Tales from the Ice Cream Van: Hello Kitty

                                  If she were your daughter, what would you do?

                                                                 HELLO KITTY

TUESDAY

Magnificent in his red summer coat, the twelve point stag surveyed the glen from his vantage point. The females of the group grazed the lush, green carpet of grass, ears flicking the midges that danced in the afternoon sun.

          'Cull targets on Arran have already been reached this year.’  The presenter whispered, hiding behind a gorse bush.  The abundance of yellow flowers gave his skin a golden glow.  ‘This herd will…’

          ‘Live on!’ Angus championed from his armchair, waving a fist of success to the deer on the television.  ‘Great critters, deer.  Aye, an’ all that countryside to run round in.  ‘Mazing.’

          Angus wriggled his overweight body to the edge of the chair, gripping the arm to help him raise his six foot frame.  He winced with anticipated pain from his lower back.  Doctor said he should move around more, but what was the point?  Opening the window of the little lounge, he lit a fag.  The block of flats next to theirs kept their ground floor home in shade, despite being a sunny March day in Bronford.  The television programme was now showing aerial footage of Arran’s coastline; the rocks at Corrie and Sannox, around the headland to the castle at Lochranza and the twelve apostle cottages at Catacol.  The presenter, long locks of hair and a soft lilting accent, explained that each upstairs window of the cottages was a different shape, so that if a lantern was lit the fishermen knew which one of them was being summoned home.  Behind his beard Angus smiled sadly. 

          ‘Aye, but they weren’t fishermen, they were farmers turfed off their land, get yer facts lad.’

        The chunky, old style mobile phone played ‘bring me sunshine’ but, checking the number, Angus didn’t smile.  He muted the TV.

          ‘Mrs Brown.  Aye.  I know.  I spoke to her teacher this morning.  No, she hasn’t come home.  Ok, thank you.’

          He stood at the window and inhaled deeply.  Again, the phone rang.

          ‘Och, what now?’  But his face brightened.

          ‘Fergus!  How ya doin’?  Angus’ face lit up as he listened to his brother.  ‘That’s great news, knew you’d come good.’ 

          Angus bit his thumb nail with wrinkles on his forehead.  ‘Nar, you don’t want this lumbering jackass messing up…  Ach, I’ll think about it.  Ok.  Bye now.’

          The front door clicked shut.  The smile slipped and his body tensed.  ‘That you love?’

          ‘Yes Angus, only me.  Caitlyn home yet?’

          ‘No.’ 

          He settled back in the chair and waited for the cup of tea, which duly arrived.

          ‘Who was that on the ‘phone?’  Maggie moved the magazines and set a mug and doughnut on the coffee table, tidying up with nervous energy that Angus found annoying. 

          ‘Fergus.  He’s got a plot of land, wants me to project manage the build.  Planning permission for four semi’s.’

      'That sounds grand.’  Maggie wasn’t really listening.  She scurried around the room, straightening cushions, collecting mugs and breakfast bowls.