MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #15: Intoxication

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"Mrs. Human, do you have a problem?“ and up cruises my big fat black cat with the long fur, Nera. She sort of glides when she walks, like a ship on open sea, swinging her weight from side to side in motion with her short legs.
“Nice of you to ask Nera, but I have a small problem, I should write something about intoxication but nothing comes to my mind at the moment.”
“Well that ‘s the easiest thing in the world, when I think of how me and my two feline friends here in our home get intoxicated all the time.”
“Well I think you could explain that, it might help.”
“No problem, Fluffy, Tabby come here the human that we own has a problem so let’s help her.”
And up strolled Tabby, Nera’s litter sister although looking at her with her short stripy fur, she could not be more different than Nera.
“That was because our mum met another cat just after she met Nera’s dad, she sort of got intoxicated with him probably” Tabby told me. “My dad had short stripy fur, the normal average Tabby, and Nera’s father was more the long haired type, so we are half sisters. But now down to the problem, something with intoxication Nera said.”
“No problem, Mrs. Human, we cats get intoxicated all the time” and it was Fluffy’s turn to join in.
“Keep quiet Fluffy” said Nera, it is now my time to talk “Selkirk Rex cats with curly fur should be seen and not heard.”
“Nera that is not nice” I told her. Nera likes to play the boss of my three cats and Fluffy is the youngest.
“Mrs. Human I decide here what is nice and not, after all I am the leader of the pack.”
“Oh listen to her, been listening to too many pop songs if you ask me.” Tabby intervened.
“Cats Mrs. Human has a problem and we are here to help. You know how dependent those humans are on us cats, she wants to know something about intoxication.” And Nera had the last word.
My three cats then sat together in a corner and put their heads together. Suddenly Fluffy came over to me. “We have discussed your problem but for us cats it is really not a problem.”

“Well let me know your feline wisdom.”

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And Fluffy started the narrative.
“Well Mrs. Human when we cats go for a walk we only have to put our nose in front of the door and the intoxication starts. Perhaps the long fluffy cat next door, Bobinette, or the short haired cat opposite, Mr. Grey, has been in our territory. We are already intoxicated with the scent they leave behind.”
“Yes” chimed in Tabby “smelling those other cats in our territory is a negative intoxication I would say.”
“Perfectly right Tabby” It was Nera’s turn “but we have a remedy for everything Mrs. Human. We mark our territory ourselves and then it is the turn of the others to get intoxicated. The result is usually that they disappear and return to their own areas.”
“There you are Mrs. Human that is the first case of intoxication that we cats have when we are outside.”
I was getting more mixed up than before I started. “Tabby, Nera, Fluffy, we humans do not mark our territory, so I can hardly write anything about leaving our scent behind.”
“Of course you can Mrs. Human” said Tabby. “You humans are always washing yourself with something called soap, do you think that does not leave a smell. We cats know you are on the way before we see you.”
“Funny animals, these humans” said Fluffy “they really think they don’t have their own scent. If they had a good lick instead of laying in water and putting coloured liquids into it or cream on their skin before they go out I am sure they would be more intoxicating.”.
I must admit I did feel a bit insulted, hearing from three cats that we humans do not wash property or our skin care with our intoxicating perfumes, for mostly enticing the other sort are not looked upon as being worthwhile by the cat world..”
“Mrs. Human are you listening, we are not yet finished” spoke up Nera. “So we leave our home and go out and smell who has been there before us. Now it might be that some sort of creature has also left its home, that too is intoxicating.”
“Oh yes, especially if the creature has a pointed nose, a long tail and is smaller than us cats.”
“Yes Tabby, how right you are, that’s the intoxicating smell we like best of all: the mouse smell.”
“Tabby, Fluffy will you two please not interrupt all the time, but yes indeed the mouse smell is almost the best intoxication we cats have in the nose.”
“May I say something Nera” asked Tabby “you know I am a sort of expert on mouse smells.”
“You may” said Nera, “I would not dispute that point. Your total up to now is more than any other member of our feline family in this area.”
“That’s not fair” piped up Fluffy “I used to hold the record until I became blind. Now I have to rely on what you two bring for leftovers.”
Yes poor fluffy is blind through an accident but he manages to get around quite well relying on his nose and ears, although he cannot go out without supervision as he does not find the way back. He gets too engrossed in the smells around him and loses the way.”
“But it is still fun” said Fluffy “I smell all sorts of things outside. I smell if there is a bird around, a mouse underground, butterflies that fly past my nose, I can even catch them and they are a real delicacy, not to mention cat nip.”
“Fluffy I thought I would leave the cat nip bit until last. You know humans always leave the best until last, so I though Mrs. Human would understand the importance of the cat nip if we use it as our final remark on intoxication.”
“A very good thought Nera” Tabby joining in again “but I was just about to explain the mouse smell. You know you walk along with your nose close to the earth, sniffing all the time and suddenly it is there. You feel the vibrations through you delicate paws and encounter a mouse hole. That is half of the work. Now you just sit still, scarcely breathing with your paw halfway down the entrance to their nest and suddenly one might appear. You pounce and close your jaws on it just enough to hold it, but no more.”
“I will carry on” said Nera “then we carry our mouse back to Mrs. Human at home so that she can see how clever we are. Although Mrs. Human, I often notice that this is where you humans do not get intoxicated: quite the opposite.”
“That’s true Nera, she tells us to disappear with our trophy and shuts the window while we play cat and mouse. The worst is that Mr. Human comes along and throws it away. I have lost many a good meal that way.” And Tabby looked quite annoyed.
How often have I told my cats that I do not get intoxicated with the sight and smell of a dead mouse in front of the window early in the morning, but they never learn.

“So there is just one thing left to describe” said Nera “and that is the delight and wonderful feeling of the intoxicating smell of the cat nip plant.”
“Oh yes” and Fluffy was really getting excited. “There is nothing so fresh smelling and that works on a cats’ psychic condition than the smell of the catnip plant in the air.”
“I love catnip” said Tabby “I could lay in it for hours and drain its scent into the pores of my furry skin. I then see thousands of mice, fields of violet flowers, hundred of tins of tuna fish, and salmon swimming in thousands down the river. On every bush in the garden there are butterflies and”
“OK Tabby, that’s enough” Nera intervenes “we know you like cat nip but you don’t have to go into such vivid explanations. Every time Mrs. Human plants some there you are rolling around in it and for me there is almost none left.”
“or for me” added Fluffy.

So what did I learn by this conversation with my felines. Well I know now what is intoxicating for cats so I must remember to buy another catnip plant for the garden, the other has almost been ruined by the cats rolling around in it. I also learned that we humans are not so intoxicating for the cats because we wash with soap and use perfumes, although my life’s purpose is not really smelling well to intoxicate a cat, or am I doing something wrong.

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Creative Challenge #15

A visit to the doctor

The photo shows the southern part of the town of Solothurn which is our next largest town. I had to go to this part of the town today to see my doctor.

Today was one of those days where careful planning was necessary. Yet again we all have the day off tomorrow for something called Assumption Day. Me not being catholic I had to look it up in my German-English dictionary as translated from the German words it would be Mary's Ascension day, but in plain clerical language it is known as assumption day. It is very nice to have a day off, but a day off on Friday together with a doctor's appointment that I had in town this morning at 11.30 needed careful planning.

There was shopping to be done to cover a full day (tomorrow) and perhaps think ahead to the week-end as well. I even got up 30 minutes earlier, at 7.45 in the morning. At the moment my first job in the morning is to feed the neighbour's cat, Nuschi. She was waiting for me as always and welcomed me with a noisy meow as it to say "where have you been". I got her breakfast ready and then returned to my home to have a look at the computer.

Luckily my neighbour's cat only lives upstairs so I didn't have to shower and change clothes before going. I have a very useful caftan I bought once on holiday in Morocco and it is quite handy to throw on over all you are wearing, which in my case is usually my night clothing.

Anyhow I checked to see if anything drastic had happened during the night. I notice with multiply the action mainly takes place through the night due to our American cousins being in the majority. During the morning nothing moves very much and towards lunch time Europe seems to be awakening.

So we had fed Nuschi, I had been on the computer and then I had breakfast, had a shower, cleaned the place up and Mr. Swiss and I were ready to go shopping, 30 minutes earlier than usual. We decided just get the stuff that we won't starve until Saturday and on Saturday get the rest. This thought process was also coupled with the fact that No. 2 son did mention he would be staying with us the last two weeks of August. Up to now we have had no message when he is coming so things are at a bit of a loose end for the week-end shopping programme. Will he be here on Saturday or Sunday and which meals will he be taking with us. I don't really know why I bother. He couldn't really care less and is not very fussy. Just needs a sleeping place and bathroom really, but you know what we mums are.

So having heard nothing from No. 2 son and his plans we just bought food for ourselves. No. 1 son will not be at home tomorrow as he has planned a trip to Bern. As it is a catholic holiday Bern is open tomorrow.

After shopping Mr. Swiss dropped me off at the doctors and went home to unpack shopping and finish some cleaning. We made the arrangement that I would phone him if I needed a chauffeur to get me home.

It was my last visit to the doctors before I start work again next week after my 2 months and a bit more absence due to burn out. I am now feeling much better and as I am only working 50% for the time being I will only be at work in the morning.

My doctor had some results from my blood test. Now I know I have diabetes and she had the results of my 3 month test which were not perfect, but I am not turning into a sugar cube yet. The problem with the results was that I now have too much cholesterol. So now I have to combine two diets which just do not work.

I am a butter cook. I fry with butter, I spread it on my bread, I put it on the pasta I cook and I mix it with my cooked vegetables. Basically I find a meal cooked in butter has a certain taste that I prefer. I did have a shock last week when I stood on the weighing machine, which I don't really often do. I am tall and things have gone a bit towards south lately, but I have never been heavier than 78 Kilos. When I stood on the scales last week it read 82 Kilo. I was sure that the scales were broken, but Mr. Swiss convinced me that they were in perfect condition.

I now have a super diet from the doctor which I am not very happy about. Cook with oil she said, mentioning olive oil which I do not really like. As an alternative sunflower oil or thistle oil, but just no butter. Life is just not worth living any more. I suppose there are people that eat to live, and I am a little bit opposite. Anyhow my days of fish and chips and fried eggs are gone. We will now be living on fresh vegetables, salad and fresh fruit and bread without butter. I am allowed meat but the bacon days have gone, I will now have to eat birds like chicken, but not the nice crispy tasty skin, just the meat.

Fruit is recommended, but being diabetic the bananas are out although the cholesterol bit would allow them. I just have to stay with apples and suchlike. I just hope that by going back to work next week I will manage to work off a few kilos and calories.

I have been cooking differently over the past weeks. Mr. Swiss found that since I have been at home and cooking lunch he too was slightly putting on more weight than usual. He never really eats meat at lunch time, so we went semi vegetarian, but only lunch time. However, it seems when I cook a tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes to go with the pasta, then I should not really use butter to fry the onions and tomatoes - you just cannot win. He also found that it would be a good idea not every time to grate fresh parmesan cheese to go with it. He also asked me if I told the doctor that I eat a packet of potato chips nearly every evening or salted peanuts, but I didn't mention that - well she didn't ask.

Anyhow from next week, things will change (after I have used up the half kilo packet of cooking butter I have in the refrigerator). By the way Mr. Swiss did not have to pick me up in town, I had a local train.

Here another photo as I was naturally again snap happy on the way to the doctors. This time looking West from one of our bridges across the River Aare, If you continue on the river in this direction you arrive at the Lake of Biel/Bienne and further to Neuchâtel and eventually the lake of Geneva, the lakes all being connected with each other by a canal system.

MULTIPLY Pictures to Words: Movement Week 2: The Crime

Police inspector Harry Grimes was just making himself a pot of tea at the local constabulary. The police station was a small building, but so was the country village where it was situated. There was never really anything exciting happening in the area. The days of poaching were gone some time ago. It just was not worth stealing chickens or pigs. It was now the twenty-first century and if you did not have the money because you had no work, then the government was there to support you.

“A shame really” thought Harry “it used to be fun sitting outside on the moonlit nights waiting for the poachers to do their work. Many were the nights when I would catch a poacher and we would split the rewards together. Then I was a young policeman with a family to feed and what good was it to bring the poacher to trial. I saved the courts the bother and the money and we both had a nice piece of pork or a chicken for Sunday dinner. Those poor families in the village did not have a lot and that little bit of poaching gave them a good meal for once.”

He sometimes wished that those days were back again. Here he was a week before retirement and had nothing to show for it: still living in the police house with his wife. They had lived so many years in the village, knew everyone and were at home. After his retirement he had to leave the home they had shared for so many years and go back to the town and live in a retirement home for police officers. Harry Grimes was sad. He felt he deserved something else for himself and his wife and he just did not want to leave the village.

Whilst Harry was reminiscing about the good old days the telephone rang.
“Harry Grimes is that you“ a voice asked at the other end of the phone.
“Well, I can’t see anyone else here. Who is calling?”
“Mavis Potter here Harry. I have got something to report.”
It was the village news magazine on the phone. If Mavis didn’t have anything to tell, then life would really be boring in the village.
“What’s up Mavis, someone stolen your bicycle?”
“Are you trying to be funny Harry, because I don’t feel like laughing. Now listen to me. I went up on the hill this morning to do my cleaning job for the writer who lives there. You know, that man that lives in the old Mill house. The one that calls himself an author, name of Jack Jones, although no-one knows what sort of books he writes. Never seen one myself.”
“Mavis, will you come to the point please. I know that you clean for him so what is so spectacular?”
“Well, like when I got there I turned the key in the door and let myself in as usual, but he wasn’t there.”
“Who wasn’t there Mavis
“That author man.”
“Perhaps he had gone shopping in the village. It doesn’t sound very mysterious to me. Not worth putting out a search for him.”
“Now you listen to me Harry Grimes. This is important. When I went into the place everything was topsy turvey, real upside down. Broken crockery on the kitchen floor and he wasn’t there, the author. So I had a look around, but everything sealed up except for in his bedroom. The window must have been open all night. There was a puddle of water on the floor where it had rained and his bed wasn’t slept in. If you ask me I think you had better come and have a look.”
“Well, it does sound a bit funny Mavis, but I am sure there is an explanation.”
“I’m not finished yet” Mavis continued “there was blood all over the kitchen sink, like someone had washed their hands with blood on them. The best is to come. That writer man is laying in the bathroom with a knife in his back. Dead as a doornail.”
“Are you sure Mavis”
“Well he certainly isn’t breathing. I did that trick with the mirror in front of his nose, but it just stayed like a mirror, no moisture to be seen anywhere.”

Harry knew that Mavis loved a good criminal book or film, and at last it seems she could try out the knowledge she had gained.
“OK Mavis, I will go and have a look. Where are you now?”
“Well you don’t think I would stay more than one minute in such a place. I’m back home again.”
“Well, stay there Mavis and I will see what there is to do.”
One thing Harry Grimes could not do with at the moment was a crime in his village. Right now in any case. All his police life he had been waiting for the big criminal case but now e was alone for the week as his assistant George Cooper had just become father for the first time and was at home with his wife and new baby.

Harry got his bicycle out and tramped up the hill to see what was going on. On his way he pondered a bit over the mysterious happenings at the house. “Never had a murder up to now in the village, might even get in the newspapers.” And he saw the headlines already “Famous author missing, believed murdered, suspicious happenings at mill house. Village inspector solves mystery.” Although he wasn’t even sure that this author “Jack Jones” was famous. Actually he had never set eyes on him since he arrived in the village a week before.

Harry eventually arrived at the house and the door was wide open.
“Typical Mavis” he thought “just left everything and disappeared: didn’t even lock the door before she went. He entered the house and went through the entrance to the kitchen expecting to find traces leading to a murder scene. Strangely everything was in order. No broken glass, no blood stains in the sink, nothing suspicious. He went to the bathroom and there was the body of a man with a knife in his back. After Mavis telling Harry that the man was dead, Harry decided there was no sense in checking the details. He then called Mavis on his mobile. “Mavis can you get up to the house, I see no traces of blood or anything here. Everything seems to be in order, although there is a dead man in the bathroom as you said, with a knife in his back.”
Five minutes later Mavis walked into the house.
“So what’s the problem Harry”
“Well just look around in the kitchen, no blood anywhere.”
“Well, of course not, Harry. Don’t forget I am paid for doing a job here.”
“Which means?”
“Well I cleaned the place up first didn’t I. Can’t have that author man complaining that I am not doing my job properly.”
“Mavis, you have probably removed all the evidence and “that author man” as you say is no longer breathing. I think I have a murder on my hands here.”
“Are you sure Harry” asked Mavis. Did you check to see if he was dead?”
“Well you already did Mavis, no point in me checking as well is there?”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that” said a voice from the bathroom and the corpse was standing up, still with the knife in his back.
“Can someone tell me what is going on here. Wait a minute, I know you” said Harry to the corpse which was now breathing. You are Jack Baldock, one of the best poachers we had in the area.”
“Of course Harry, we had some fun on those moonlight nights in days gone by didn’t we?” and the victim then removed the so-called knife from his back which had a telescopic grip to it and had just folded into the blade.
“What are you doing here” asked Harry. I thought you were long gone.
“Well, Harry Grimes, if it wasn’t for you I would probably have spent most of my life behind bars and my family would have starved. I will never forget what you did for us.
“That goes for me as well” spoke up another voice, and then another until there was a gathering of people that Harry Grimes knew from the earlier days.
“So what you all doing here. What a reunion, Albert, Arthur, Jack, Fred I thought you were all gone from the village a long while ago.”
“Well as you heard Harry, we have a lot to thank you for. Our family’s survival relied on that meat we got from our midnight activities and now we decided to have a reunion as Mavis told us that you will be leaving the village next week. We thought we would combine it with the only real criminal case you have ever had.”
“Well boys, it’s true. I will be retired and have to make room for my successor, George Cooper. He is a good man, but young and will have to gather some experience.”
“Don’t worry Harry” and George appeared on the scene. “I have had a good teacher although you never did tell me about the poaching excursions, but perhaps it is better if I don’t know.”
“George, you too, it looks like a conspiracy; where did you come from.”
“That was easy, Mavis left the window open in the bedroom, so I just came in that way, like a robber. We are here for a reason Harry. Take a look in the bedroom.

Harry walked into the bedroom and was absolutely surprised. On the wall was his set of antlers that were usually in his own bedroom, reminding him of the night when he shot his first deer. Of course he never told anyone about where it came from, except for the men in the village that accompanied him on that night and it made a nice Sunday lunch for all, but what were the men now doing here.
“Harry, isn’t it wonderful” and his wife Norah was standing outside the open window.
“Do you know about this” asked Harry
“Of course she does” answered George. “Without Norah’s help our plan would not have worked. This house now belongs to you and Norah. Your poacher friends have all made their way in the world, and one in particular, big Joe, went to America and is now the owner of a large cattle farm where oil was found, so he is a millionaire. He never forgot the days where he was helped by the village constable and got in touch with all his friends to see what they could do for you. They all wanted you to stay in the village where you had always been happy and Big Joe gave the money to buy the house. Norah signed the documents and it is all yours. The removal van will bring the rest of the furniture tomorrow. Thanks to Mavis we managed to get you here without any problem.”

Harry Grimes was overjoyed. Not only did he have a taste of a real crime but he could stay in his beloved village and even be a bit of an advisor to young George when he had a problem at the police station. Harry decided he had really enough of being a full time policeman and after his experience with the false murder victim he decided that being retired was much better. That Summer Norah and Harry Grimes could at last afford to go on a nice long holiday. Of course you know where they went, they stayed at Big Joe’s ranch in America.

Pictures to Words

MULTIPLY Writers Block - #44 - Route 66 Part 2

Here is the link to part 1
“Well this place looks ok for spending the night”
Carol and Julie were still on their trip on Route 66 and evening was drawing in. Carol was driving.
“Do you think so?” asked Julie “after all it’s a Motel”
“Well of course it’s a Motel. They are the places you sleep when on your way on Route 66. You don’t find bed and breakfast like you do in the good old English seaside places.”
“Yes I know” answered Carol “but you remember that bloke called Norman Bates in that Hitchcock film. Now anything could happen. We might be killed and our car sunk in that lake we saw on the way here.”
“Carol do you want to spend another night in this car somewhere on a back road listening to the crickets chirping. I do not, I would like to spend a night, just for once, in a real bed with a pillow to rest my head on. Making room in this mixture of hamburger boxes and empty Cola bottles in the car is getting a bit on my nerves. It might be cheap, but it is not funny to listen to your snoring all the time.”
“I don’t snore Julie and if I do it is only when I sleep on my back.”
“Carol in this car it is not possible to sleep otherwise. So pull in at the driveway here and let’s go and register at the reception”.

Carol pulled up at the entrance which looked nicely cared for. There was a well kept flower bed just in front of the entrance of the two storey building and the windows looked nice and neat, each one with a venetian blind. They both got out of the car and stretched before walking any further. Their legs were feeling cramped from the day on the road and they entered the reception together.

“I knew it” whispered Carol to Julie “that man at the reception is a real Norman Bates look alike.”
“Carol just calm down. Norman Bates did not have a blond crew cut and blue eyes like that man at the reception. It was a film, remember, and the role was played by Anthony Perkins. That one looks more like a blonde version of Brad Pitt.”
“Well, he played the part of Mr. Black in the film picking up the candidates for their departure from this world.”

“Good morning ma’am” said a friendly deep voice to the two girls at the reception. “Can I help you at all.”
He was looking direct at Julie who was still imagining Norman Bates with blond hair. She opened her mouth and brought a few words out with difficulty.
“We are looking for a room for the night, but if you don’t have any free then we can move on.”
“What are you talking about” whispered Carol to Julie and so she spoke up.

“Do you have anything free for the night.”
“We sure do ma’am just enter your names in our book and give me your car keys and I will show you the way.”
“You want our car keys?” said Julie in a shocked voice.
“It’s to park your car ma’am, just part of the room service. Our parking lot is just round the corner. Your car won’t be alone, the motel is almost full. If you need the car just let me know and I will fetch it for you or our bell boy.”
“Hey Julie this reminds me of 77 Sunset Strip with Cookie, remember.”
“Did you say something ma’am”
Julie spoke up “No nothing, just my friend having a few private words with me” and with that remark she glared at Carol and prodded her in the ribs with her elbow.
“Just take a place on those chairs over there and I will be right back” and the receptionist took the car keys and gave them to a young man standing outside who climbed into their car and drove off.
“So just say goodbye to the car Julie” and Carol did look a bit worried. The blond haired Brad Pitt came back to the two girls.
“By the way I havn’t introduced myself, I’m Brad and I can see from your guest book entry that you are Carol and Julie. Right. And now if you would both care to follow me to your room.
“Yes sure Mr. Errrr Brad.”
“What did I say Julie Mr. Black.”
“You can leave your luggage here, the bell hop will bring it up to the room. It’s on the second floor, No. 13, with a view down the road. I suppose you two girls are doing Route 66. We get a lot of tourists coming through at this time of the year. Where are you from?”
“We come from London.”
“Well that’s interesting, you mean London, Ontario or London England”
“London, England; you mean there is one is Canada as well?.
“Sure is Miss Carol, and I think we have one in the States but they renamed that as New London in Connecticut State.”
“Well, that’s interesting to know” answered Carol
“I guess I’ll leave you two dames to sort out your bits and pieces and go on my way. The bathroom is over there through the door if you want to freshen up. We don’t do food, but there is a real nice diner over the road belongs to the Crane sisters and they do a good coffee and food for a reasonable price. See you later.”
and he was gone.
“Should I have given him a tip Julie.” Asked Carol.
“I don’t know, but you always see them tipping in the films.” Answered Julie.

“Well I have had enough of being on the road for a time Julie, so I am going to have a shower.” And Carol made her way to the bathroom. Half a minute later she was back in the room.
“What’s up” asked Julie.
“Well, I was thinking Julie, stay outside the bathroom door and don’t go away. I’ll leave it open so that you can see if anything happens.”
“Carol I have absolutely no interest in seeing you standing naked in the shower.”
“No, silly, I mean, you know, remember what happened when Janet Leigh had that shower in the Motel belonging to Norman Bates.”
“Of course, it was one of the shortest film parts she ever had, but it made her famous.”
“Silly, I don’t mean that, but she was stabbed to death by the Motel owner.”
“Yes, and”
“Well, that Brad seemed to be a nice chap, but they are all nice when you first see them. I havn’t forgotten Todd and Chuck, our helpers on the motorway.”
Julie just shook her head and reassured Carol that she would make sure that no-one came into the room. She even had a peek through the blinds at the window but reassured Carol that the road was empty and everything was quiet. Carol entered the shower, turned on the water and pulled the curtain.
“At last some peace and quiet” thought Julie, but no. There was a loud shriek from the bathroom and Carol ran out in her birthday suit dripping water all over the carpet in the room.
“What’s up” asked Julie, “there is no-one here”.
“No there is no-one here except for a mega large spider in the corner of the bathroom. I am sure it is a tarantula.”
Julie entered the bathroom carefully with Carol peeping over her shoulder and sure enough there was an enormous spider there. Without hesitating Julie ripped the shower curtain down and threw it over the spider.
“What do we do now” asked Carol
Julie made her way to the telephone and dialled the reception.
“Yes Miss Julie, can I help you” luckily it was Brad the nice man at the reception.
“Please help we have been attacked in the bathroom.”
“At once, ma’am” and a few seconds later Brad knocked at the door at the two girls opened. By now Carol had wrapped a towel around herself.
“Where is the culprit?” asked Brad
“H-He’s in the bathroom wrapped up in the shower curtain” said Carol
Brad entered the bathroom and unfolded the curtain.
“Why ma’am that is just a normal old garden spider. We have quite a few around here at this time of the year. He won’t do anyone any harm. Think he is more frightened of you two girls than you of him.”

And Brad threw him out of the window through the slits in the blind.
“I had a look around but think your bathroom is now spider free so will leave you to your shower. And ma’am I would pull that towel up a bit more, showing a lot of free skin there.” And he left the room leaving Carol with a red face, having a quiet laugh to himself.

Eventually the girls had showered and cleaned up and decided to take a walk into town to get something to eat. They were just going and Julie looked out the window and what did she see. A Buick car pulling up outside of the motel and Todd and Chuck climbing out. The two fellows they last saw on route 66 with an axe full blood in the boot of the car. Julie and Carol had managed to escape, but not without giving them sleeping tablets in their coke first of all.

“Hey Todd” said Chuck. “Just look at that car on the parking lot, now don’t that look like the one those two dames had that sent us off for a long sleep on the road.”
“You said it” and Chuck and Todd left their car and walked over to that of Julie and Carol.
“Carol look they have seen our car”
“Who has seen our car?”
“You remember those two mass murderers from the road, that Chuck and Todd. They are out there on the street and are now walking over to the Motel.”
“Quick, out of here, down the fire escape.” And the two girls rushed out the door and ran to the fire escape at the end of the building wanting to make a quick getaway.
“Carol wait for me” said Julie “my high heel has got caught in the iron work of the fire escape. I just can’t move.”
Chuck and Todd both heard the voices of the two girls and looked up to see the predicament they had on the stairs.
“Have those two girls been here long” asked Chuck.
Brad, who knew both Chuck and Todd from their school days together looked up on the fire escape.
“They are two crazy English girls that booked in this morning. They seem to be having trouble with the American way of life and now it looks they are stuck on the fire escape.
“No problem Brad we will go and help them.”
Chuck and Todd climbed up the stairs and Julie and Carol were trapped. Julie was stuck and Carol did not want to leave her on her own. The men were getting nearer and nearer. They were standing before the two girls.
“At at last we have found you two” said Todd “ we have been looking everywhere”.
“Please let us go” said Carol, “our parents will send out a search troop if we go missing in America.”
“Hey Chuck do you know what they are talking about.”
“No idea. Listen Ma’am me and Todd would like to apologise for frightening you two girls. We realised after we left that you had probably seen the axe in the car and well, that would send a shock down everyone’s spine alone on Route 66. We told Jake that you drugged us and left us, but he said it was no wonder. Two guys with a bloody axe in car would be enough to scare anyone.”
“Who is Jake” asked the two girls

“He was our next customer. We go to the farm houses which are spread all over the county and do some pig killing for them. They don’t like doing it themselves and it’s our trade. I mean we kill them quite nicely ma’am, but we do the butcher’s job afterwards. Todd and I are both qualified in the meat trade. And now as compensation for the shock you both had; why Todd help the lady to release her shoe from the fire escape; we invite you both to a full square American meal at the diner over the road.”
“Yea ma’am” said Todd. “Those Crane sister sure do a good square meal and their coffee is the best in the county.”
“But please no hamburgers or Coke” said Julie and Carol together. They had the best meal on Route 66 that night that they had ever had and they decided to throw away their ideas about Hollywood films. There were some really nice guys to be met on Route 66.

Writers Block

Further news in Swiss Suicide Case - She jumped from the bridge

On Friday I wrote a blog about a police search we had on our local river by helicopter where a suicide victim was suspected. It was from this bridge that she jumped and not that in the middle of town and where they did not find anything. There was a further report in the newspaper yesterday.

"Suicide victim climbs out of the River Aar on her own

An assumed suicide victim, who jumped into the River Aar on Thursday evening was found on the same evening. The Kanton's police informed that according to a witness on the bicycle bridge in Zuchwil around 09.30 in the evening the alledged suicide victim jumped from the bridge. She said she had private problems and wanted to commit suicide and then she jumped.

The witness alarmed the police who started the search process using a rescue helicopter with floodlights and two police boats, an ambulance and some police patrols. During the search action a further person reported that there was a woman, soaked through and quite drunk sitting on the stairs belonging to a block of flats in the village of Zuchwil. She afterwards admitted that she managed to rescue herself from the river. It was a 42 year old Swiss woman who was afterwards taken by ambulance to a special clinic."

So that was the end of the excitement, although probably the lady will be presented with quite a heavy bill for the expense incurred. Whether she will have to pay will be cleared up by the police.

Otherwise all quiet on the Swiss front at the moment, although I did hear that we somehow got a bronze medal in the Olympics. I suppose I should be happy about it, but I have absolutely no interest in Olympic games being carried out in a country that seems to make a hobby of ignoring human rights.

The usual photo for a finish shows part of the River Aar in the village of Zuchwil mentioned in the case of the suicide. The large white building was originally the factory for Sulzer, making weaving machines. It is now known as Sultec, but the production lines are similar. If the lady had remained in the River she would have passed by this building.