October

Limited participants today. My own story was lost when the file corrupted still first time I missed. Joan Read won scoring three votes.

Just discovered my file so have printed after Joan's masterpiece. Well it would be a shame if nobody read it.

Next "brought him"

Stood Close

Dan McGuire stood close to the fence keeping in the shadow of the hedge that grew the length of it. He was waiting for the occupier of the house who's garden he was in to go to bed. He stood very still hardly breathing then at just after eleven o'clock the lights went out. He waited for about a half hour and then crept round to the back of the house to the door he knew led into the kitchen he also knew there was a dog flap but no dog. He was quite small and could usually wriggle his way in through the flap. But this was no ordinary burglary he was being paid a fair amount of money to enter and retrieve from a desk that was situated in the lounge a CD marked Honey. 

He had no idea what was on it and he didn't care he just wanted the money. He set about greasing his clothes with Vaseline this helped him through the flap and also messed with any prints left although he was always careful to wear gloves and a skull cap so no loose hairs could fall out. He gained entry and silently made for the desk he just hoped that it was not locked it would take valuable time for him to unlock it not that it would be a problem fortunately it was open he searched and found the CD he put it in his pocket and started to leave when he heard a noise. He quickly hid behind the thick curtains and peeked through an opening. He could not believe his eyes another burglar had come to search the desk of course he left with nothing. 

After a short while Dan left as he was making his way home he thought to himself that there must be something of value on the CD he had in his possession if someone else also wanted it he decided that when he got home he would play it. He placed the disc into the machine and hit play he watched as several short clips came up of a girl with various men it was then he realised that this was being used for blackmail as he knew one of the men was a very senior partner in a law firm and it looked as if the girl was very young. He took two copies of the CD for insurance and then made the phone call to his contact to say the work was done. 

A meeting was arranged for the next day and at exactly 1.30pm Dan was sat in a coffee shop waiting. Through the door came two men they sat down opposite him one put an envelope on the table and waited Dan looked inside and had a shock instead of money there was a note telling him that a gun was pointed at him under the table and if he knew what was good for him he would hand over the goods. He passed over the CD and sat perfectly still until they left breathing a sigh of relief he finished his coffee to stop himself shaking then paid and left. The more he thought about how he had been screwed out of his money and threatened he decided he would take the CD to the police and report the whole thing and take his chances. He went straight there and spoke to a detective he told him about his part in the burglary and how he had copied the CD. He was escorted home and he passed over the two copies. Over the next two months arrests were made against many men for statutory rate of an under aged girl. When Dan was sentenced the judge asked him why did he turn himself in Dan replied "Well your honour I came to the conclusion that I would rather be tried by 12 men than carried to my grave by six".

The End

Stood close

Did you get the impression on hearing the word STOOD that it seemed odd and on thinking about it I believe it might be because it is an irregular verb. Why don't we say he standed up instead of he stood up. Perhaps saying it brings the answer, it does sound odd to the ear.

Right now we have dealt with that what else can I write about. The first person I can remember who had a different body spatial norm was from Poland. He came over during the war and was working in the docks as a crane engineer. He was quite a likeable chap but he would stand too close and if you backed away he followed until you were no longer able to retreat as your back was pressed against the wall. Just remembered another one years later while crossing railway tracks again in the docks I was button holed by a Frenchman who was lost and wanted direction. He too gave me the close body engagement. Do all the French get close I wonder.

One more comes to mind he was a short chap no more than five foot a keen gardener and often exhibited his prize fuchsias on the common when the Southampton show took place. He too was a nice chap if you forgave him from getting in close and staring up your nostrils, not a pretty sight. Thinking about the past I can recall the smell of the hot tent and the grass crushed by the many feet with the wooden display tables covered in green velvet cloth displaying all the wonderful colourful varieties of flowers.

The only one other person I can think of was a chap I believe to be a lorry driver as his face was familiar. He only had a string vest on - apart from his trousers and shoes of course. We met in Smith's where all the journals were stacked on the shelves. He was perusing the Chuck and Driver magazine while I was getting the motorcycle weekly. It was very hot that day and as I scanned the the first few pages the truck driver reached up for his magazine showing his hairy armpit releasing a pungent smell that was hard to ignore he didn't have to stand too close to drive away the fellow customers as he effectively cleared the decks.

I never stay too long standing by the shelves looking at the journals since the time I was standing by an old lady who was avidly reading a popular newspaper when she was approached by I assumed to be a young manager and he said the papers were for purchasing if she wished to read it. I've just been reminded of another chap who stood close when talking to anyone. He also had anther anti-social habit of spitting when gobbling his food. Being hyper-active bits of food and spit flew all directions.

Just had a thought why is it I've never came across any woman who wanted to take my space up by getting close - except Joan of course?