A SHORT STORY BY AVRIL ELLIS
Cum awa in ma boonie quinne, fit an afa cal nicht. Sit yersel doon at the fire and I’ll mak a cuppa tea for ye.
Jane had great difficulty understanding her mother-inlaws request to warm herself by the roaring fire and as for calling her a “bonnie quine”. Jane did as she was bid but she could feel the smile leave her mother-in-laws face as she went into the kitchen to make her tea. Jane knew she was not really welcome here but for Jimmy sake and to ease the loneliness Jane would visit at least once a week.
Jane had met Jimmy on holiday in Marbella, she was impressed by his powerful swimming out at sea and so wanted to talk to the young man with the handsome taunt body over rippling muscles.
Jane was on her gap year from school and had made the trip to Marbella as a farewell to school and before the hello to three years at university.
“I must think of something to attract his attention, she muttered to Celia who was rubbing sun tan lotion on Jane’s pale English rose alabaster skin.
“Why not swim out a bit and pretend to get into trouble and your handsome prince may try to save you, “ laughed Celia. Jane had gone on and on about this guy since they first spotted him at Johnny Bar on the Golden mile.
“Right watch me here goes,” shouted Jane as she raced to the waters edge. Jane was a strong swimmer but she must remember to pretend she was a novice as she tentatively swam out to meet the man of her dreams.
She splashed around hoping to catch his attention but no joy, after what seemed a lifetime she felt the first pains of cramp squeeze her right leg. Oh God now it was in both legs and Jane felt herself panic. She trashed about and tried to swim back to shore with only her arms able to pull through the water. The tide was strong and the under current kept pushing her out,” Oh God someone please see that I am in trouble.”
Jane became exhausted very quickly and her arms ached as she struggled to get her breath and knew she was going under. Why of why did she have to do such a stupid thing, no guy was worth it. At that moment Jane must have passed out because the next thing she remembered was a heavy weight beating down on her chest and someone shouting, “call the lifeguard she’s swallowed too much water.” Jane spluttered and coughed up the salty water and someone turned her onto her side.
“Fit on earth were ye trying to dee?” If ye canna sweem ye shouldn’ve been oot at far.” To Jane’s horror the Adonis she had been trying to attract was shouting at her in some strange foreign language. He had just saved her life.
What a start to a relationship but that is how Jane was now married and living in Peterhead situated on the most North Easterly point of Scotland. Jimmy was an old rig engineer and worked off shore two weeks out of four. They had had a whirl wind romance and within the year Jimmy was taking his bride up to the frozen north to start their new life together in his hame toon.
So her she was a London girl living amongst foreigners who spoke the most peculiar dilect and had such strange customs. For example all the fisherwives had their Royal Doulton ornaments pointing out the window so the neighbours would see them and marvel at how the expensive they were.
She had even bought a Doric dictionary, yes seriously they do exist and had tried to adapt to life in Peterhead as she loved her man so much.
Jimmy just couldn’t understand why his young wife was in tears all the time. Her greetin was beginning to get on his nerves and it wasn’t helped by his mither reminding him daily that he should niver hiv maireid oot of his ane folks and to add insult a English quinne, fa hid an afa hoytetoy vice.
“Sh looks doon her nose at us, ye ken.” she would spit at Jimmy. Ye should hiv married een of oor ane, nae that greetin miserable Saxon who hisna a clue aboot oor wi a life.
Why oh why did I have to fall in love with an alien and now I have to exist in this alien world when I should be living it up at a London university instead of sitting night after night with a dictionary learning a language that the baby inside her would be brought up with.
For jimmy sake she would try harder or would she?
Jane had great difficulty understanding her mother-inlaws request to warm herself by the roaring fire and as for calling her a “bonnie quine”. Jane did as she was bid but she could feel the smile leave her mother-in-laws face as she went into the kitchen to make her tea. Jane knew she was not really welcome here but for Jimmy sake and to ease the loneliness Jane would visit at least once a week.
Jane had met Jimmy on holiday in Marbella, she was impressed by his powerful swimming out at sea and so wanted to talk to the young man with the handsome taunt body over rippling muscles.
Jane was on her gap year from school and had made the trip to Marbella as a farewell to school and before the hello to three years at university.
“I must think of something to attract his attention, she muttered to Celia who was rubbing sun tan lotion on Jane’s pale English rose alabaster skin.
“Why not swim out a bit and pretend to get into trouble and your handsome prince may try to save you, “ laughed Celia. Jane had gone on and on about this guy since they first spotted him at Johnny Bar on the Golden mile.
“Right watch me here goes,” shouted Jane as she raced to the waters edge. Jane was a strong swimmer but she must remember to pretend she was a novice as she tentatively swam out to meet the man of her dreams.
She splashed around hoping to catch his attention but no joy, after what seemed a lifetime she felt the first pains of cramp squeeze her right leg. Oh God now it was in both legs and Jane felt herself panic. She trashed about and tried to swim back to shore with only her arms able to pull through the water. The tide was strong and the under current kept pushing her out,” Oh God someone please see that I am in trouble.”
Jane became exhausted very quickly and her arms ached as she struggled to get her breath and knew she was going under. Why of why did she have to do such a stupid thing, no guy was worth it. At that moment Jane must have passed out because the next thing she remembered was a heavy weight beating down on her chest and someone shouting, “call the lifeguard she’s swallowed too much water.” Jane spluttered and coughed up the salty water and someone turned her onto her side.
“Fit on earth were ye trying to dee?” If ye canna sweem ye shouldn’ve been oot at far.” To Jane’s horror the Adonis she had been trying to attract was shouting at her in some strange foreign language. He had just saved her life.
What a start to a relationship but that is how Jane was now married and living in Peterhead situated on the most North Easterly point of Scotland. Jimmy was an old rig engineer and worked off shore two weeks out of four. They had had a whirl wind romance and within the year Jimmy was taking his bride up to the frozen north to start their new life together in his hame toon.
So her she was a London girl living amongst foreigners who spoke the most peculiar dilect and had such strange customs. For example all the fisherwives had their Royal Doulton ornaments pointing out the window so the neighbours would see them and marvel at how the expensive they were.
She had even bought a Doric dictionary, yes seriously they do exist and had tried to adapt to life in Peterhead as she loved her man so much.
Jimmy just couldn’t understand why his young wife was in tears all the time. Her greetin was beginning to get on his nerves and it wasn’t helped by his mither reminding him daily that he should niver hiv maireid oot of his ane folks and to add insult a English quinne, fa hid an afa hoytetoy vice.
“Sh looks doon her nose at us, ye ken.” she would spit at Jimmy. Ye should hiv married een of oor ane, nae that greetin miserable Saxon who hisna a clue aboot oor wi a life.
Why oh why did I have to fall in love with an alien and now I have to exist in this alien world when I should be living it up at a London university instead of sitting night after night with a dictionary learning a language that the baby inside her would be brought up with.
For jimmy sake she would try harder or would she?