Chapter 5

The front screen door flew open about 10.30am and in came the walking natural element herself. "Hey, Mr P did you know all your carpets wet out here?" she shouted. I came to an unspoken agreement with myself a couple of years ago. If Flubberguts was still available when she was of marriageable age, no matter my feelings about women in general and marriage specifically, I'd marry her. She was as uncomplicated an individual that you would ever like to meet, not an iota of spite or mischief in her luscious body. Her breasts never did stop growing just the rate of growth decreased. Even at fifteen she was almost as tall as me and she told me with total honesty what she felt about absolutely anything. And I could still call her, my bestest mate ever. And you would be fucking sure that I would never tell her or anyone else any of this; Okay maybe the bit about her being my bestest mate ever, but that goes without saying.

"Who is this strange girl who looks like my Flubberguts but is out of bed at ten thirty on a Sunday? How's my bestest mate? Haven't seen you in a coons age girl!" She wafted into the kitchen like a whirlwind threw her arms around my neck and gave me a huge smooch right on the lips. Was that some tongue I felt trying to wend its way through into my closed mouth? I held her back away from me, "I think you're trying to lead me astray little girl." She didn't reply to that, just gave me a tight cuddle back and an enigmatic smile.

"Some storm eh! I bet your Angel was hiding in your bed last night. Mr P if I'd been down here last night I 'd have been there right beside her." I gave her a sharp querying look at the implications inherent in that statement.

It's damned hard not to be aware of Jocerlyn when she enters an area; she is almost a major natural occurrence. The other two girls swept out of my bedroom, (why my bedroom?) and pulled her back inside with them squawking like three currawongs before the rain.

Outside in the distance I could hear one of my neighbours start up a lawnmower and that decided me on what I was doing for the rest of the morning. I went into my bedroom to find some best old work clothes and found a sudden silence and three pairs of beady eyes watching me rummage through my bottom drawer. "What!"

"Nothing!" all three replied in unison.

"Okay, in that case what mischief are you three up to?"

"Nothing!" all three replied in unison. All were too young to remember Sergeant Shultz.

I shook my head with the puzzlement of it all and dragged an old paint spattered pair of shorts and anciently worn tee shirt (both of which dated from the seventies), out to the bathroom to get changed. And yes I closed the bloody door!

I'd finished the lawn and edges by about midday. Every twenty minutes or so one of the girls bought out a cold glass of cordial, which was most appreciated. When I turned off the whipper snipper for the last time (really how often does everyone else have to replace the cord?) Flubberguts had a plate of tiny sandwiches and another glass of green drink sitting on a tray. I sat down in the shade of the garage leaning against the wall beside the car and she served me like a top class serving wench. I eyed her suspiciously. "What's going on Jocerlyn Roseanne?"

"Nothing Mr P just us all showing how much we appreciate your hard work!"

"Bullshit!"

"Yeah I know, but it sounds great don't it?" she chuckled deep inside her chest.

"Better spill it or I'm just going to get cranky when it finally comes out."

She went quiet for a short while and let loose a great sigh, "Mr P?"

I just loosed a huge sigh much the same as hers, "What is it Flubberguts?"

"Um, Mr P mum ain't going to be home until next weekend, if then, and I was wonderin'... ?"

"Yes, of course you can stay. You've never had to ask before."

"I know, but I would like to stay with you: like you know? Not sleep in Angel's room."

"Actually, Jocerlyn I've got a funny feeling that I don't really know... like I don't know anything whatsoever."