages and customs" belonging to Wales.
1536 - "Off with her head!" Anne Boleyn
1542 - "Off with her head!" Cathy Howard
1554 - "Off with her head!" Lady Jane Grey
1559 - Liz I
1605 - the only man to enter Parliament with honest intentions :)
1641-1649 - Civil War
1649-1660 - Cromwell
1660 - Samuel Pepys starts writing a diary
1665 - Plague
1666 - London's Burning...
1694 - Bank of England founded, first ever national debt.
EAFOAB Episode Summaries
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Enjoyed the interlude but
Was especially touched by the kids questions at the end. Yes, this is a spot where people died in a historic battle. As such, it's worthy of some level of respect. I suppose historians or archeologists have some idea about whether there are people buried there.
It was always one of
my favourites when i was little, At least once a year we had a trip to the seaside, Skegness or Skeggie as we little "un's" called it Not the biggest of places, But did we care if the sun shined, First of all it was down to the beach and then the long trek to the sea if the tide was out, Follow that up with ice-cream (and maybe if you were lucky Candyfloss)and a trip to the arcade's, And you had some very happy kids....
Of course you then had the best part of the day (in my view) to look forward too, After all no trip to the seaside was complete without eating Fish and Chips, And what better place was there too be than sitting on the promenade, Eating them out of the bag with the breeze blowing through your hair....
Memories, Don't you just love them....
Kirri
Well, that was certainly a
Well, that was certainly a pleasant escape from the 'thrills and chills' that Cathy and clan have had to go through recently. When I first opened this part and noticed 1066 as the number, for some reason The Battle of Hastings popped into my mind. I was rather surprised to read about it in Cathy's day trip to the region with her children. Jan
Hallowed ground
The USA has more than its share of battlefields from our civil war. More Americans died in that war than all the other wars combined, both sides were Americans, after all, and it was a very long and bloody war. We tend to think of these areas as hallowed ground.
I don't agree wars are a waste. If Hitler had won I doubt there would be many TG people in Europe, given his proclivities. War can be evil, or fight an evil cause, but ultimately it is how the big things are decided, good or bad.
That must rank as one of the ten worse pick-up lines.
Nice day enjoying the sea air and sun.
The emotional rollercoaster is tremendous.
How do the children manage ?
Cefin