May 22nd club. June 1st

Castlenel.

This is the night before Gavin's funeral.
i feel upset and weird yet determind to keep the routine going as routine really does help.

John chose the last few lines of

" Frost as Midnight"

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee

Whether the summer clothe the general earth

With greenness,

or the redbreast sit and sing

Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch

of mossy apple tree, while the nigh thatch

smokes in the sun thaw; whether the eave drops fall

Heard only in the trances of the blast,

Or if the secret ministry of frost

Shall hang them up in silent icicles

Quietly shining in the quiet moon



I felt the need to cheer us up so I read a passage from "Whatever makes you Happy"

by william sutcliffe

Carol Mat t's mother arrived out of the blue, a most unusual event,and Matt's rather nervously to hear what has brought her here.

"Well" she said,allowing her body the slightest of yields to the temptations of modern upholstery,"I've been having a long hard think and you are my only child,and..."

"Is somebody ill?!Are you ok that matt had ever heard.
"I'm fine,everyone is fine.I am just trying to say that I feel as if our relationship has fizzled away to nothing. I don't think i know you anymore.And i would like to rectify that."

this was the scariest Matt had ever heard.The hairs on his neck prickled and his tongue went numb.Maori war dances were less frightening.
"So I thought maybe i would move in for a few days",continued Carol."You've got a spare room. I won't be any trouble.in fact,I'll help out.This place could do with a tidy.just a week or so.Untill we know who each other is again.I thought if i said it on the phone you wouldn't understand,and you'd think of some excuse,so i decided to just turn up"

Carol downed the rest of her wine in a single gulp."I'm dog tired" she continued"mind if I turn in?"

and with that ,she stood and made for the spare room,pausing on the way to pick up a capacious abg she had concealed under a draped raincoat."I am sure we won't be bored," she said perkily,shutting the door behind her.

matt was too shocked to respond,or even move.He realised that his mouth ws open,but no sound had emerged.
Of all the apocalyptic scenarios that had been running through his mind since her arrival,this was one he had never even begun to imagine.
What on earth could have prompted this?
A week?
She came out of the spare room a minute or so later,wearing a nightie,clutching a faded purple sponge-bag mattvaguely recognised,and gave him a quick thin smile as she walked rapidly passed.As she was closing the bathroom door,Matt heard himself himself stuttering,"But wwhat about Dad?"
"Seven frozen lasanges,"
The door clicked shut and locked.
When she re-emerged,the sight of his Mother's legs renderded Matt speechless,as she disappeared into the bedroom before a word of protest passed her lips.