Margrethes notes:
Not gonna lie, I could've had a better
nights sleep... I don't mind the snakes, or even the sleeping bag,
though it in no way beats my own bed, but the rat.. the constant
squeaking throughout the night from its running wheel, and the smell.
It wasn't foul, but it was definately a strong smell of animal in her
room. If this was my room, I would at the very least have perfumed it
to smell better, especally if I was having visitors.
But I also know how to keep my mouth
shut. I know how important those animals are to her, and I don't want
to say anything to hurt her feelings.
I could never do that, and I really do
appreciate the heart she must have to care for these animals, even
the snakes, though they are a bit terrifying.. I don't think I would
be comfortable touching them. Well, maybe if I could wear a space
suit...
..but that rat, even if it is a rat,
it's just so cute. I could almost pick it up to hug it.. Almost. But
I wouldn't. It's not easy to distract, but I think I got eye contact
with it for a while. I'm pretty sure I saw it wag its tail and look
at me a few times. Must be a sign that it likes me, I think it does.
Everybody likes me, they just do. It's
important to be popular to be successful, and it's easy too. You just
have to be a good person doing good deeds and people will know your
name and like you. You can throw a party and donate some money. Just
like that. Dad does this all the time and everybody thinks it's the
greatest and always donate lots of money.
Lise Veronicas mom is so smart, just
like my mom. She immediately guessed the answer to my trivia
challenge question (it was bed bugs), and I would have loved to stay
longer at their house, but of course we had to go to school...
I don't know, sometimes I like going
to school, and sometimes I don't. It just sucks how it's always there
to interrupt a good time. This is why I like Lise Veronica, she's not
afraid to skip school if she wants to. I can't really do that, I have
to get good grades to go to university or get a good job.
It's not
enough to be popular, I also have to work hard.. and I really want to
become something important. I don't know what though. Maybe I could
become a scientist like Lise Veronicas mom. Or a movie star. But I
know if I'm not getting good grades, I won't get the car my mom
promised me when I turn 18 and pass my drivers test. And I really
want that car. Because I am going to pass my drivers test. I don't
want to have to ride the bus or take a taxi to go to places. That
just sucks.
Pias notes:
I could have taken this day off
and have someone else take this shift at the office, but I don't want
to. It's been to long since I have got a promotion, and just sitting
at home, or wasting my time with other trivial pursuits around town
would just make me restless. I can't do that. I'm just much better
off at the office, where I can also be of service to people, to help
them with their problems and their health – it really is the most
meaningful thing I can do. I just wouldn't be complete without it.
I could have done well in a political
career too, though it was never the right path for me. I prefer a
more hands on approach to making the world a better place –
standing on a podium giving speeches and making promises, not to
mention working with and staying within a budget, was never my thing.
I prefer it this way, and I am lucky to still have some influence on
the politics, doing some lobbying for the healthcare budget within
our own four walls... Maybe a little immoral, but it is for the
greater good as I see it.
Margrethes
notes:
After todays class in history, we went
to the mausoleum for an excursion to learn more about the past of our
town. Of course, everyone in town kinda knows about it already, the
old tales of Little Black Mary, how she was accused of witchcraft and
burned at the stake on the same hill where the mental hospital now
sits...
As we learnt today, her name was Maria
Gaetana Agnesi, and she wasn't the only one, but she is the most
famous one, as legend has it she didn't actually burn or something,
or somehow survived the fire. That is not the truth – she did
survive, because she was never actually burned. What really happened
was that during trials she was exonarated by governor William Fulda,
because he was secretly having an affair with her – which was the
reason for her being on trial in the first place. It is really a
quite complex story, but I guess someone being found guilty and
burned was what the people wanted and that became the story to be
told and passed down.
Anyway, William later fled town after
being accused of treason and sentenced to death by hanging. It did
him no good, because he was eventually caught and hanged anyway.
After all this Mary lived a secluded life in her house just above the
mausoleum until she died of old age in 1718. Three days after her
death her house burned down, so it's not the same house as the one
Mortimer lives in, but it could have been. Just standing next to her
shrine gave me the same creepy chills as his house does. They never
figured out why her house burned down or who did it, and the lot was
empty for many, many years until it was bought for next to nothing by
Maximillian Goth in eighteentwenty-some-year. I don't remember
excactly which one now.
This was very fascinating, and I
thought I hated history, but this made me want to learn more. It's
just to bad that the homework we got for today was some geometry
thing on drawing circles and triangles and from there using a compass
to connect the dots and draw a curve. What is the point of that!? I
would instead want to dream away to a different time, a time of
witches and uh.. fortresses and castles and things. But well, gotta
do my homework anyway. Even if it's just drawing circles and curves
for no reason...
'Prison Warden' Frediks notes:
After another long day at the office,
with town council cabinet meetings, another meeting with the
commercial development board and finally a conversation with the SVPD
chief and substitute SFD chief about the employment situation at the
fire station. It's been going on for more than two years and we still
haven't got anyone willing to take on a long term contract.. It's
seriously giving me a headache. We can't keep depending on fire
fighters coming on from Bawyood any longer, it's just not a
sustainable situation..
Anyway,
I needed to unwind and catch up with my old buddy therapist Terje for
a game of chess and to congratulate him with his wedding, which
unfortunately we missed, so I called him and asked if he was
available to hang out over at the old chess club.
A lot of networking has been going on
here, and many friendships have formed over the years, whilst sharing
a drop of the hard stuff by the fireplace in this parlour... or by
any of the chessboards..
Margrethes notes:
Todays geometry homework was actually
really, really tricky. I wish I had mom or dad here to ask for help,
but I guess I'll just have to try and figure it out on my own. They
will probably be much happier with me if I do, and then maybe they
will take me out to learn how to drive later.
I wasn't completely done by the mom
came home, even though I wish I was. She didn't mind though and
seemed happy and smiling when she told me how proud she was of me
asked me if I needed any help. I think I have figured out most of it
by now, and I didn't really want to ask her for help, so I told her
that I was ok and that I was almost finished.
"Are you sure?" she asked
softly, and I could almost just feel her warm smile from behind my
back.
"Yes, mom, I'm sure. I only have
a few more points left.. I'll be done soon."I replied, reaching
for my compass to draw the last circle. It might take a few tries,
because it had to be perfect, but I could get it done.
"Alright,
I'll be upstairs finishing up some work if you need me or if there's
anything I can do for you." she said before walking up the
stairs. I know she would love to help me, she always does, but
knowing mom, she would be even happier if I could solve it all
without any help. It would also make it easier for me to ask her
about teaching me how to drive later.. she probably would've done
that too anyway, but I don't want to make her tired by asking to
much.
Pias notes:
Some would call this unprofessional,
but you have to understand how important my patients well-being is to
me. It's not just a job, so yeah, sometimes I do chat with them on my
time off. It's just what I have to do to make sure that they aren't
feeling lonely, and to know that I genuinely and deeply care for each
and every one of them. I just want to spread love and warmth around,
and I have the surplus to do it, so I can't see how it can be a bad
thing. Donating money to the poor makes me feel better, sure, but
being in touch with people on a more personal basis is so much more
rewarding anyhow.
Margrethes notes:
Mom deserves to take it alot
easier than she does. I know she says that her job gives her energy,
and that she enjoys working overtime, but still.. I don't want to
stress her out, but at the same time I really, really want to learn
how to drive.. And I'm not just saying the things I told her out of
pure selfishness, I really meant them. This is just how we do it, and
everybody needs to have their day brightened – every day. And
especially mom and dad, since they always work so hard. Dad is
probably still at work now, working with budgets and meetings and
documents and stuff.
It's amazing how they can do all
that, and still make me feel cared for, so I had to tell her.. before
I could, hesitantly, ask if she could teach me how to drive..
"Please
mom, I promise I'll be a good student." I felt this was a very
big thing to ask of her, it was a little scary.. so I had to promise
I would do my best.
Pias notes:
I knew she was going to ask one of us
to teach her to drive soon enough. She has really prepared for this
moment by being exceptionally good at finishing her homework without
asking for help lately, even though it would have been a pleasure to
help her, and not to mention her going the extra mile to do more
chores in the house than I ever would have expected or wanted her to
do. It was almost annoying how much she cleaned up everything, not
leaving anything left for me! And she didn't need to do any of it –
and if she hadn't asked me, I would have asked her if she didn't want
to go for a little practice ride, so of course I told her that I'd be
more than happy to teach her.
Yeah, I could tell she was nervous,
not just for asking, but also for the ride itself, so I did my best
to assure her that we would take it slowly and that there was no need
to rush it with anything. Safety first, always, and she would need to
learn the basics of how to handle the pedals, the brake, the gas and
the clutch. Especially the clutch and how to change gears, I think
that's very important...
Margrethes notes:
I was behind the wheel of a car! But
as my mom told me, I couldn't just hit the gas and drive straight
away. Mom and dad makes it look so easy, but I had to do a whole lot
of things before driving that I never would've thought of! Adjusting
the seat, the mirrors and how to use the handle on either side of the
steering wheel for turn signals, headlights and even cleaning the
wind screen! And then she gave me another complete lecture about how
to read the dashboard. The speedometer, the fuel gauge and the rev
counter. There's so much to think about...
After that I had to
put the key in its slot, push the clutch pedal down and press the
button below the key. In older cars, she said, I would need to turn
the key to the correct position, kind of like unlocking a
door...
And after all that, finally I was ready to drive the car
by slowly letting go of the clutch pedal.. I tried my best, I really
did, but all I did was make the car jolt suddenly and stop the
engine.. I had to do this a few times before I got the hang of it..
and then the car started rolling! Oh my god!
It was pretty scary, because from our
house the road is all downhill! I looked to see the road in front of
me, it felt like everything was disappearing from underneath! I was
so afraid to drive off the road, I must have gripped the steering
wheel really tight!
I would have been so terrified if mom
wasn't there next to me, telling me that I was doing really good. And
I'm supposed to do this alone!?? And then she wanted me to turn right
after passing the library. I was so stressed I forgot to use the turn
signal like she had just told me! Oh my god this is scary! There was
another car there too! I felt like I was headed straight for it, but
somehow I managed to stay in my lane and not crash! Then the road
went uphill again, and I noticed I had to push harder on the
accelerator to make the car go upwards! What looks so smooth and
simple when mom and dad is driving, is not so smooth at
all!
Oh, why can't just all roads be
straight... I thought to myself, when I saw that there was another
uphill and then a curve too! I didn't want to drive up there, so I
panicked and did a u-turn! It was probably not the best idea, as my
mom told me I shouldn't be turning so suddenly without checking for
oncoming traffic..
"I'm sorry mom! I was just scared of
going up that hill! I will try to not do it so suddenly next time!"
Well,
maybe I was starting to get the hang of it as I drove as slowly as I
could after this, keeping my eyes firmly on the road looking for
cars.. now hoping that we could go back home again!
What goes up has to go down, and I
REALLY wanted to stop the car on top of this hill and ask mom to take
over.. but, I told her I would be a good student, and I certainly
didn't want to disappoint her so I only had one choice here.. to hold
my breath and hope for the best!
Well, down she goes... and at the
bottom of this hill mom said I should take another right and OH MY
GOD!
I had NEVER thought
that the hill towards town was this steep and scary.. I could
literally not see the road in front of me! And it had three bends on
it too!
If I came out of this alive, I would
never drive a car again! "How can you do this everyday mom!?
It's so steep! Why did they have to make the road like this!? Can't
you ask dad to put it in some budget to fix this or something!? This
does not feel safe!!"
Phew..
well, if it hadn't been for my moms calming words, I probably
wouldn't have made it! Hands at ten and two, eyes on the road ahead,
not on the hood, breathe slowly, I got it. Oh! Probably the scariest
thing I have ever done, but the feeling of success when I finally
made it!
Then she asked me
to make another u-turn.. I checked and the coast looked clear, I
didn't see any cars so I thought I could safely make the turn. Slowly
then, I turned the wheel to the left trying to not drive up onto the
sidewalk before finding my place in the lane going back up
again..
"Well done!" my mom said from the passenger
seat "Now maybe you can try to push that accelerator a little
harder.. then use the clutch and we can try switching gears..."
"I... are you sure mom? Should I
do it now?" feeling nervous, because I knew if I started messing
with the clutch I would probably just stall the car again.
"Yes.. just slowly push the
clutch down, then place your right hand on the gearstick and pull it
gently backwards without releasing the clutch..." mom said
calmly, but it wasn't really helping me much.
"I don't know
mom.. I don't feel safe taking my hand away from the steering wheel!"
I said, still keeping a firm grip at ten and two, just like I thought
I should.
"I know sweetheart, but you can do it! If you look
in the mirror, there's a car catching up from behind us, so maybe we
should speed up a little..." mom said, still as calm as if
nothing was going on.
"Oh my god mom! I can't do that
– if I fail and stall the car now, we'll get rear ended!" I
said, feeling the panic as I saw in the rear view mirror that the car
was right on our tail!
"Alright" she said "just
breathe and take it easy. We'll be fine, looks like the other car is
stopping. I recognize who it is now. It's just Jimmy starting his
evening shift at the mental hospital. We'll be fine, just keep going
at whatever pace feels best for you."
"Oh.. thanks mom! I'm not ready to shift gears just
yet! Maybe we should practice doing this somewhere flat and without
traffic.. like a parking lot next time!" I said, not wanting to
do any of this on an actual public road until I had tried it atleast
a thousand times!
"Don't worry sweetie, we'll do that next
time – that's a really good idea. Now just keep straight ahead and
drive past our house before turning left at the second junction.
We'll just do one last trip up towards Stoney Falls." she said,
reminding me that I could take it slowly and at my own pace. Driving
past the pub, the library and our house... well, it wasn't so bad
this time, I didn't have to make any turns and there wasn't really
any traffic to speak of pressuring me into having to change gears and
such.
To
get to Stoney Falls I had to do a left turn this time which is
why, I guess, she wanted me to drive there. Can't do only right
turns, because then I would only be driving in circles.... but why
not? A circle always ends up where it started... so I would always
get back to where I came from.. maybe..
The road up to Stoney Falls goes
through this narrow passage, and in this weather it felt a little
creepy to drive through there, perhaps especially after I had been
reminded of the story surrounding the witch trials. It wasn't just
Little Black Marys Hill where things happened back in the day, there
are stories about both Stoney Falls, Pinochle Pond and even Crystal
Springs... if the water didn't get them, it was into the fire... so
there were a couple of reasons I felt a little relieved finally when
mom said it was probably enough for today and told me to stop the
car. The lesson was over and she would take over from here, and we
would turn around to go back home.
Now that I had noticed how steep the
hills actually were after having to drive them myself.. it was
impossible to not think about it, even though I was no longer
driving.. So driving up and down these hills, well, I would just have
to get used to it...
Continue to part II
