|
Untitled
Helen
read the mysterious note three times, then
reached for the phone to call her friend Angie.
Angie was as bemused by it as Helen herself.
It read simply.
Go at eight, to your garden gate
Look for a note, if it’s not there wait.
The girls got together for coffee to try and
work out what the note meant, and more
importantly who it was from. The letter had
arrived addressed to Miss Helen Robert’s, by
first class post that morning. There was nothing
else in the envelope but the slip of paper with
the verse on it. The first thing to decide was,
did it mean eight o’clock in the morning or
eight in the evening?. And more importantly, was
she going to follow the instructions, or not?
They came to the conclusion that it must mean
eight o’clock that evening. Amidst much
giggling and speculation, it was decided that
yes she would do as instructed, but not alone,
Angie would be with her. The girls also decided
to tell, Angie’s husband Ted about it, just in
case there was something fishy going on. They
could hardly contain themselves until that
evening. Ted said that he thought it was just
one of the other girls from the office playing a
practical joke on her, but that he would be with
them just in case.
As the girls had no idea what or who to expect,
at the garden gate at eight o’clock they
filled their time by getting ready, for whatever
it was they were getting ready for. If something
was about to happen, then it stood to reason
that they were going to look their best for it.
By seven fifty they were waiting impatiently at
the gate at the gate, looking up and down the
street and peering at every car as it passed.
They were so busy looking at the cars and people
passing that at first they didn’t notice the
dog running down the street. A black and white
Boarder Collie was running towards them with
something in its mouth. It drew level with them
and dropped what turned out to be a newspaper at
their feet. Helen bent to pick it up and gave
the little dog a stroke. He had sat on the
pavement and was wagging his tail and looking
very pleased with himself. Suddenly there was a
high pitched whistle. The dog pricked his ears,
turned tail and ran at a furious pace the way he
had come.
Galvanised into action, Ted followed the dog up
the street and into Whitefield Road. As he
turned the corner he was just aware of a car
door slamming at the far end of the road, and a
car setting off around the corner. He had lost
the mystery person or persons. He raised his
hand in what could have been a wave, but was
more likely a fist of frustration, and watched
the exhaust fumes from the disappearing car
dissipate into the air.
The girls unfolded the newspaper. Inside was a
rather battered red rose, and another letter.
Dear Helen, do not worry.
It’s just a bit of fun, now come on hurry
Be at the talking box by nine
If it rings, well that’s a sign
To pick it up, I won’t say boo
But I’ll give you, your next clue
PS ...it took me ages to train our Blue
Appreciate the work please ...would you.
By the time Ted hobbled back round the corner
panting madly, the girls were having a great
time. This was turning into quite an adventure.
Ted wasn’t quite so sure that this was as
innocent as it appeared, and said that he was
going to stick by them at all times.
“Be at the talking box by nine” said Angie.
”Well that must mean the telephone box, but
which one?”
They argued about whether it could mean the
telephone box in the village pub. Eventually
though they decided it meant the box on the
village green. That was the only real telephone
box in the village. The girls had awhile to wait
so they went back inside the house talking all
the time about who the mystery messenger might
be. It was all getting very exciting. Even Ted
was throwing in the odd suggestion. “Pervert.
Serial killer, Mad axe man”
By eight forty five they were all three squashed
into the small telephone box on the green, Ted
at six foot two, and thirteen stone, made things
rather difficult, and it was decided he should
keep watch for anything suspicious outside the
box. The girls instantly let out a huge breath
of air now that they could.
At exactly nine o’clock the phone rang. Helen
scooped it up on the first ring. “Hello” she
said in a small though excited voice, “Who is
this please?”
“Who am I? I thought you’d ask
I’m your friend and this my task
To get your attention, make you smile
and keep you guessing for a little while
Your next clue is at the ‘Golden Hen’
Please be there on the stoke of ten.”
The Phone went dead. In true movies style Helen
hit the ‘cut off’ a couple of times while
shouting down the receiver “Hello! Hello!”
Then she turned to Angie “He’s gone”
Helen had the receiver angled between the two of
them while the man spoke. They had both been
able to hear what was being said. They now at
least knew, that it was indeed a man. A man with
a very heavy Scottish accent it would seem. They
wracked their brains and both came to the
conclusion that they didn’t know any Scottish
men. Ted was scornful of this and gave the
opinion several times that the accent probably
wasn’t real. This he decided proved without a
doubt his axe murderer theory.
“Well you two, off we go to the Golden Hen
then” said Helen. When they got there the
Kareoke was in full swing. Saturday night was
always Kareoke night at the Golden Hen. They
went to the bar and got in some drinks.
“Wonder if his next clue is going to be him
doing a Kareoke serenade” Angie joked They all
laughed at this and spent a pleasant few minutes
picking out songs that might be appropriate.
They settled back in their seats to watch
everyone who walked past them with suspicion. As
the hour progressed and ten o’clock
approached, they became very tense and excited.
Even Ted was getting caught up in the mystery of
it all, although he would never have admitted it
to anyone. He hadn’t had so much fun in ages.
The girls were also in high spirits, with
shining eyes and excited chatter.
At ten o’clock, the three at the corner table
were far too engrossed in their “people
watching” to pay much attention to what the
Kareoke compare was saying. It was only after
three attempts that the compare managed to get
their attention. Helen finally realised that he
was calling out her name. Almost before she had
time to think, she found that she had stood up
and shouted out “That’s me” while waving
her arms excitedly above her head. Then she went
as red as a beetroot, as she realised where she
was and what she had done. Somehow she had got
totally caught up in all the excitement.
The man called her up onto the stage, and she
clutched frantically at Angie’s hand to go
with her. The compare was reading a letter and
speaking into the microphone.
“Now Ladies and Gentlemen, we’ve got
something a little bit different going on here.
It seems were all caught up in a bit of a
‘Treasure Hunt’. It says here on this letter
which was handed in earlier, that Miss Helen
Robert’s will be coming up to sing for us at
ten o’clock, it also says in brackets,
(probably with Mrs. Angie Hill).
I have the next clue to read out to you girls;
but you don’t get it until after you’ve sung
for us. It says here you’ve done it before, so
while the next lads doing his bit, You’d
better pick a song girls”
Well they hadn’t expected this; but they were
now dedicated to the game and had to be good
sports. They sang “For your eyes only” by
Sheena Easton. After deciding against “White
Christmas” which Ted had tried to get them to
sing for a laugh. It was June! Ted finally
picked “For your eyes only” for them after
much negotiation and arguing. In fact he’d
been quite insistent on that one in the end. He
said it was the song that had been playing in
the Club when he and Angie had met. Angie was
quite touched by her husband’s sudden romantic
streak.
They didn’t do too badly, with Helen taking
the upper harmonies and Angie singing the
melody. They received a huge round of applause,
but were more interested in their “Reward”
the next clue.
My how my nightingale does sing
Was it Sheena or was it Bing?
See I know you well my dear
And I’ve heard you singing here
Now what shall we do at eleven p.m.
Go for a bite to the chippy then
Ask for a letter, tell them it’s you
and they’ll give you the very last clue.
They stayed in the Golden Hen until ten fifty,
the Chip shop was only next door By this time
they’d had several more drinks and were all
enjoying themselves immensely. Poor Helen almost
expected to have to do a song and dance routine
in the Chippy to get the next clue but the Lady
serving, gave it up easily with a smile. They
took it outside to read under the street lamp.
Helen found that her hands were shaking as she
opened the envelope.
Here we are then , my good friend
A clue away from the journeys end
In the ‘Grapes’ at twelve I’d like to meet
I think you’ll like me, honest I’m sweet
By the one armed bandit at twelve o’clock
The door to my heart you can then unlock
“Oh my goodness,” said Helen, Who IS he?
What if I don’t like him? What if he IS
weird?” By this time, she was alternating
between excitement and nerves. They had to drag
her into the Grapes pub, telling her she
couldn’t back out now.
By five to twelve she was a quivering wreak by
the bndit. A barman appeared with a tray on
which drink with a Sparkler fizzled. “A Taboo
and Lemonade for the Lady.” Helen wasn’t a
bit surprised that her secret admirer knew what
her favourite tipple was. She sipped at the
drink nervously, wishing at that moment that it
was a very, very large vodka ... straight!
The clock started to chime the midnight hour.
The Grapes was a disco pub, so had a regular
Saturday night extension until one o’clock. As
the chimes rang out through the pub, the sea of
people in front of the three friends separated.
A little Boarder Collie dog walked down the isle
that they made. He dragged behind him a huge
bouquet of flowers. As Helen bent down to pick
up the flowers, and stroke the dog, the whole
pub burst into a round of applause it seems the
whole Village was in on the secret. In fact most
of them were. The only people who didn’t know
what was happening were in fact Helen herself
and Angie. Angie because she could never have
kept it a secret from her friend.
Everybody
in the village wanted Helen to find happiness
again, it had been five years since her husband
Joe had been killed by a drunk driver, they all
hoped that this man was the one for her. The
general consensus was that he was perfect. It
was your typical close knit community of well
meaning, and kindly interfering neighbours.
As Helen looked at her flowers a hand tapped her
on the shoulder, She found herself looking into
a lovely pair of grey eyes, and A warm friendly
smile. It was Rick the quiet, good looking man
from the accounts department. They had smiled in
passing once or twice, but didn’t come into
contact much, as they were at opposite ends of
the building, and it was a large workforce.
Helen smiled at him shyly.
Rick asked her to dance without the merest hint
of a Scottish accent, and taking her by the
hand, led her onto the dance floor, stopping
only to shake hands with, Jed “Thanks for
getting her here mate”.
Helen stepped into the circle of his arms, and
felt strangely comfortable there, if only her
heart would beat a little less madly. “By the
way” said Rick a little shyly “I hope you
like dogs, Blue and I come as a package” Helen
knew in that second that she liked the package
on offer. |
