A Little Fresh For Me

Those of you who tune in regularly will know that I’m kinda busy at the moment. Happily so, I say carefully, but busy nonetheless.

Nicky and Mike over at We Work For Cheese are running a 28 day writing challenge. This is Day Four, it being February 4th. In fact, there's Nicky now, tapping her foot, and giving me what can only be described as a look...

Gosh, this is fun, and it’s not too late to join in!

Did I mention how pretty Nicky is?

---

An Englishman’s home is his castle.

But sometimes, the castle receives visitors.

As I come in from town, cold wind at my back and ice in my hands, the house is warm and welcoming. A low light burns electrically in the hallway, and under the smell of fresh coffee there’s the faint whiff of pipe smoke.

I smile. Yavin is here. The badger engineer, head of his clan, lives at the top of the garden in a homely sett, but he likes to come down and watch movies on my big TV occasionally. I shout a greeting, but expect no reply; I’ve not heard Yavin speak in all the years I’ve known him, tho we communicate just fine.

I push open the door to the lounge, and a cheery black-and-white face nods a greeting at me. Dressed in his engineer’s dungarees, the pocket bristling with sharp pencils and practical tools, Yavin sits in my big chair, wreathed in pipe smoke. His flat cap sits on the coffee table; one does not wear hats indoors. A fire burns with a fading heat in the grate, the only light in the room except for the low monochrome glare of the television.

The badger moves to get up from the chair with an air of apology, but I wave him silently to stay put; he looks comfortable. Popping myself on the edge of the sofa, I regard the movie for a few moments. A doctor and a patient discuss something earnestly in black-and-white, with what sounds like Swedish dialogue. I pick out occasional words, but can’t quite get the gist of the conversation.

So, what are we watching?

Yavin stretches my way, and I take the DVD box from his well-manicured paw. Oh, right; A Lesson in Love (En lektion i kärlek), directed by Ingmar Bergman, 1954. This explains the Swedish-only presentation; as I’ve noted before, Badgers love Bergman, and don’t need the subtitles.

As if realising my thought, Yavin clicks a button on the remote, and English subtitles pop into view. After a minute, it’s pretty clear we’re watching a light comedy, and I’m chuckling away. I gratefully accept a chocolate from a proffered box as I help myself to coffee, but decline a worm from Yavin’s can; they look a little fresh for me.

Despite joining halfway, I settle into the movie, and find myself relaxed and comfortable in seconds, laughing in good company.

This is the very essence of friendship.

An Englishman’s home is his castle.

And no Englishman wants to be in his castle alone.


Indigo

This blog entry is protected by copyright © Indigo Roth, 2013