Chapter 12

'Daviddd!' said the voice on the telephone early that same evening.

'What do you want Tamsin?' I asked with amusement.

'Can you do me a biggg favour?'

'If I can, you know I will, though I'm guessing I won't enjoy it.'

'I have a friend who is feeling very low. Will you take her out somewhere?' Tamsin said almost pleading.

I agreed immediately. I knew Tamsin wouldn't ask unless she felt it important enough. She'd already agreed not to fix me up with blind dates so I was sure that this was more than she was letting on.

'Right, now that I've agreed, when, why and what does she look like?'

'I'll give you her number for the when and where. The why and looks will wait until you meet her.'

'It would be helpful to know what she looks like if I'm to meet her in town, or am I to pick her up somewhere?'

'In town I'd guess. And you are such a lanky sod that she'll be able to spot you straight away.'

'I get it now. She needs to check me out before she makes herself known.' I laughed.

'Just speak to her please.'

I rang the number immediately and straight away wished I hadn't, as I realised that I hadn't asked Tamsin for a name. An angry voice answered.

'Hi. Tamsin suggested I call about a date, but being a complete moron I forgot to ask her for a name. Am I talking to the right woman?'

I heard her laugh. 'You're David then? So what did my so called friend tell you about me?'

'Yes, I'm David and she's been extremely mysterious. She hasn't told me a thing other than meeting up might do us both some good.'

'Do you always do whatever she tells you then?' Her voice still carried some uncertainty.

'Pretty much.' I agreed. 'I haven't got a bossy big sister, so she applied and gave herself the job.'

She asked me about how I knew Tamsin and what job I did. I explained about working with my friend and that I was out of work but hopeful. I tried to find out a little more about her but other than a name, Veronica, which she hated and insisted on being called Vee, and that she was just over twenty one, I discovered nothing. As she spoke I could hear the uncertainty leave but could still detect some anger in her voice. We made arrangements to meet up at three the following afternoon at the Victoria Gardens Bandstand in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I arrived about ten minutes early and was pleased to see nobody waiting. I then set about paying extra attention to any woman who looked like she was the right age. I soon noticed one young looking woman sitting in a wheelchair across the gardens who seemed to be paying me a bit too much attention. As three o'clock approached she started heading towards me. I waited until I was sure that she was heading for me before walking towards her.

'Vee I presume?' I asked.

'How did you know?'

'Well if you spend any time at all around Tamsin then you get to notice wheelchairs a lot better. Plus, she wouldn't even give me a hint as to what you looked like.'

'You don't mind then?' She asked shocked.

'Mind what, that you're in a wheelchair? Not at all. What say I sit down and we have a chat.' I said and said down on one of the many park benches. Vee moved up to face me.

'Aren't you disgusted?' She said, now with a little anger in her voice.

'I don't follow.'

'Don't try to con me. I know you must look upon me with either pity or disgust, everyone does.' Her anger was rising.

'I'm sure that you aren't in that chair through choice so most people will feel some sorrow for you, though pity is the wrong word. Many of us also feel that with just a slight change in fate that we've done something stupid enough to be in your place. My disgust is reserved for those that would treat you as a lesser being.'

We talked for a good while about all that being disabled meant. The level of her anger fluctuated but was always there to some degree. She had lost both legs just below the knee in a car accident the previous year. When she said that she was with her then boyfriend in a stolen car when he crashed, I nearly lost it. I couldn't believe it when she blamed it all on the police who were trying to stop them.

'Were you drunk at the time?' I asked hopefully hiding my own growing anger.

'We'd had a few drinks and a couple of spliffs. But don't you see, we were only having a bit of fun, we weren't hurting anyone until the police got involved.' She told me with a glare.