Fuming does not cover it. Sam has just called to say a couple of visitors have reported seeing a golf buggy in the sea up at Old Grimsby. The husband and wife had been watching out for the seal who’s been rootling around up that end, when they spotted it. It took Sam a good while to get the couple off the phone because they wanted to tell him all about the whale they’d seen the previous day.
Bobby mobilises Farmer Michael and his tractor then cycles up to supervise.
The bloody Halloween party! One of the bikes for hire has also been totalled. Insurance will sort out both incidents, although then there’s the premiums and excess to worry about. It’s one thing claiming for an accident, another to have to stump up for vandalism and sheer drunken stupidity.
Bobby is slightly out of puff already and he’s not even halfway to Old Grimsby. Perhaps the sun is to blame. That and his 349recent indulgences. He’s pretty sure he’s become addicted to Troytown Farm ice creams. Lovely little business over on St Agnes. But he needs to cut down, otherwise it’ll be Christmas, and no one denies themselves then.
He pumps his legs to power the bike up a slight incline. The sooner they get the buggy out of the water, the sooner they can see if it can be salvaged. Sam and Farmer Michael will do the heavy lifting.
Bobby is relieved that Sam has cleaned up his act in the past few months. He’s much more reliable these days. He only wishes he could say the same about Christie. She seems to have embraced the levels of drunkenness previously exhibited by her husband. Alison is on the verge of banning her from the bar. And while it is sexist, it is somehow more disturbing to see a woman legless in public, although Bobby feels guilty for thinking so. He’d tell anyone who asks that he’s a proud feminist. Causes should stick together – he’s watched the film Pride.
As he heads down the track to Old Grimsby, he reminds himself that he needs to pop in on Beatrice Wallace today or tomorrow, although he’ll most probably see her in the pub at some point. While she’s assured him she won’t be giving up any of her timeshare weeks, this is her first visit back since the unfortunate incidents. She sublet to friends over August, two couples and six teenagers; party people.
Buttering up Beatrice Wallace will be time well spent. He’ll lend his support, ask how she’s coping, listen to some of her woes and perhaps discuss the state of her son.
He will take gin.