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Tuesday 24 February 2009

Traffic Lights, Magpies and Furry Dice

There are roadworks on the main route from my home to work and traffic lights that take ages to change. Over the last week or so, I have been indulging in a bit of rat-running, but yesterday yet more roadworks on the rat-run resulted in traffic lights breeding like rampant rabbbits, so I decided to make the most of an enforced few minutes of nothingness in the long queue by the park and indulge in a spot of mind wandering ....

Oh my god! There's a magpie. On its own!

[Eyes frantically search the skies and scan the grass verge.]

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl and four for a boy ... what's five? What if you see ten or twelve magpies? I bet the superstition doesn't cover twelve magpies. Oh ... please let there be another. Come on. Come on ... where are you?

[Said magpie takes to the air and gracefully glides to the ground about twenty feet away. Edge forwards in first gear whilst casting eyes up and down the hedgerow searching for the elusive second magpie. Move about twenty yards before realising that car in front has stopped. Hasty jabbing of right foot on brake pedal just in time, because - oh joy of joys - the solitary magpie has just been joined by another.]

Two for joy. Hmmm. I wonder if that means it will be today ... please let it be today. I wonder if J will ring and tell me I have book deal for all three books. What would I do? What shall I say? What about: 0h what wonderful news! Or shall I just say a simple thank you for letting me know, or shall I just jump up and down and scream? Nahhh ... too obvious ... I need to rehearse what I'd say ... what do other people say when they get the call? Oh my god ... what shall I say if she rings? What if it's a rejection? I hope it's not at work. Mustn't cry at work.

[A third magpie joins the two that are pecking for worms on the verge. Smile to self.]

Ahhh ... three for a girl. How lovely! A grand-daughter! I wonder who she'll look like ...?

[Suddenly realise that there is a rather large gap in the road. Car in front has obviously moved forwards whilst I was watching the magpies. Release handbrake - try to move forwards, nothing happens. Realise not in gear. Glance in mirror. Grumpy Victor Meldrew driver of car behind seems to have just a teeny tiny road rage gremlin jumping up and down on bonnet.]

... a little girl, eh? Thank goodness there wasn't just one magpie. Oh look ... there's some collared doves too. I wonder what that means? Three magpies and two collared doves. Sounds like a Christmas song. (Sings in head .... three magpies, two collared doves and a partridge in a pear tree .... ha ha.)

[Crawl forwards a little way. Magpies disappear behind car out of sight. Glance in the mirror for a last view of them. Sneeze. Then sneeze again. Rootle in bag on passenger seat for tissue. Sneeze again and then one more time. Find half a packet of Polos in bag and pop one in mouth. Just in time realise car in front has stopped. Phew. That was close.]

What was it grandma used to say about sneezing? One a wish and two a kiss, three for a letter ..... did I sneeze four times? Yes I did ... must be the CK Summer perfume ... hope it's not the start of a cold ... four for something better. Whaheyyyy! Something better and a little baby grand-daughter? Book deal and grand-daughter? How lovely ...

[A solitary magpie drops from the sky into hedgerow just a few feet away.]

... or another little boy would be just as nice. Four for a boy .... oh-oh ... hang on. Was that another magpie or was it one of the three behind me just fluttered up the road a bit. It could still be three for a girl. Oh no! It could be one for sorrow. It's just one ... all on its own. Come on little magpies where are .....

[Jab right foot on brake. Didn't realise was creeping forwards.]

... it's all just stupid anyway. Who cares? Boy or girl ... doesn't matter. Only sorrow and joy matters.

[Glance in mirror. Car behind has furry dice hanging from rear-view mirror. They have initials on them. B and R. Man is obviously not Victor Meldrew or would be V for Victor. Red traffic light is now only a few cars in front]

Bert and Rose? Brian and Ruby? Brenda and Ron? Beryl and Roy ... ha ha. I wonder if their grandchildren bought them for Christmas. Or if Roy gave them to Beryl on Valentines day? I wonder if they are married or geriatric lovers. Perhaps they are eloping ... perhaps they are not really going shopping in Sainsburys but are really an elderly Bonnie and Clyde going to rob a bank and Beryl has a 2.2 pistol tucked in her knickers .....

[Loud toot of car horn. Red light has turned to green and the car in front of me is way in the distance.]

Ummm ... what a nice few minutes ... must write this down ... could be a short story somewhere ...

Confucius say: Many traffic lights makes writers bad drivers!

15 comments:

Marcie Steele said...

Annie, that was so funny, it really cheered me up!

Still keeping everything crossed for you. x

Lane Mathias said...

So funny Annie!
Glad you didn't run over any magpies:-)

Hope you get that call this week. Am hoping and hoping for you. x

aliqot said...

Don't forget to ward off bad luck by saying to the solitary magpie, 'Good morning mr Magpie, and how's your wife today?'

Not sure how that works if he's a she, and it's afternoon, but still...

Funny story though!

Anonymous said...

omg! demon driver! really funny. I am keeping it all crossed for you that you hear soon! (Today if I had my way.)

Denise said...

I'm still laughing, I shall be staring at all the drivers on my way home! That call is coming, you just have to push it away from your mind every now and again so it doesn't take over! The word verification for this comment was pregun! Hopefully shee/he will make an appearance soon and she won't have to be pregun any longer!

HelenMWalters said...

What an amazing imagination you have, You should be a writer :) Hoping with everyone else that you get the good news soon.

Pat Posner said...

Great post, Annie!
I hope the 'tiding of magpies' and 'dole of doves' bring you happy news very soon.
xxPat

Anonymous said...

I've read (somewhere) that you often see single magpies because they're very timid, but never far away from their partner. So there's usually a second one hiding somewhere nearby. Therefore it's a scientifically (ahem) proven fact that it always Two for Joy! This probably also means that they're always in even number rather than odd, therefore boys win!

2.2 pistol? Blimey, that would be some cannon and would need very voluminous knickers in which to hide it. I presume you meant .22 ;o)

Fingers still crossed for your deal...

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

So funny. Bloomin' magpies. We have a tree behind the house and they all seem to congretage there.

Tamsyn Murray said...

Magpies mate for life, y'know. I like them better for knowing that :-)

Karen said...

I could never remember beyond one for sorrow, two for joy! Definitely a story in there somewhere :o)

Dave King said...

Beautifully written, love the humour. So much a part of everyday experience, yet so interesting to read.

Chuck Dilmore said...

Lovely!
Thanks for sharing!

peace,
Chuck

Watch the birth of a book:
http://myquirksandmycompass.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

You've been promoted to a full Novel racer - can you email me. addy is on my blog :-)

Annieye said...

L Plate: Glad it cheered you up, and I hope you are beginning to feel better now.

Lane: It's a wonder I didn't, isn't it? My mind was certainly not on my driving.

Aliqot: I think you are supposed to doff your hat, too - but who wears a hat nowadays?

Mother X: Have now heard (see newer post) but looks as if I still have to wait.

Denise: Pregun is pregun no more.

Helen: Easier said than done (lol).

Pat: It did, didn't it. I am so lucky to have a 'pigeon pair'

Captain: I might know you'd come up with a scientific solution. Yeah, I know it should have been .22 and not 2.2, but I always do get confused with where to put the dot.

Debs: There are loads in the park I pass on the way to work. I hope yours don't make too much noise.

Tam: Quite sweet, isn't it?

Karen: I have already written the story, but sadly am banned from submitting any at the moment while my agent is subbing my book (don't really know why!)

Dave and Chuck: Thanks for dropping by my blog. I've had a look at your blogs too but I was at work and can't post a comment from work. Will be in touch soon, I promise.

Liz: Thanks. Have done it now. Whaheyy! A full Novel Racer. Now that IS good news.

Captain: ;-)