Rushing to the Ball Part 3

[Last week we saw my take on the old fable The Tortoise and the Hare. from the point of view of Harold Racer. This week's snippet of new prose is the same story, told through the eyes of Tommie, his brother.

I wasn’t looking forward to the Summer Ball. Harold had persuaded me to go, in fact he’d paid for the ticket so I couldn’t really complain, but I knew what would happen - it had happened before, We’d go there together, sit together for the meal - and then he’d get off with someone and I’d be no more use to him.

“You OK to get home on your own?” he’d said to me last year as he’d shepherded the Carnival Queen out towards the car park. I’d ended up walking the six miles home - and that’s no fun in a DJ and new shoes.

This year, I was going under my own steam. The Land Rover’s not too smart, but at least I'd have my own set of wheels.

I left home ten minutes after Harold - he’d been in a rush as usual. It had been raining all day, well, all year really, and the lanes were quite treacherous. As I got to the bottom of the hill, I slowed down. I knew it had been flooded there before. And that’s when I saw him. Oh dear, I know it’s not really funny - but he looked so forlorn standing up to his knees in water. I’d have stopped, but he’d already called the AA. As I drove past, I had a sudden thought; this year’s Carnival Queen was even fitter than last year’s.

Rushing to the Ball Part 2

[A couple of weeks ago, I posted my take on the old fable The Tortoise and the Hare. This week's snippet of new prose is the same story, told through the eyes of Harold Racer, one of the two brothers.]

He’s such a slowcoach that brother of mine! I’ve been ready for ages and he’s still fiddling with his bow tie.

“Come on Tommie, get a move on! “ I say. And then he tells me he’s taking the Land Rover — well, he could have told me before — I’d have had a chance to suss out the talent while the Pimm's was being served.

OK, keys, ticket, wallet — here we go. Car’s looking good. I had her polished specially — the girls do love driving in a shiny red motor.

Oops, that was a bit slippery — someone could hurt themselves there — must mention that blind corner to the old guy up the road — he’s on the Council — he’ll sort it out.

Funny, the road looks all shiny down there — late sun shining through the hedge I guess.

Oh my god, come on girl, keep going! Can’t brake, she’ll stall...

Oh bugger!

Yeuk, that’s going to stain.

 

"Hello, is that the AA?"

Rushing to the Ball

[Following on from last week's modern telling of an old nursery rhyme, today's snippet comes from a similar exercise, retelling one of the traditional fables from different points of view. So, here's part 1 of my version of the Tortoise and the Hare.]

“Come on, Tommie, or all the girls with be snapped up,” said Harold Racer as he checked his appearance in the mirror and headed for the door. He was really looking forward to the Summer Ball. “I’ll get the car.”

“No, don't wait for me, I’m taking the Land Rover,” said his brother Tommie, who wasn’t going to get left behind again when Harold got off with the Carnival Queen like he did last year.

“Suit yourself — but you’re going to miss out,” and with a roar of the powerful V8 engine, Harold was off down the lane leaving behind a cloud of smoke. Tommie sighed. He checked that his boots were in the back of the vehicle, then jumped in the front and started off after his brother.

Just before he reached the cricket field, he saw red lights blinking in the distance, They were reflecting off the deep pool of water blocking the lane - a pool that was gently lapping over the sills of a stalled Ferrari. Harold was standing besides the car, water seeping up the legs of his DJ trousers. He was talking into his mobile phone and glared at Tommie as he slowed down.

“AA’s on their way, but it could be a while,” he snarled.

"I'll give your love to the Carnival Queen bro, shall I?" Tommie said as he waved to his brother and inched his way through the water.