“Come And See”: Part Nine

~ beetleypete

This is the ninth part of a fiction serial, in 762 words.

Lesley wasn’t at all sure what Jimmy was on about. “Come and see. See what? What are you talking about, Jimmy?” He smiled at her, making her feel even more uneasy. Then he told her that it was just a thought he had. Something he needed to do. His mum wanted him to make a difference, and he had worked out what that meant. Lesley was relieved, presuming he was talking about charity work or something, so she went upstairs to have a bath.

Jimmy took out an old notebook, and started to jot things down.

Swords were not really an option. You didn’t exactly see many swords, and trying to buy one might be noticed. Still, big knives were like swords, and you could buy a big knife anywhere. Hunger was a possiblilty, and he would look into that. The third option was Death. That was easy enough, as it encompassed any form of death. Definitely the most flexible option. Beasts of The earth. That was a tricky one. No locusts in England to cause starvation, only one kind of poisonous snake, and no man-eating beasts outside of a zoo. But he thought of a couple of possibilities, even so.

A Fourth Of The Earth was a big ask. Even a fourth of that town was over ten thousand people. He wouldn’t have time for that, and it would sure to attract attention. He concluded that he would have to settle for what was practical. Even a few would be making a difference, and sending a warning to people to fear God into the bargain.

When Lesley came back down, she had made an effort. Hair washed, make-up on, and a nightdress that was almost transparent. She had decided that if she was to keep Jimmy’s affections, she had to make sure she looked her best. Convinced his mum was never coming out of hospital, she saw her chance to move in and be a couple. The fact he was ten years younger didn’t seem to bother him, and it certainly didn’t bother her.

He was writing in a small notebook. “What you writing about, Jimmy, is it work stuff?” She was hoping he would turn around and look at her, notice how sexy she was. But he carried on scribbling, and shook his head. He told her it was just a few ideas for a project, and if she wanted to, she could help. She was more interested in her own current project though. That of keeping Jimmy attracted to her. “Why don’t we go upstairs? We could have some fun, before an early night”.

Closing the notebook he nodded, then followed her up to his mum’s bedroom.

She was sleeping soundly when the voice woke him up, and she didn’t seem to have heard it. It was a man’s voice, in what was best described as a loud whisper. “Make A Difference”. Jimmy wasn’t remotely afraid. He knew what it was. God was finally talking to him directly, and confirming what he needed to do. He turned over and went back to sleep, a wide smile on his contented face.

There was a good library at work. Lots of books about chemicals, poisons, contaminants, and bacteria. It wasn’t permitted to take them home, but they could be read at anytime, and as a new employee, he was expected to study. Whenever he had a spare moment, he would be in the small library, making notes and flicking thorough large textbooks until he found the sort of things that interested him. The head of department even mentioned to Lesley that Jimmy was an excellent employee. Hard working, keen to learn, and no clock-watcher.

Sounding proud about that, Lesley told him what the boss had said, as they were on the bus home from work that evening.

After cooking a nice chicken dinner, Lesley cuddled close to him on the sofa. “Why don’t I bring my television from the flat? We could watch it in the evenings, maybe a film, or a nice play? I could bring it over in a taxi, it’s not very big.” Jimmy shrugged and told her she could if she wanted to, but he was going to be busy with notes on his project. Lesley pressed her advantage. “Maybe I should think about giving up my flat, and moving in here full time? It doesn’t look like your mum will be coming back to live here”. He shook his head, and told her that wasn’t going to happen.

Unless she really wanted to help him.

50 thoughts on ““Come And See”: Part Nine”

    1. I confess I knew someone very much like Lesley. She talked about me moving in after our first date. The difference is in the ages. I was 23, and she was a few months off 40. 🙂
      If I fooled you, then that pleases me a great deal. Part ten of all of my stories is usually the stage when there is some sort of ‘reveal’. I went earlier with this one.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  6. (1) Overheard:
    Damocles: “That sword makes me nervous!”
    Dionysius; “Would you feel more comfortable with a big knife?”
    Damocles: “Just pretend I’m a rabbit, and dangle a carrot over my head, okay?”
    (2) Hunger is always a possibility. In fact, Jimmy could have fun playing hunger games. They might even catch fire!
    (3) Death ain’t as flexible as he used to be. Since Jimmy works at Hopgood Pharmaceuticals, maybe he can give the Grim Reaper some glucosamine/chondroitin supplements?
    (4) “I can get you a good receipt for roast beast!” (Cindy Lou Who)
    (5) Lesley is wearing a nightdress that is almost transparent. “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” (2 Kings 6:17)
    (6) The Lord whispered, “Make a difference, Jimmy! And try not to screw up like Jeanne d’Arc, okay? That girl turned out to be nothing but a flaming idiot!”
    (7a) Jimmy’s reading lots of books about chemicals, poisons, contaminants, and bacteria. Next, he’ll suggest that Lesley help out by reading a good cookbook that includes recipes with ingredients like eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat, tongue of dog, adder’s fork, blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing.
    (7b) Lesley cooked a nice chicken dinner. No, Lesley! You went about your chicken broth all wrong! For a charm of powerful trouble, you need to let your hell-broth boil and bubble!
    (8) Bad citation: “Why don’t I bring my television from the flat? We could watch the Elvira cooking channel in the evenings, maybe a film like The Ten Commandments, or even a nice Shakespeare play like Macbeth.”

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  13. Pete! This is going from bad to worse, and whose voice was that in the middle of the night? Please don’t have him go on a massive killing spree? And poor Lesley just want someone to love. Worried in Cali, C

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          1. Everyone should know by now that I never consider it necessary to have a likeable character in a story. As I meet so few likeable characters in real life, I try to mirror that reality. 🙂 🙂
            As for poor Lesley, she is a woman sadly blessed with ‘unfortunate’ looks who sees a chance for love by offering herself to a younger man. I don’t understand why nobody likes her. 🙂 🙂
            I would have been happy enough to receive her attentions when I was 18, I assure you…And by a strange coincidence, I was 18 years old in 1970, the same year this is set.
            Best wishes, Pete. x

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