Chapter 15 – Moses
Mr. Strain was acting very oddly as I rounded the bulging rock face of the cove and saw Louisa and the children from the school. The fool had them scrubbing at rocks for heaven's sake, another sign of the medically induced derangement he suffered. Perhaps I was distracted by the heavily pregnant Louisa crouching next to me, as she scrubbed away at a rock with a brush and things got out of hand quickly.
She seemed to be alright, as Strain circled the group, hands behind his back like some unruly martinet. So far, no one was terribly upset or hurt. That is, until I stepped on one of their little hands and the boy started to cry. Strain did not help the matter when he accosted me and the boy who now started whinging and crying as the head master approached.
I crouched next to a seaweed covered rock, trying to examine the boy's wiggling fingers, aghast that I'd stepped on them. Fortunately the sand was soft and my foot broad, so I'd not compressed them, very much.
Louisa then started playing doctor, encouraging the boy. "If you can wiggle your fingers, Charley, they're not broken!"
I played along to keep Strain calm, as I could tell he was getting agitated, but Louisa's presumption of medical knowledge rankled. "See! Look!" I pointed at the boy's hand. "It's ok! He's ok!" I went on stupidly.
Strain rushed over and maniacally flung Louisa to the sand and she fell on her back.
"How dare you!" I shouted at Strain. "You can't just go pushing over pregnant woman!" In spite of my resolve to handle the head master carefully, I saw red. The nerve of the man! I balled my fists in anger.
"What?" Strain answered, clearly not on the planet any longer. He stood up and marched away out of my reach. Fortunately for him as I knew I'd laid hands on him I'd strike him.
I knelt over Louisa and helped her up. "You alright?" God! If he'd hurt her… or the foetus!
"Yes, I think so." She felt her bump. "No harm done."
I looked up the landing praying for Penhale to arrive so the two of us could restrain the madman, but Strain faced the ocean, flung his arms wide and marched straight into the surf. I'd been told of the numerous rocks lurking here, as well as the tale of two children drowned in this very cove as the tide came up and were swept away, cut off from the beach by the rising water. This was no gentle sandy cove to be playing in and there was a very real risk of injury or death here.
Into the ocean marching away with arms overhead like Moses trying to part the sea, Mr. Strain strode happily along, shoe deep, then knees, then up to his waist.
"Martin!" screamed Louisa who'd managed to stand with my help.
I sighed and shook my head, knowing I'd have to go in after the poor fool. "Oh, don't do that!" I called out, but he was getting deeper and deeper.
There is something about cold water that can ruin any day, and this was no exception. I bolted after him, calling his name, thinking as the cold water hit my feet, that I'd polished my shoes that morning, the wallet I was using was a new one that Auntie Joan had given my for my birthday, not to mention the effect of salt water on my freshly cleaned suit, but at least my Rolex was waterproof. Salt water and leather do not mix though.
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I stood on the sand watching Martin go after poor Mr. Strain. The kids didn't seem to care very much as the absurd adult drama played out before them, they just kept scrubbing away with their brushes and wondered what was going on. Their head master had marched them from school, treated them very oddly to a military-type line up and then set them to work scrubbing seaweed covered rocks!
When I returned to school after my antenatal check at Truro, the school was empty and quiet. Mr. Strain had apparently taken my class on a nature walk, I was told, and I found that very odd. Usually such things would be arranged well in advance and if near the sea, there would have been both a teacher and an aide. I sighed and set off to Rosscarrock Cove, my pregnant self grunting at the uphill slopes and feeling my feet slide in my shoes on the downhill parts.
I caught sight of the head master's bald head bobbing about past the rock bluff where two children had drowned many years back. Fortunately the tide was out, but the sight of the children lined up like soldiers while Strain marched up and down the line sent a chill up my spine. And to see it happening in the spot where children died decades before I was born made it all the scarier. There are haunted houses and byways in Cornwall, and dangerous cliff walks, but seeing the students in the well-known cove danger zone made me quite cross.
My crossness turned to fear when Mr. Strain saw me and turned on me with a wild eye. He made it quite clear that he was in charge, and but for the sake of the kids, I really wanted to be elsewhere. There was just one thing to do. Play along! I got the kids to work, taking brushes and scrubbing rocks.
Strain bent over me and gave me a suspicious and mad look. "What are you helping?" he shouted.
I smiled at the man as I worked away with kids on either side of me. "We just need to get this beach cleared away, right? Let's get busy children!"
Mr. Strain smiled and wandered off, keeping a close eye on all of us. When my back was to him, I pulled my mobile from my purse and quick-dialed the surgery. I thought quickly and pretended to be speaking to the kids.
When Martin figured things out I was ever so relieved. Now just have to keep the lid on until help arrived. So I kept a happy smile, encouraged the children, and tried to stay positive.
In a few minutes when Martin came striding along, asking if anyone was hurt, I knew he'd sort it. And now he was, grappling with the head master in cold salt water. When they both went under, I screamed out "Martin!"
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I caught up with Strain and he whirled to face me as I called his name.
His face was the gentle smile of a madman and he held arms overhead in a V-pattern. "You see!" he shouted out, clearly very glad to see me.
I put my hands on his shoulders. "Come now," I said, but he took my arms and plunged us both into the waves. Sandy, salty, and very cold water gushed up my nose and filled my eyes as we went under. I pushed him way, felt him turn and then grabbed him about the chest from the back, knowing that this would restrain him, a hold I'd learnt in medical school psychiatric training long ago.
I dragged the Bodmin fool towards shore as Joe Penhale rushed into the water to help. As water streamed down my body, I could see Pauline Lamb by the police Rover, obviously having come with the constable. Strain was a limp fellow by the time we got ashore. He wasn't hurt and the cold water now had calmed him; the poor man now dazed by the bustle about him.
The ten minute walk back to Portwenn wasn't nearly long enough as I enjoyed spending that time with Louisa as she and Pauline shepherded the children to school. It was a fine afternoon, ruined only by the squelching of my seawater ruined shoes and soaked suit.
Although Pauline made unhelpful comments just then about Mr. Strain to the children, there was no real harm done, thank God! I'd have to speak to Pauline that Mr. Strain's condition was no reflecftion on the person. He'd suffered a medically induced psychosis and that was no fault of his. In fact, I should have put two and two together well before this happened. But his blue urine was the clinching factor in this case.
The children went into the school and Louisa and I talked quietly. She had to get ready to discharge the students for the day plus I needed to wash and change.
"You're sure you're alright?" I asked her. After this adventure who knew what might happen? Perhaps I should be taking her to Truro for a checkup. Most pregnancies don't have to deal with a rough-and-tumble on a beach in the sixth month.
"Oh yes, just fine." She said then lurched and put a hand on her side.
Alarming! "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said and a bright smile came to her face. "It just moved."
"Moved?" What might be wrong? Did that fall caused by Strain start premature labor? Not impossible.
"Yes. It's alright Martin, perfectly normal."
A black car pulled up just then bearing Edith Montgomery. "Are you wet?" she called to me. "Hello!" she then called cheerily to Louisa, which seemed to make Louisa unpleased.
"Yes," I answered to Edith, "just dealing with a patient who had a medically induced psychosis."
Edith looked quite surprised never supposing that such things could happen in Portwenn. I heard Louisa say goodbye to me and sensed that she went into her school, which will now need a new head teacher, I'd suppose.
Edith discussed her interest in my reviewing an OB-GYN paper she'd written and I agreed. She drove off and I turned to face the school, seeing the front door close just then.
I'd have liked to speak to Louisa some more; inquire about the foetal movement she'd felt, if she'd hurt her back and so forth, but the chance was lost. Water dripped from me onto the street as I stared at the closed door, behind of which was the woman carrying my child, the woman that I'd wanted to marry at one time, and the woman I… I wished I knew better and knew how to reach.
Mr. Strain had tried to part the waves and failed. I was also reminded that Moses did not enter the Promised Land either. No girl-pack was needed for I knew the word already. Martin, you tosser!