Chapter 4
A Revealing Flat Tyre
“Honey, I’ll have to ride with you this morning,” Mrs. Marshall called out to her husband from the kitchen. One could almost get the impression that when she was at home all her time was spent in the kitchen. Actually, she loved the kitchen and she loved feeding her family. “My car is at the service station where I left it yesterday afternoon. I took a ride home with Cynthia. She offered to come and pick me up this morning but I told her I would come in with you.”
“Not a problem, my dear. I wish I had that opportunity more often. Could we go driving and just skip work today?” He asked her with a very enticing tone in his voice.
“Don’t tempt me sailor boy!” she replied. “I would call your bluff.” She knew that he was not serious. He was a workaholic. Almost nothing could keep him away from his work. He was a building contractor for a prestigious firm. Prior to this he was a tutor at the district polytechnic. After twelve years service there he felt he needed to move on up the financial ladder and so he applied for a job at this firm and easily got it. He has been working with them for thirteen years having risen to the post of senior contractor. Such an income afforded his wife some ease in making the sacrificial commitment to the charitable organization for which she worked.
Working at such a job meant regular trips to worksites to carry out checks on how the work was progressing. It also meant that the vehicle was subject to a certain kind of treatment. Sometimes he drove the company’s vehicle but fairly often he would drive his own vehicle. He was without the company’s vehicle for some while since they were awaiting a new SUV four-wheel drive. This would facilitate the moving of men to worksites as well as light materials when there was some urgency. Also there were some worksites where he really could not take the car so he needed to use a more sturdy and dependable vehicle.
Mr. Marshall just absolutely loved his job. Many of the buildings across the island were testimony of his skill in drawing building plans as well as managing workers in the building process. He got along well with all of his workmates at whatever levels they operated. Higher management competed to have him in their group while the workers at the site prayed and hoped that he would be the one in charge of them.
Just like he operated at work, he also operated at home. He was loved by all of his family. Maybe a main reason for this was because he allowed them all a certain level of autonomy to make decisions and to work through their problems on their own. He only got involved if they send out an SOS. This had benefitted the children immensely for it had made them strong and stable individuals who for the most part remained true to their upbringing.
Mother Marshall was quite the opposite. She liked to know about all that was going on in her children’s life and if she had the slightest inkling that something was troubling one of her babies, she was quick to either get in their to rescue them or should that proved to be a difficult prospect she got down on her husband to act decisively and effectively. She was not against suggesting to him very strongly how he should go about the matter.
Even in the case of the youngest sibling there were not many occurrences of either Mummy or Daddy having to come to their rescue. Often when either of the parents found out that there was some challenge the children had already resolved the issue. I must add, however, not always in the manner that their mum would have preferred.
“So what have you guys planned for the first day of your summer holidays? I hope you have some plans and some good ones too. With all this time on your hands, there is ample opportunity for something stupid to happen, particularly if you do not have a plan.”
Carson was the first to respond. “Well Mummy, as we did last year and the year before, we are going on an expedition to Idyllic Gardens.” By we, he meant Dirk, Ralph and himself. “We will be back in time to prepare for school.”
“I hope you have told June,” she encouraged.
“No comment, Mummy,” Carson responded.
“What about you, Carolyn? Have you made any plans?”
“Not really. Cynthia and the rest of us have decided to take it one day at a time for the first week and then we might take in the summer camp at the church.”
Before Carlisle could respond, his mother said, “Summer camp at the church I suppose?”
“You got it Mummy!” He knew that there was not much more than summer camp for him. Even though he had a little more freedom than most twelve year olds, he knew that summer camp was an imperative. Of course, he would also be undergoing coaching sessions in cricket some afternoons. He was already trying out for the under-fifteen cricket team at his school and he had a very good chance of making the eleven as a batsman. While only twelve years he was fairly tall for his age.
“And your plans for today, Sir?” This was Mrs. Marshall to Mr. Marshall.
“I have already told you what I would rather do today but you would not take me seriously. Consequently I will be at a number of stuffy worksites that can never compare with a drive through the country, especially with the second most beautiful woman in the world by my side.”
“Second most beautiful woman in the world? Who is the first may I ask?”
“Why, Carol, of course. Ever since she came into to this world everybody has had to take a lower position on the beauty charts. So first became second, second became third, third became fourth, fourth became fifth…”
“Okay, I get the point! You don’t have to spell it out. After all, she got her good looks from me, as well as her brains, as well as her shape, as well as her charm…”
“And you accuse me of spelling it out? What are you doing now?”
“Oh, coming to think of it, there is something that she got from you?”
“And what might that be?”
“She got her stubborn ways from you. She can hold out for an eternity”
“Oh you mean we are good at keeping secrets and not telling people who feel they must know everything. Which reminds me, has Carson given you an update on his love life yet?”
“He is just like you and your daughter. Concerning June and him, he wouldn’t give me the time of day,” Mrs. Marshall said showing her disappointment.
“Come on Sweetie Pie, when he is ready he will give a proper update on all that concerns him.”
By this time, the children had left the table. Mrs. Marshall used this opportunity to unload the next comment. “By the way, Honey, there seems to be something bothering Carson.”
“I would advise you to relax and leave that matter alone,” Mr. Marshall counseled.
“No, I don’t mean that, I mean, something else. A mother picks up these things. I just feel it in my gut,” this she said passing her hand over her stomach area. I am feeling it right here.”
“What makes you feel that this matter is more than a lovers’ dispute?”
“I don’t know. I got to thinking concerning yesterday morning when he left here so early for school. It occurred to me that he could not have been leaving home that early to meet June at the school. If he wanted to sort out a matter with June, he would go to her house.”
“Ah-hah, you have a point there! But how do you know that he went to the school?”
“I really do not know but…”
“But what? Until more information comes through, I think we need to leave it alone. To you, I would say again, just relax.”
“Sometimes I wish I could just brush off things like you but I don’t seem to be able to do that.”
“I understand how you feel, Sweetie, but worry and anxiety will only complicate the matter and make it appear much bigger than it is likely to be. By the way if I lose my job you all will end up having to beg and so will I. We have to be going.”
“Losing your job is not a likely thing, you workaholic! However, since I do not want to beg…but what am I saying? My job is begging. I am already begging day in and day out. Look what I have come to!” They both laughed and retreated to their bedroom to grab the items they usually take with them. “Don’t forget to take up your lunch. I find that recently you have been forgetting your lunch. If I did not know better I would think that you are eating somewhere else and I don’t mean a restaurant.”
“That’s true, Honey! Everyday, as God sends, I eat my lunch somewhere else.”
“Goodness gracious! Why can’t I ever get around you?”
“Because I am always in your way!”
“You see? That is what I mean!” He threw his arms around her, gave her a kiss on her cheek and they were both off to the car with a “Bye everyone!” They were so good at doing this every morning that it had become like second nature. They would always leave together even when they were going in different vehicles.
Sunset Terrace was so called because of the beautiful view the residents had of the setting sun. It was just magical to see the sun go down behind the buildings that partially blocked the sea line. Just about five years or so before, much of the sea line was clearly visible to them. However, with the coming of a number of high-rise buildings there were now just small windows to the sea. Through those windows they were given a kaleidoscope of the beauty that used to be fully theirs before the event of the buildings.
The area was fairly populated and more and more people were opting to either build their homes there or purchase houses that were still available for sale. The Marshalls were among the latter residents. They had purchased one of the homes that had been built there. The disadvantage to them was that Mr. Marshall, though a contractor, would have had no input into the building of the home. He had made it clear to his family, though, that this was only a temporary measure and to be prepared to pull up stakes in the not to distant future. As a matter of fact, he had purchased a piece of land in the country but had not yet started to develop it. The truth of the matter was that he was so caught up with his job that he was not even too sure when he would get around to building his dream home.
After he had dropped his wife off at her work place, Mr. Marshall drove to his first worksite for the morning. He arrived there about 9:25. All seemed to be going well. After a brief surveillance of all that was going on, he headed off to the next stop. There too he was satisfied that there was nothing that needed his input at that moment so he made his way to the third stop remarking to himself that this is exactly how he likes things to go. Oh this is going to be one of my lighter days,” he mused to himself.
Arriving at the fourth spot, he was greeted by the foreman on the job with, “So glad to see you, Boss. I was hoping that you would come through today. We have a problem on our hands.”
“And what might the problem be?” Mr. Marshall asked.
“Well we wanted to start laying the foundation bricks this morning as you had instructed but the fellows who were digging said that they have dug down about twelve feet and so far there is not even the semblance of rock. If we continue to dig, by the time we reach rock, the cost would be astronomical. As a matter of fact, I wonder if it makes sense to build a stone building at this site.”
Mr. Briggs was a man of immense building experience. He did not have the papers but he had had years in the building business. He had even designed and built his own home. It formed the model upon which Mr. Marshall had designed the family home. Of course he had planned that when he did build he would make some minor changes but it would be very similar to the Briggs family home.
Not only was Mr. Briggs a good house builder but he was also a good homemaker. He was one of sixteen siblings, he being the oldest. Fortunately his father lived to the ripe old age of ninety-seven and was the main support of the family for many years. His mother would still outscore his father, going on to one hundred and three. Their farming business had flourished and was one of the chief suppliers of potatoes, yams, peas and several kinds of herbs to the supermarkets and shops in the area.
Mr. Marshall had the highest respect for Mr. Briggs in life generally but more specifically as a builder. He had saved the company a considerable amount of money particularly on occasions when the highly qualified architects had advised that a specific action be taken and he had respectfully disagree. After showing them why he had disagreed they would agree to try it his way. There was not one single occasion where his action was not vindicated. Mr. Marshall, who join the company several years after him, often wonder why Mr. Briggs was never given a more senior position. Whenever he begged him to let him raise the matter with the directors, Mr. Briggs would say, “I am happy and contented with how life has turned out for me. Why do you want to go and change all that?” And with that Mr. Marshall would let it go.
“Whatever you deem best to do about this situation, Mr. Briggs, go ahead and do. You have my unswerving support.” He had never disagreed with him on any building matter and he did not intend to start now. He acknowledged that what Mr. Briggs had forgotten about building, he had not even learnt yet.
Mr. Briggs accompanied Mr. Marshall back to his car. They chatted a little about life in general and after explaining a few pleasantries regarding one another’s households, Mr. Marshall got into the car and headed off to the next worksite. Meanwhile Mr. Briggs returned to the business at the worksite.
Mr. Marshall drove along and while humming a tune from the sixties, he mused on the good fortune that had been his for most of his forty-seven years. He had a good family, a reasonably good paying job and friends like Mr. Briggs. And most of all today was going just as the doctor ordered. He began to conceptualise a plan in his mind to surprise everyone at home when all of a sudden the back of the car felt unstable on the road. The signs were very obvious to him. Either he had a flat tyre or it was not far from that reality.
He pulled off to the side of the road and decided he would tend to the matter. Pulling the trunk lever, he alighted from the car and removed the tools from the trunk. It did not take long to change the tyre. Before closing the trunk lid he returned to the car to get some sanitizer for his hands. He did not want to close the trunk lid with his soiled hands. Having achieved that function he returned to close the trunk lid. As he lower the lid into position and pressed on it anticipating the click that would confirm its closure, he observed something that for him caused time to freeze.
He wondered about the words he saw scrawled across the trunk. He was accustomed to someone, even his children, particularly Carlisle writing on the car, “Clean me please.” But he did that with his finger in the dust that collected on the car from the worksites he visited. He did not think, however that Carlise would use some sharp instrument to scratch the car far less writing such a note. He mentally decided, “No, this is not Carlisle or any child carrying out a childish prank. This is not even the demented mind of someone just out to spoil the paint job on a car. This is much more than any misdemeanour.
As he stood with his hand still pressing on the trunk and staring at the scrawled note he was not aware how much time had passed. He had been pondering the matter for almost twenty minutes when it suddenly occurred to him that the words strongly suggested some type of warning. What was more, no other warning was given before this one. After much thought, he came to the conclusion that the warning was not for him. If it were he would have been aware of a previous warning but there was no such occasion in his memory banks. He began to think of his family. “Could this be a warning for one of them?” he thought, “And if so which one?”
