|
The Christmas lights, where the heck had father put them? he did not recall seeing the box they were usually in when he had retrieved the decorations from their usual storage in the loft? Suddenly he let out a howl! “Back in five.“
Carefully making his way down the steps to the cellar, he opened the cupboard above where the ladder was laid against the wall; found the box, relieved to note it was not difficult to carry, he paused to open it to make sure it did have contents!
Finally back in the lounge he placed the box down as Sandy went to open it..
“Wooo.Mia come and look at this.“
Inside the box were several slightly smaller boxes A variety of batteries and several sets of ‘Fairy lights’. Mia taking an interest in one particular set with beautifully ornate ceramic flower cups enclosing a small but distinctive long stemmed light bulb.
“These are sick momma. “ “Mia!” Sandy smiled at Terry, he grinned back. “Yes I know the slang, someone is not alone in liking that set, Nina always insists on them being on the tree.”
“The different pastel colors on the shades are gorgeous and with.” she stopped to count along the line of them. “ 6 different styles.” “Making a total of forty plus lights, two fuse bulbs, one at either end.” “Are they working.” “Ah now, we shall have to try them and see.”
Laying the lights out along the carpet and being careful not to step on them, they plugged the lights in, there was a flicker and then the lights went out. Mia’s face showed a momentary scowl. Terry reached into the box to retrieve a tin and on opening it took out some spare bulbs and a tester unit?
They had to slot some batteries into the unit and were about to start checking each bulb in turn when Terry stopped them as he went from bulb to bulb twisting the ends to ensure as he now informed them, that they were tight in their holders as it had been known for them to work loose which in turn,would stop the lights from working.
Completing his inspection, the set was still not working. The next hour was spent testing bulbs. Some replacements were necessary, if Mia had been distracted, it was because of several boxes now lying on the coffee table being unpacked.
Out of the boxes, five in total, came two snowmen, a Santa Claus, a reindeer with a flashing nose and an angel. “Whoa momma take a look at this Christmas Angel.”
Putting two AA batteries into the back of it she flicked the tiny almost invisble switch on it to the on position before placing it onto the table.
Ceramic with inbuilt variable colors of soft red, blue and green coming to the fore that pulsed gently within it. Finally the main lighting set was working and curled around the tree, as they flicked the power on Terry turned the main lighting on the room now illuminated by the Christmas tree lights.
The sounds of an audience in awe at how they looked, the echo of Mia’s voice.
“I said they were sick momma.” Sandy smiled. “They’ve got a real warmth about them, unlike a lot of the cheap lighting sets these days.”
“I think they’re from the 1950’s, I know I remember them from when I was a kid helping to put them on the tree and I’m sure mother said they were a gift from her mother.”
NO one was going anywhere until the tree was finished and that angel was atop the tree! Terry had to admit, he was worn out! Stood next to the lit and decorated Christmas tree, sipping on a glass of wine?
Short ass little blonde beauty, with deep dark brown eyes. When she smiled it made him feel so vulnerable. So much like the love of his life had been. That sparkle not just from the lights on the tree.
The following morning, Terry was sipping on tea and eating his toast and
marmalade, when Sandy made an appearance.
“Don’t expect to see Mia, until at least 11am! She likes her..” Her voice tailed off, realizing Mia was not in her own bed!
“Fresh tea in the pot and ..” The toaster popped some more toast. “Plenty of hot toast.“ Watching as she retrieved the toast and a plate, Terry was unable to stop himself from taking in her. HER!
Sitting down, opposite him at the table, she was quietly eating and drinking, before reaching the end of her toast. “I think it’s only fair, that I tell you, what Mia probably hasn’t told you.“ Terry made it clear, ONLY if she wanted to, she didn’t have to tell him anymore than he, already knew!
“My husband died in a boating accident. Drowned when Mia was four. Since then I haven’t seemed to be able to get relationships right. Three guys and all weasels! Bar my last partner.
Not taking no for an answer, a violent drunk, a stalker. If I ended up out with another guy he’d follow us and start a fight, the other guy if he was lucky running off or worse, getting beaten up by him. Real nasty piece of work.
The last few months have been hell. I had to take time off work, due to the stress of it all, and at one point, freaked at the thought of losing Mia. I was so low, they thought of taking her in to care.
Mia is my life. Finally I knew Christmas coming up, he’d get even more drunk and turn up as he has the last few weeks, shouting, threatening and creating hell on the street.
The neighbors are good, but even they’ve had enough! Last Tuesday, one of them told me “Why the hell don’t you get the uck out of here and let us, have some peace and quiet! Nought trouble, till you came along! What can I say? It’s my fault! If I. hadn’t gone out with him in the first place.“ She started to cry.
Terry leaned around opened a drawer pulled out some tissues. “It’s NOT your fault! He’s the problem NOT you! As long as he can psychologically wear you
down, intimidate you, harass you and know he’s achieving something;
he’ll continue. As for it being new to me, believe me it’s not.
I had a friend of mine, moved into a flat. The next door neighbors were an elderly couple in their 60’s! NOTE. Their 60’s. Shortly after, he and his missus moved in, they started their usual reign of terror. Anti social behavior. They made the youth of today look harmless. Banging on their door at all hours, shouting abuse, threats and more.
Drunks, classed as mentally ill so able to play on that though with being drunk their medications they were ordered to take obviously didn’t work leaving them aggressive, abusive and violent. Worse still the police having been called out any number of times did not keep a record of the call outs. Luckily some did recall at least four ocassions and in the end testified in court to that.
Brought my friends to almost breaking point; divorce. Even taking them to court AGAIN, others had previously. Police nor the council would do anything about them. They should both have been in a mental instituion under supervision but as the government closed the bulk of them down, they left those nutters for everyone else to suffer their anti social violent actions.
The court issued a supervision order with local care officers supposed to keep an eye on them but of course they’d take their meds and conform ‘behave’ for a few weeks and then pick up where they left off.
Transpires in the end thanks to a local newspaper reporter who threw the politically correct out of the window re the Mentally ill status given to them that safeguarded them from being locked up, that they had been inflicting their anti social violent and aggressive behavior on tenants for the previous NINE years.
Finally they were evicted and put into a secure facility. It took my friends a long time to recover from the psychological trauma, not just the physical abuse.
Failure by society to not just recognize the anti social activities of some but to actually DO something effective about stopping them without those who leap in with all the politically correct bullshit, they’re mentally ill, they’re drunk, they’re under the influence of drugs..
Those who don’t have those animals on their own doorstep, who have never lived through the night and days of sheer fear for your life, your sanity. You feel such a rage build up inside you cos you truly want to go down, as my friend remarks, and beat the crap outta them.
He took hold of her hand. “Your body gives it away, you can’t stop shaking! I had flashbacks, watching my friends falling apart before my eyes. Seeing you, knowing after what Mia told me, brought it all back, kind of had me shaking, unlike you; not with fear but rage.
All I will say is you’re free of that nightmare for now. Time to recharge, rethink and get some balance into your life without the fear of that animal. NO one and I mean this, as long as you are here, is going to do anything I promise you to harm you.
Mia tells me you are a teacher?“ “Was.” “What you need is a break. To get your strength back and spirit back!"
Walking over to a unit in the far corner of the room, he slid open a drawer took out a set of keys. He handed them to her. “I run my own business, so have to be back in Birmingham for the New Year, BUT you, can both stay on as long as you want.
I don’t see myself selling this anytime soon, certainly not until after April.
Far better to sell Spring onwards. Knowing it will give you time to get your life back is a gift beyond price, as my friends realized, when you do you’ll KNOW the vast majority of people are behind you.
NOT the anti social, violent, aggressive bullying drunken b’stards who delude themselves by thinking they control you, own you and as long as you have no way out, will use that to their advantage.
Life is a book and sometimes you have no choice but to turn the page and start a fresh chapter in your life. If I can help you do that, believe me it will make me very happy.”
|
