“Come And See”: Part Twenty-Four

~ beetleypete

This is the twenty-fourth part of a fiction serial, in 736 words.

Not long after Jimmy started in the Biological Warfare section, Lesley made a decision. She would train to be a teacher, and become a Chemistry teacher at a secondary school. Her application to go on a Teacher Training Course at Salisbury Training College was accepted, and she would still be able to drop Jimmy off at work, and pick him up on her way home.

It would be a full time course for one year, and additional training part-time later. Jimmy was very encouraging, telling her that it would be a good thing for her to do, and a long-term career.

Eileen’s death had been handled by people at the top, and the conclusion was that it was accidental, following some unexplained failure of her protective suit. Jimmy was asked for a written statement, but not called to give any evidence at the internal enquiry. As far as he could tell, it had been decided that he was too inexperienced to have been in any way responsible or negligent.

But he was annoyed with himself for his impulse to kill Eileen. He knew for sure that he couldn’t do anything like that again at work for a very long time, if at all.

When Lesley was watching the TV chef Delia Smith one evening, Delia spoke to Jimmy with God’s voice, asking him why he was taking so long to make a difference. As he was about to reply, Lesley broke his concentration. “Ooh, look at that delicious pie, Jimmy. I will make you one of those. I might buy her new recipe book too”. Before the programme finished, Delia told him he had to get a move on, or accept that he had failed in his mission. He decided not to reply.

God was becoming really annoying.

All Jimmy could do was to work hard, become accepted, and study to improve himself. He was in it for the long haul, no matter how impatient the supreme being was. God was going to have to like it or lump it. Lesley settled into her course realy well, and told him about it on the way home in the car every evening. Everyone else was significantly younger than her, but she wasn’t worried about not being invitied out with them, or not going to the occasional social events. They were both lost in their books most nights. Lesley even stopped watching Coronation Street as it delayed her studying.

The big Bible had been put away in a box in the loft, along with the old notebook from under the lawn mower, and the knife he had used on George Greaves. He didn’t need to read The Bible any longer, as he had memorised the only part that had really interested him.

With the summer coming, Lesley spoke to him about a holiday. Jimmy had never been on a holiday that he remembered. His mum had told him that they had gone to a holiday camp in Skegness once, but he had been too young to remember it. Lesley had her heart set on a caravan park in Weston-Super-Mare. She had sent a deposit for a week in late July, and they sent a colour brochure by return. “Look, Jimmy. There’s a shop, a social club, a small outdoor pool, and a playground for the kids. And it’s only a short walk to the beach too. I think we will have a great time”.

Jimmy couldn’t see the point of driving all that way just to sit in a caravan that was smaller than their house. But he smiled in agreement.

Arriving at the park that summer, Lesley tried not to look too disappointed. The pool was concrete-lined, and the water looked filthy. The caravans were very close together, and she had to park the Mini across the front of the one they had been allocated. That short walk to the beach was closer to two miles, and the stuff for sale in the park shop looked like it had all been found in a bin behind a supermarket.

On top of all that, it had been raining hard as they unloaded the car, and the toilets and shower block was all the way up near the entrance.

As they spent their first night listening to the rain on the roof, Lesley downed a full bottle of white wine, wishing she had brought her old portable television.

42 thoughts on ““Come And See”: Part Twenty-Four”

  8. I don’t fancy that caravan park! By the way, having a caravan myself I know they mustn’t be too close together. There has to be a regulation distance between each one, but I can’t remember what it is!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. I know that Lesley is much older than Jimmy, but I don’t recall any mention of her wanting children or not. My impression is that this would not be something Jimmy would want, but it might fit her profile. Now that she’s working, perhaps it’s off the table. She’s got more interest in television than kids.🤣

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I did mention in one episode that Lesley thought Jimmy wasn’t ready for children, and that she believed a child would disrupt their relationship. I don’t remember what part that was, but I’m sure I could find it, given time. Kids will not feature, Pete. Lesley stayed on the pill.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. It’s not necessary to look it up, Pete. I was just trying to guess where you might be going with all this. Clearly, that isn’t where you’re going.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  13. I’ve just had a lovely time reading three episodes one after the other as I’d got a bit behind. I had to laugh at God speaking in the voice of Delia and loved the line about God becoming annoying. Looking forward to whatever is going to happen next – is he going to make a difference at the holiday camp?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. That caravan park needs some attention from Jimmy, Mary. As you will discover. Glad you enjoyed the catch-up. Delia was my favourite TV chef and taught me how to cook basics. That was before the gorgeous Nigella appeared on the scene. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. (1) Michael and Kathleen got into a “War of the Roses.” What if the Walker marriage goes sour, and hostilities arise? Now that Lesley is pursuing chemistry, she and Jimmy could get into a “War of the Walkers,” with each one potentially waging biological warfare against the other.
    (2) Failure to reply to Chef Delia Smith could be a recipe for disaster.
    (3) “God was becoming really annoying.” So Adam and Eve gave Him the cold shoulder and socialized instead with Nachash, the sweet-talking serpent.
    (4) Advice to live by:
    Advice #1: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Also, it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.
    Advice #2: Resist the temptation to make Dirty Harry’s day. It won’t end well. Also, it’s not wise to try God’s patience.
    (5) God is in heaven. And the Bible is in the loft.
    (6) The caravan park in Weston-Super-Mare was aware of Lesley’s obsession with color TV. That’s why they sent her a super color brochure.
    (7) Looking on the bright side of things:
    #1 The pool was concrete-lined, and the water looked filthy. But it could have been a tar pit.
    #2 The caravans were very close together. But they could have been dumpsters strung together.
    #3 That short walk to the beach was closer to two miles. But it could have been quicksand two steps away from the caravan.
    #4 The stuff for sale in the park shop looked like it had all been found in a bin behind a supermarket. But it could have looked like it had been found in a scrap heap behind a cannibal’s village.
    #5 The toilets and shower block was all the way up near the entrance. But the toilet could have been extremely close by and in desperate need of a plumber. The shower block could have been on Salisbury Island in Nunavut.
    #6 On top of all that, it had been raining hard. But it could have been the hailstorm of the century.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Three unrelated comments on this episode:
    1) “God was becoming really annoying.” ought to go down in literary history.
    2) Not for just the Bible, bor for all holy texts an unfortunate reaction of “so-called” adherents to religions: “He didn’t need to read The Bible any longer, as he had memorised the only part that had really interested him”.
    3) Brochures never seem to reflect things the way they are.
    Warmest regards, Theo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

All comments welcome

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.