We ate breakfast as fast as possible. As fast as bacon, toasts and potatoes
can be eaten. That is because we had been moved by our nocturnal walks.
It is between two bites that we finally met mr Joystriple. He was a very
fine build man, with a perfect moustache, and round spectacles, which were
dangerously placed on the edge of his nose. He was a pleasant person, but
hardly spoke, which is the opposite of his pretty wife.
We finished at 10h05, and thought they would arrive immediately, that is why
we sat in the couch, all dressed, waiting for their arrival.
"What about if they had an accident?"
"Well it would be a go thing, because tomorrow we would be allowed to stay
in be for a very long time."
"Yep, that's a good idea. Maybe if we think it really hard it will really
happen."
"No, then maybe we shouldn't, because Olivia and Arietta would be killed or
injured too, and I wouldn't want that."
"All right, anyway it wouldn't be good since we would probably be
repatriated to Paris."
We turned the subject around, said it back and forward, and even sideways,
if that is possible. We used it so much that when the bell finally rang, 20
minutes later, we had totally exhausted the topic.
They were late, and it was the result of very unthoughtful persons who had
forgotten the time at which they were to be prepared.
In the bus I finally met Olivia and Arietta; of course, I couldn't tell
them the events of the previous night. But still it was nice to tell them
the rest, and hear all about their adventures. I knew that they, just like
me, would withdraw some details, but that was alright. We all did.
"How was it Olivia? Is Didier nice too?"
"Well, actually, everything was great. They have a cosy little house with a
garden, and they are interesting/interested people. They are nice, and
original, you'd never imagine what they have in there! And with Didier everything is doing fine."
"Ari? Are you happy with the Neverdos?"
"They are the best I could have wanted! There is a huge library, with
anything you can dream to read about. They have three lovely kids under the
age of ten, which is great because when they're older its harder to handle,
and not so cute."
We continued chatting for a while. In fact it was until the bus stopped. And
it stopped in front of the 'James Joyce Centre', the writer of the famous
'Dubliners", which we had studied in class before the trip.
"Right children, be calm we are going in a museum. So be quite!"
We walked in as quietly as a very excited class can, which means, not at all!
It was a very interesting visit. But took us a long time to get through, so
by the time we were finished, it was already time for lunch.
Because it was the first time and we weren't really prepared, we eat in a
McDonalds or something of the kind. During the afternoon, we went to
Malahide Castle, which was very nice. Then we stayed lazily in the castle's
garden, profiting if the few rays of sun of the day. Because it has to be
said that it rained a lot, which I supposed is normal for Ireland.
We took some photos, played, and talked. The boys played football with a shoe,
the girls told each others little stupid secrets, and the stories of the
night, they had not yet finished since they are more than three. Ms Baulland
was dressed in a lovely green dress and a coat to go with it, she talked
with mr Trummer about the rest of the stay, what we would be doing and
everything that wasn't yet settled. It was rainy, but not too cold for December.
Ms Baulland was sitting on a bench near the grass area where the boys were
playing. That was a dangerous place to be when you know their ways of
playing. So of course, thanks to one of them, the dirty old shoe that had
probably been there for some time, was full of mud. And of course by the end
of the game, ms Baulland's pretty green dress too. She was not very happy, and
didn't compliment the winning team, which had won because the ball after
falling on her lap went directly in the opponents goals.
She immediately went into a pub, while the trouble makers, always the same,
got a lecture by the angry mr Trummer. A few minutes later, it was 16h15, he
phoned her on her mobile.
She said we were to continue, that she might see us tonight before we
separate, but was not sure. Arietta thought that she might be going
to a rendezvous, which is very improbable since we arrived yesterday, I
don't think she really knows anyone. But then, Olivia told us that; indeed, ms Baulland was not new to Dublin, she had some family and probably friends there.
The rest of the day passed very quickly because we had to be back at 7h30 to
our houses, so we had to leave early because it takes a long time to deliver
everyone. We were again the last ones, and still no signs of ms Baulland. I
could see that mr Trummer was troubled and infuriated by what had happened
to ms Baulland. He deposed us, and was off with a frown.
Ms Joystriple was mighty glad to see us again. She said with a glitter in
the eye that she had prepared something special for our diner tonight. I
felt scared by this, but showed only a smile. I was getting the
hang of this kind of politeness and calmness that you have to show towards
hostesses and hosts or just simply to other people in general.
I climbed the stairs rapidly, and went straight to my bedroom where I laid
down and rested. I thought of the day, and the previous day, and the
previous night, and.... I fell asleep.
I was very happy, sitting on a cloud, until the class made a whole in it and
pulled me out of it, I fell in Ireland, and was soaked, then I was scared,
and looked around for refuge, but found nothing, and could only hear Olivia
and Arietta laughing away, but then a voice I know only too well was yelling
in my ear horrible things, ....
I woke up startled, finding Baptist bended, on top me. It was he who woke
me so brutally by crying those horrors next to me.
"Ha, you finally got out of sleep. Did you know you looked really weird
when you are sleeping? No. I don't think you can actually see yourself, or
imagine it."
"Why the heck did you do that for?"
"Well, it is already quarter to ten, and ms Joystriple though you might be
sick. She didn't want to wake you, so we already took diner, and I though it
would be polite to wake you up."
"Yes. I suppose you are right." I straitened myself on the bed, and did my
hair back, since I always undo them to sleep. Many girls would love to have
my hairs. They are black with brown shades, are smooth and sooo soft.
"Thanks, but couldn't you have done it more... Nicely?"
"Well do you think you deserve it?"
"Your great help." The more I talked with him, the more I though we had the
same kind of relation as I had with Olivia. This was a weird conclusion since
I had not had a, lets say, normal relation with a boy except my family.
I went downstairs, apologised, said I was fine, just tired, and that it
didn't matter; I could as well go without diner. But she had prepared
something, and wanted me to eat. So I did. Actually, it was not so bad as I thought it would, she had just done some French sea cooking. Alright, I don't really adore that kind of things, but I coped. Then we watched another film with Baptist.
I had already slept a lot, so I was not tired, so when they went to bed, I
read for some time. That is why I was the only one to hear the terrible
storm that happened during the night. And no one would believe me because
later, there was absolutely no sign of it. But I knew because I had seen it,
the violence of the wind, the leaves flying madly everywhere, the smell of
salt that had been carried from the sea. I felt the intensity of the air
that was swirling around me. I felt my legs being nearly soulever by the
force of it. I sensed the air going from complete calm to a mad disorder, my
hairs tangling behind my face.
And the rain rushing to my face as if diving in a pond, the coolness of the
water, contributed to the uncontrollable feeling of emptiness which filled
me to utter contentment. The joy of being pierced through by the cold and
being dampened to the bones, the love of all those lovely droplets which had
formed a stream everywhere they fell, I felt good.
I don't know why I ever went outside by this weather, but I did. Maybe
because I missed this feeling you have when you are in the middle of
something which you can't control, but you are in it, and you have to cop.
Or maybe it is because I had enough of the calm and imposing atmosphere of
the inside of the house.
can be eaten. That is because we had been moved by our nocturnal walks.
It is between two bites that we finally met mr Joystriple. He was a very
fine build man, with a perfect moustache, and round spectacles, which were
dangerously placed on the edge of his nose. He was a pleasant person, but
hardly spoke, which is the opposite of his pretty wife.
We finished at 10h05, and thought they would arrive immediately, that is why
we sat in the couch, all dressed, waiting for their arrival.
"What about if they had an accident?"
"Well it would be a go thing, because tomorrow we would be allowed to stay
in be for a very long time."
"Yep, that's a good idea. Maybe if we think it really hard it will really
happen."
"No, then maybe we shouldn't, because Olivia and Arietta would be killed or
injured too, and I wouldn't want that."
"All right, anyway it wouldn't be good since we would probably be
repatriated to Paris."
We turned the subject around, said it back and forward, and even sideways,
if that is possible. We used it so much that when the bell finally rang, 20
minutes later, we had totally exhausted the topic.
They were late, and it was the result of very unthoughtful persons who had
forgotten the time at which they were to be prepared.
In the bus I finally met Olivia and Arietta; of course, I couldn't tell
them the events of the previous night. But still it was nice to tell them
the rest, and hear all about their adventures. I knew that they, just like
me, would withdraw some details, but that was alright. We all did.
"How was it Olivia? Is Didier nice too?"
"Well, actually, everything was great. They have a cosy little house with a
garden, and they are interesting/interested people. They are nice, and
original, you'd never imagine what they have in there! And with Didier everything is doing fine."
"Ari? Are you happy with the Neverdos?"
"They are the best I could have wanted! There is a huge library, with
anything you can dream to read about. They have three lovely kids under the
age of ten, which is great because when they're older its harder to handle,
and not so cute."
We continued chatting for a while. In fact it was until the bus stopped. And
it stopped in front of the 'James Joyce Centre', the writer of the famous
'Dubliners", which we had studied in class before the trip.
"Right children, be calm we are going in a museum. So be quite!"
We walked in as quietly as a very excited class can, which means, not at all!
It was a very interesting visit. But took us a long time to get through, so
by the time we were finished, it was already time for lunch.
Because it was the first time and we weren't really prepared, we eat in a
McDonalds or something of the kind. During the afternoon, we went to
Malahide Castle, which was very nice. Then we stayed lazily in the castle's
garden, profiting if the few rays of sun of the day. Because it has to be
said that it rained a lot, which I supposed is normal for Ireland.
We took some photos, played, and talked. The boys played football with a shoe,
the girls told each others little stupid secrets, and the stories of the
night, they had not yet finished since they are more than three. Ms Baulland
was dressed in a lovely green dress and a coat to go with it, she talked
with mr Trummer about the rest of the stay, what we would be doing and
everything that wasn't yet settled. It was rainy, but not too cold for December.
Ms Baulland was sitting on a bench near the grass area where the boys were
playing. That was a dangerous place to be when you know their ways of
playing. So of course, thanks to one of them, the dirty old shoe that had
probably been there for some time, was full of mud. And of course by the end
of the game, ms Baulland's pretty green dress too. She was not very happy, and
didn't compliment the winning team, which had won because the ball after
falling on her lap went directly in the opponents goals.
She immediately went into a pub, while the trouble makers, always the same,
got a lecture by the angry mr Trummer. A few minutes later, it was 16h15, he
phoned her on her mobile.
She said we were to continue, that she might see us tonight before we
separate, but was not sure. Arietta thought that she might be going
to a rendezvous, which is very improbable since we arrived yesterday, I
don't think she really knows anyone. But then, Olivia told us that; indeed, ms Baulland was not new to Dublin, she had some family and probably friends there.
The rest of the day passed very quickly because we had to be back at 7h30 to
our houses, so we had to leave early because it takes a long time to deliver
everyone. We were again the last ones, and still no signs of ms Baulland. I
could see that mr Trummer was troubled and infuriated by what had happened
to ms Baulland. He deposed us, and was off with a frown.
Ms Joystriple was mighty glad to see us again. She said with a glitter in
the eye that she had prepared something special for our diner tonight. I
felt scared by this, but showed only a smile. I was getting the
hang of this kind of politeness and calmness that you have to show towards
hostesses and hosts or just simply to other people in general.
I climbed the stairs rapidly, and went straight to my bedroom where I laid
down and rested. I thought of the day, and the previous day, and the
previous night, and.... I fell asleep.
I was very happy, sitting on a cloud, until the class made a whole in it and
pulled me out of it, I fell in Ireland, and was soaked, then I was scared,
and looked around for refuge, but found nothing, and could only hear Olivia
and Arietta laughing away, but then a voice I know only too well was yelling
in my ear horrible things, ....
I woke up startled, finding Baptist bended, on top me. It was he who woke
me so brutally by crying those horrors next to me.
"Ha, you finally got out of sleep. Did you know you looked really weird
when you are sleeping? No. I don't think you can actually see yourself, or
imagine it."
"Why the heck did you do that for?"
"Well, it is already quarter to ten, and ms Joystriple though you might be
sick. She didn't want to wake you, so we already took diner, and I though it
would be polite to wake you up."
"Yes. I suppose you are right." I straitened myself on the bed, and did my
hair back, since I always undo them to sleep. Many girls would love to have
my hairs. They are black with brown shades, are smooth and sooo soft.
"Thanks, but couldn't you have done it more... Nicely?"
"Well do you think you deserve it?"
"Your great help." The more I talked with him, the more I though we had the
same kind of relation as I had with Olivia. This was a weird conclusion since
I had not had a, lets say, normal relation with a boy except my family.
I went downstairs, apologised, said I was fine, just tired, and that it
didn't matter; I could as well go without diner. But she had prepared
something, and wanted me to eat. So I did. Actually, it was not so bad as I thought it would, she had just done some French sea cooking. Alright, I don't really adore that kind of things, but I coped. Then we watched another film with Baptist.
I had already slept a lot, so I was not tired, so when they went to bed, I
read for some time. That is why I was the only one to hear the terrible
storm that happened during the night. And no one would believe me because
later, there was absolutely no sign of it. But I knew because I had seen it,
the violence of the wind, the leaves flying madly everywhere, the smell of
salt that had been carried from the sea. I felt the intensity of the air
that was swirling around me. I felt my legs being nearly soulever by the
force of it. I sensed the air going from complete calm to a mad disorder, my
hairs tangling behind my face.
And the rain rushing to my face as if diving in a pond, the coolness of the
water, contributed to the uncontrollable feeling of emptiness which filled
me to utter contentment. The joy of being pierced through by the cold and
being dampened to the bones, the love of all those lovely droplets which had
formed a stream everywhere they fell, I felt good.
I don't know why I ever went outside by this weather, but I did. Maybe
because I missed this feeling you have when you are in the middle of
something which you can't control, but you are in it, and you have to cop.
Or maybe it is because I had enough of the calm and imposing atmosphere of
the inside of the house.