Chapter 36 – Leaving

Tony, the taxi driver, looked back at me in his mirror. I'd finally read his name on the license. He seemed like a nice man, and what he said next confirmed it. "You're sad, I can tell. Sorry about all of it."

I rustled through my bag for a facial tissue then dabbed at my eyes and blew my nose a little. "Sorry?"

His eyes looked straight at me. "You're that teacher, aren't you? I heard some folks talkin' and they described you to a T."

I gulped. Was I now in for another batch of gossip? "Yes, yes I am."

"Seems to me you'll be gone for a while. Two cases in the boot."

I looked out the window and another tear trickled down my cheek. "Suppose that's true."

"You're leaving Portwenn; you've got that look."

I turned my head and stared at his reflection. "Look? What look?"

"None of my business, but in this here taxi I see and talk to all sorts; rich, poor, sad, happy, coming and goin'." He looked at the road across the moor then caught my eye again. "Luv, you're goin' and I'm guessin' you was drove to do it."

"Someone drove me to leave Portwenn?"

He nodded. "You can't stand to be near the man, so you've got to go, but you don't want to. But if you stay in the village, you're near him and you're afraid to be near. Round and round. What do they call it? A catch-22. That's it."

"You've got it all figured out, don't you?"

"Nah! Not me. If had all the answers would I be drivin' this taxi back and forth, round and round all day tryin' to make ends meet?" Tony laughed mockingly. "I hate this bloody job!"

"So why don't you quit? Do something else?"

He laughed again. "Luv, I got an ex-wife and a wife and three kids, two young and one old between 'em, and my oldest boy is up Cardiff way courtesy of Her Majesty. He'll get sprung in a couple three years. You think I can rest a single day? Get a bloody day off?"

"No, I suppose not." HM Prison Cardiff was where my dad was and that thought brought another round of sadness. We road in silence for a few minutes taking in the moor, the tors off in the distance and the blowing grass with a partly blue sky above. "You know hardship, then. Too much?"

That made Tony laugh. "Too much?" he shook his head. "That is a question. Too much? My dad came through Dunkirk and D-day without a scratch, but his whole regiment was casualties. Now that was too much. Poor sod; then he kicked it last year from the cancer."

"I am sorry."

"Me too. He was a nice sort." He checked his watch. "You know, since we're making good time, what say I buy you a tea at the platform shop? They have toasted tea-cakes there, my fav!"

"No, no. That's quite alright."

"Miss Head Teacher of Portwenn, let me do something nice for you?"

"Don't bother. No need, really. Nice of you but…"

"No bother, luv. My little girl and our young boy they think something fab about their school and their teachers. Maybe I'm just returning the favor. Fact they both want to be teachers."

"Do they go to Portwenn?"

"Nope. Bude. What say for a cuppa with me? I need to have a break."

I smiled for the first time. "Sure."

At the Parkway Station he left my cases in the taxi. "Look, I've plenty of time, not another call for a bit. We'll have a cup and when you're ready, I'll get."

The tea-lady served us and we sat by the track window. "I'm Tony."

We shook hands. "Louisa. You didn't have to pay, let me…"

He held up his hand. "My treat." He sipped his tea. "Nice." He chatted about the weather for a while then I went to the loo. Seemed I had to go a little more frequently, but maybe it's the cool weather. At least my stomach wasn't bothering me today.

I took my seat again in the booth and Tony smiled at me. "You're looking better."

"Thanks. I guess I needed some tea."

Tony smiled. "Can't have you go cross country without a good brew-up!" He reached across the table, took my hand and got serious. "A long time back, there was this girl in our town, got all set to wed, then her fella did a bolt." He snapped his fingers. "Like that. Woosh!"

"Poor dear."

"Now she was knocked off her pins for a bit and then she left too. Went to Falmouth; not quite as far as London, like you. But she started over. She did ok, I found out later." He stared at the floor for a bit.

"You knew her."

"Oh yeah. I do. She was my sister." He laughed. "We see her at the Holidays. She lives up in Bath. Married and a grandmother besides. She got on luv, and so will you." His mobile buzzed at him. "Oh, hell. Yeah?" he answered. "Right. On my way." He stood awkwardly.

"You have to go. Nice of you to sit a bit and for the tea."

Tony smiled. "My sis, Beatrice is her name, said that the worst thing when she left home was that there was no one at the bus station to see her off. I couldn't let that happen to you, luv. Wouldn't be right."

I stood and hugged him. "You're so very kind."

Tony let me go and gave me a huge smile. "Luv, you will get on. Now fair winds." He marched outside and took my cases from the boot.

The clock showed my train to Plymouth would arrive in a few minutes. "Thanks again, Tony." I pressed a tenner into his hand, which he tried to give back. "No, you keep it. Thanks awfully."

"Right, Miss Louisa. Like I said," he headed to his cab. "You will get on." He waved, climbed inside the taxi and drove away towards the coast, smiling and waving.