Chapter 2 - Departure

7/31/2019 Chapter 2 - Departure

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It is with the best intentions that I write this story, and If for any reason, you feel my writing is of an abusing nature, do not

hesitate to contact me.

Reconnaissance

The guide of a foot path lying beneath the apartment like a pointing finger to the path through the

woods for the past two days, and echoes a reminder; Sunshine! Will you go and check for the firsttram to the South Station in the morning!

Early on Monday I was assured of a daughter's abeyance though, not without a quibble She

decided, and did go out for a walk with Juan, her next door friend. On her return, she freely gave me

the timetable before the departure of the train we had to catch. Moments later I scheduled alarms atfifteen minutes and half an hour in consideration of the direct lucky mistaken tram that I had jumped

with my arrival a few days earlier. And, giving a quarter of an hour ample time for our scheduled

departure, I set my phone alarm.

Timing

At the sound of the alarm I jumped from the couch in the living, and by a glance through the panoramic

window, the hazy shy told me its story; It's early, and the sun is not bound to show up for a whilestill. I turned around seeking for a culprit, none of my doing, and found Anase's phone by her bags on

the glass top dining room table Jumped to mind riposting words; Are you still playing the fool with

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your mind and I heard the broken record of my repetitive words; You must be honest with your mind,

your bio-clock will do the rest this hour...

One minute to goWith an hour to spare, I prepared a flask of percolated

coffee, I sliced a chicory, and with a little mayonnaise

for taste, I took plate and coffee cup tothe dining table, where I ate and sipped

at leisure. Feeling my hazy brain form a

night a stale air, I first went over to mydaughter's room, stroke her cheeks with

my lips over to her ear and whispered; Come get up.

I withdrew and checked the twin of the other closeddoor, wondering how I was going to wake up Victoria.

I returned to the couch and restless, to a requlessflowed of time in meeting the scheduled security and

passport check for the halve past seven departure withthe Eurostar. I got up and went back to lie down,

persistent in waking up the household. When the corpse of Nicolas walked in, on his way to the

bathroom, taking the jug of coffee back to the room, leaving me assured that something was happening.

One minute before halve past six, I stood by the apartment door, having sown in a deep serious voicepanic with the girls moment before; We have a few minute to go.

On the half hour, Victoria called out; Leave without me, I forgot... and wiggled past storming out the

Elevator.

Waiting with my hand resisting the cabin's closing door, Anase's Virgo/Dog with an egocentric bit wasonly too keen to leave her mother behind, while bright behind her eyes her light of sweetness shone.

Setting off on foot

Without sparing a glance at the few clusteredproud old trees that marked the age of the

concrete decks elevating a titanic hull against

the sky, from where we emerged the lobby,Victoria heads in a rush with Anase stressed in

her tracks, and leaving me trailing behind in

my long strides. So it was agreed to cross thepark and sparing time walking to the strip oftownhouses in the valley. Assured with an

outlook of the gentle down slope where the

garden path meandered through the lawns allseemed set to board the tram on the new found



Drawing by my daughter

of my favored food


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route straight to the railway station.

Avoiding a backstreet bus route

Out in the street cutting us off from the tennis courts, Victoria headed across the way. I believed herintention was going to reach us by voice. I questioned her, walking the parallel sidewalks. Insistent, I

grew louder, and got her reply; ...There is a short path here. Soon we were guided by Anase's

insistence. Victoria crossed the street to joint up with us. We had left the 48 bus shelters and were onrout toward the next around the bend approaching the thick and high swell of the wood's foliage. The

street straightened up, to open the far distant vista with the cross of shame towering the cubic

architecture of the church in the circle of Altitude hundred. People were gathering about the busshelter at the turn of the block. Anase paused, waiting I catch up with her, while she glanced after her

mother. Obvious, the Dogie's constancy out in forefront the habit of taking the bus and connection

with the tram on her way to school following with a land surveyor's eye A few months earlier whenthey moved in the area, I sought my way focusing over rooftops my reference points while zigzagging

in my stride the back rays of street from the main arteries that I had perfected since.

slipping of time

I slacked without my walking shoes, and loaded with three bags over my shoulder, we approached the

51 line platform that circled the church, and with a panic strain of voice the girls alternated; Will never

make it on time. I dropped my bags on the bench, and removed them when people begun to populatethe platform, deaf from getting implicates though simply to keep heads together; Why didn't you go

to the bottom of the park, as asked Why can't you get up on time?

merging with morning commuters

We stepped on the tram that just wouldn't come to spite us. After trundling away, we were ready to leap

off and dart at the mercy of a sequence of events, we were boxed in watching the city-scape slip by.

The South Station, familiar and urgent voices exclaimed Hurry up!

the girls rushed their way out, me behind with bags held back by narrow doorways, and by commutersstanding by to take the spots that people left behind. I pushed my way through crowding long tunnels

and up the familiar escalator out of the subway. As we rose a current of piece met us, standing still in a

melting stress. No sooner did the wide concourse of the South Station appear that Victoria's yellowjacket went in all directions. Calling after her; But you got your tickets. Like a lost chicken, Victoria

was off seeking the ticket counters boots no words was going to get through her headstrong. Anase,

showed that life long juggling from an impulsive extreme, in this instance she was by my side crossing

the concourse and simply heading straight toward the Eurostar display that gave me time to assess thesituation. I walked onto the tail end of people queuing to get through the check points. She came back,

and sought her daughter out, uncomfortable with my sturdy and gradual advance in the midst of the

crowd, my eyes in the distance gaging, beyond the passport check booth, at the luggage scanners toproceed onto england.




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A free line to the check-in booth

I saw a line free, and shifted over, while Victoria drew Anase in

and over from my side across the free median where people

crowded with my dyslexia playing trick, and not quiet makingout the meaning what on both booth fascia spelled out, I thought at

first, then called after the girls; If I am wrong, the passport

officers will redirect me.

Blending into a family dilemma

Walking freely up to the booth while getting my Identity card and

Anase's passport gathered with the train tickets. Handing it over, the officer in uniform gazed at me fora moment, then asked in an authoritarian tone of voice; Where is she?

'There, I said pointing to the crowds, and with gestures called Anase in confusion throwing

questioning looks after her mother than back at me; What must I do with such parents?

In my right ear the officer called out; Can you keep together!

I turned to him, while keeping on calling my daughter over, and said; I tried,

Well do something, came the immediate reply.

It's impossible, I said whining in despair. I have tried for the life of me to get those girls spare a

moment listening!

Victoria said all along with awry looks back at me; You are once again, as usual stupid, with that

self-esteem of culpability. Stubborn in a round about way alongside cheating the crowd one on top ofthe other going for that same issue. My insistence begun to pay off, Anase pulled away from her

mother who persistent and blocked her twelve year old girl seduction no longer effective by thehostility of the crowd. Raising my voice. Calling the crowds to gaze at me with stupid written across

their frown; Why didn't I think of moving sides?

The officer melted as he laid eyes on the youthful eyes of the She-wolf and in a patient look drew

Anase away from a mother turning in round to penetrate the crowd. Slow and skeptic she prowled an

approach across the open meridian marked by the pair of booth.

When I said; That's her ticket, he asked charming her with a warm smile; And who else is withyou?

Anase turned to her mother, and nodded; Approach!

As I watched my daughter, the officer sensed that we were connected to the woman turning in roundsand asked; Who else travels with you?

In the moment of the officer calling my attention to say; Her mother There, and pointing! Facing

the critique of a reply in a tone of voice matching his melted stern expression; Can't you staytogether?

Reluctant and lost in her track, Victoria side stepped, seeing it wasn't me calling, but the officer's




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beaming eyes seeking out the woman with who I was traveling she moved away from the flanks of

the crowd, across the bare meridian to hand over her traveling documents in abeyance of his request.

He waited a moment longer, until Victoria and Anase were standing side by side at the corner of the

open face booth, melting into the scene, the officer became indifferent to the smooth process ofchecking passports. A shy grin that drew steadily across the officer's mouth, as my dilemmic words

sunk into mind; I have tried. I have tried for a whole life, and I just can't get that right. He didn't

glance at the documents that were handed to him, as we were in the limelight of the moment, Ipreoccupied and not conscious of the audience, until the girls stepped on, and left me to follow them.

The spirit in the genes

Wild is the spirit of a pack, that the She-Wolfcharacterized in the Chinese Dog year, Anase stayed

close by me. Together we watched Victoria, fireworks

in her blood, going through the checkpoint. Anasewaited for me at the other end, I slipped my belt back

on through the latches of my jeans everything has a

place and this since land surveying hopping in and out,planes, hotels, change a constant to hear once again

me remark; If you help me take my things, than I

loose track. She waited by, until after a galnce

behind, and off we were to catch up with her mother.

Aware there were no breaks stopping this impetuous

Tiger/Gemini I let be, and watched out for ourselves

obligated to move in her wake . The wolf-cub in

Anase nurturing on the likes of mother's seductivenarcissism that makes this down to earth critique the girls on even scale both a single child brought

up in the midst of adults and a pair of adult-brothers So, one can have a glance into their future

unlikely concede other than a partnership from a big family, where sharing and yielding is a livingrule, the mature of an individual riding the rough seas.

Tackled out of the road side decor

Victoria ever so constraint in the patience of Christina's Aquarius/Dog, takes flight fading away in thedistant crowd. She turns around. Does exactly what shouldn't be done facing her daughter, annihilated

with a tornado of blames that plow everything in its path without a glance back to see a ravaged town

erased from the map I was left wondering, if ever the guilt of digging into the piggy bank and takingthe bulk of the month's living money is at cause, until Victoria whips up a good enough excuse for her

deed.

Leaving one's soul behind

We climbed on board, splitting way in view of the aisles through the seats. Seated side by side to




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Anase. A short while later slowly the station platform moved, to accelerate along city rooftops, until

struck by a sudden contrast the interior seems to light up as the glaze of the windows turned black.

We emerged from the tunnels and continued to move to a slipping by city suburbs. As the house thinand for a while we watched the high-speed train move through a countryside that flits by the shadow of

bridges as a reminder of our many stories to-and-fro Lille. I asked; Sunshine; Do you remember whenI lived in Lille picking you up on a Friday in the Audi and returning you on the Monday andschool holidays?

Yes, Anase answered, and moments later a hefty conductor appeared, who I darted by sight. In his

run up stopped the man, and I asked; Are there plugs in this train?

Yes, but only in coach fourteen After the restaurant... he said.

No sooner did I say to Anase; Come lets go over so that I can work, Anase astound me by a

categoric rely; No! I want to stay here. I immediately realized that childhood stay-put phenomenon,and stayed back feeling her out, which ended by me saying; OK, I'll be in coach 14 if you come

just leave everything behind, will get it just before the train pulls into London.

I headed up the aisle and through the suction of opening doors, counting down the wagons. In wagon

15, I sought out the passengers. Leaned over and said to Victoria; You can change seat I'm off to 14where there are plugs to keep me a little busy.

No, Victoria answered. I'll stay here.

sulking into dismay

Marked by the birth of my granddaughter of a period in South Africa on my return a few years ago,

Victoria resolved, thinking I was that filling. With that unrelenting persistence that makes her a top

teacher, and me only the shadow of her happiness I moved on, feeling that low cloud atmosphere of a

persistent sulking mood from an all out struggle to get her youth back. I returned after a briefinvestigation of available seats and the pugs seating places sharing the English and European

Community pugs to spend an interrupted time behind my laptop. I tracked back my steps to my seat.

Moments later, Anase walked up behind me, hinted she wanted a drink in the bar. Victoria's happinesstouched me, spilling over on her daughter, and invited her to join us. For the rest of our way to the

restaurant counter, I was firm and and concentrated on dissolving between the two girls I didn't spare

a moment to think back the years that the calculator at the hand of bar-men and -women were to checkthe exchange rate.

Arriving at destination

We're arriving, Anase said, while I had inmind that interim stop at Ebbsfleet from my

days of watching the construction recollected from my days residing at High

Gate in London, and since high-speed tracks

had changed the course. To my surprise I




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jumped up with the entry into the darkness and tunneling our way into the station, caught by surprise

Anase and me, we moved against upcoming commuters heading for the exit.

At the last leg to our wagon, we waited fro people to step off before pressing on to the middle seating

and fetch our bags. Stepping down there was no Victoria to be seen. Only assured we were behind, wemoved on and glancing back. We emerged into the station, dropping a mounting anger feeling Victoria

covering her tracks. Walking the length of the concourse leading to the Underground, I abandoned

searching for her. Turned the wide staircase, behind the ancient archways, there at the bottom by theticket distributors and ticket windows with a gaze she turned circles. As we approached she repeated;

We have to find the Underground we have to get over to Paddington station we have to get tickets

how we going to pay?

a fare for a connection

It's Ok. I'll sort that out, I said, ill at ease the evening before, when between them, Nicolas; said; I

have hundred and fifty to finish the month.And your credit card? Victoria asked.

Tha's it, Nicolas added in a final tone of voice.

I have nothing after paying the tickets! Victoria replicated.

outdated exchange rate

Budgeting every Euro left me in a comfort that omitted my thinking further at the exchange rate, anegligible ten percent, as I handed my cash-card and in return received three tickets for a trifling

thirteen Euro. With plenty of time to spare, Victoria headed for the tunnels with Anase to keep track

disappearing around corners. We stepped into a crowd and while waiting for the next underground trainand the full platform vanishing in the density, grew the urge to get out. Get out of London altogether,

and shop in a quieter town for my white shirt, and hoping to get out buying shoes for Anase. The

coaches windows pulled up along packed with commuters that necessitated a thought for the luggagewe carried. Rushed to the front of the train, and boarded in time for the closing doors. Changed over at

Baker street, and some fifteen minutes later, without hurdles, our path led for the wide stairway up to

the train.

Just there that Victoria gave over the reigns, when I needed her most Dyslexia playing trick on mewith everything that is new and need absorption to mind framed on large boards; Departure time,

Destination, Platform, everything learned to make sense, until I was caught with a spur of doubt.

The girls had it all figured out, platform, and a 10 o'clock train ready to depart. Not seeing myself

seated about till noon, as our trip was scheduled in Brussels and how long I care to remember when Ithought Anase to stand-in for me. I transferred the money over to her youth-account that I managed.

Money that she couldn't withdraw, and a first hand experience on a digital society trusting the system

rather than the person. Arranged a day trip to the Capital and a return trip the next day with the

Virgo/Dog believing in righteousness and the practice of good work that the Flemish man behind thecounter exercise, though not compromising his colleagues. Anase pointed to the male supervisor,




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which turned into a shouting match across the length of a row of desks running out of sight not letting

go the man wild in his zoological cage.

As I suggested to the girls to board the early train, Victoria's Twins had tamed her Tiger, and docile,

followed me climbing on board to available facing seats.For some reason, in the few minutes that followed, comfortable in a seat and advancing a departurescheduled for noon. Victoria sat across the aisle and Anase faced me. I was breathing stale air. I begun

to sense the stuffy atmosphere of people that had borrowed the wagon on a long voyage and stepped off

to leave behind their errant soul. We were ready to take the Great Western train for Plymouth, until anannouncement threw me into doubt; Reservation holder on another train will be charged a small extra

fee.

We're booked on the next train, I said. As I grabbed my luggage, the girls copycat, and as if the

wheels were rolling under out feet, we rushed from the middle and climbed down. I imagined the traintrundling off behind us. When I sought a quiet corner to check our tickets at hand. Anase checked,

Victoria checked, there was no token of a reservation. We tracked back our steps downhearted by the

conductor's scarce to abandon our seats. Down the aisle we sought our place, taken in the meantime,and were once again foreigners by the separation of Victoria a seat behind across the way and Anase

next to me.



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Chapter 2 - Departure