68..The Stupid looking Mouse

                 The Stupid Looking Mouse 

It was Candice, no I tell a lie it was Rebecca, Rebecca Macleod that was telling us in the dorm after lights out about her sister; I can’t think of her name. You know, she used to go out with a Kevin someone or other, who lives up the road a bit. She said her sister who was 16 and is a bit older than her used to have the hots for Kevin, well for a while. 

Anyways Kevin would call round most Saturday evenings and he and Rebecca’s sister would spend ALL evening by themselves in the lounge room kissing and hugging each other and that. She reckons they would spend ALL evening declaring their love for each other, as well as trying to teach her budgie to talk. How Rebecca knows this is beyond me. 

When Kevin came round on Saturday evenings the lounge was out of bounds for Rebecca. If she wanted to speak to her sister…….er whatsername, her mother told her she had to alert her sister first by giving one short, sharp knock on the lounge-room door, separated or followed by two sharp knocks, something like that. It could have been three sharp knocks with a space in between. I can’t be sure. No, hang on, hang on I tell a lie, there was no space. 

It was Charlotte mumbling under the blankets “Boys? Frankly, I reckon they are a complete joke and an utter waste of time, end of” and she generally knows what she is talking about. I thought that might wrap the conversation up for the evening, but not so. 

Zanthe exclaimed breathlessly “Tiffany, Tiffany tell’um about ‘cha worms.” 

“Er Yuk” screamed Sophie. 

Will this never end; anyhow worms are a personal and private things aren’t they, they are not something one discusses in public or even with friends, are they? 

Tamsin once told a boy who asked her to partner him in a dance she suffered from worms and that it is passed on as easy as Chicken Pox. 

The extra curriculum speech lessons organized by Miss Frenzi had yet to take effect on Zanthe. I had made mention earlier Zanthe’s father had been an aerialist in the circus and then joined the Treasury so was able to send her to Denham Hall. When he retired it was said her father re-badgered cars …..Whatever that means, also dealt in Lead and Copper and her mother took up welding, making custom jewellery…..just for a hobby. 

Zanthe said her mother and father on retirement, used to travel the highways and byways of Northern England taking part in wrestling and tug-of-war championships, although I would have to take the wrestling competitions with a grain of salt. 

It appears Miss Frenzi had noticed Tiffany scratching herself and out of interest had asked her if she suffered from worms. She replied not that she was aware. Miss Frenzi had ordered her to see Nurse Mayo in the infirmary who after a very brief examination gave her some special medicine for worms. I believe it was easier for her to take medicine rather than applying a cream, that’s Tiffany, not Nurse Mayo, as applying cream which I am sure you all know is a bit of a hit or miss affair. 

Now I did not want to relate this story but I was triggered by the Tiffany worm story. I knew Phaedra, that’s Miss Know-all Phaedra Gascoigne, would accuse me of being gross just for the sake of attracting new readers but it is true. The “worm story”, that is. 

We had an infestation of cockroaches in the Boadicea dorm until Betty Bounce the cleaning lady; Betty Bounce by the way was not her real name, the girls just called her that because Betty sounded too formal. Where was I? She, that’s Betty, had suspected that Tamsin was keeping a mouse in her wardrobe. 

I should have twigged it earlier when I noticed Tamsin carrying bits of bread into the dorm in her hankie. We found out eventually it was not a pet mouse at all she was feeding but a wild mouse. It was not a furry, cuddly looking mouse but a mean, stupid-looking mouse. In truth, I would not normally make a statement like that about the mouse to Tamsin as she might have taken it personally. 

Well, what happened was the cockroaches used to take advantage of the mouse’s generosity; this is all speculation by the way, but I suspect they helped to clean up after the mouse’s meals by feigning a friendship and by stealth taking advantage of this ‘friendship’ resulting in Boadicea dorm being used as a toilet. Betty Bounce was not amused, but as I wrote earlier this is all speculation. 

Tamsin was reported to the headmistress and was called out at morning assembly by Miss Sefton. We were all warned in the future not to keep wild animals, mice or monkeys in our lockers, all because of Tamsin. 

That cleared that mystery up. It was Charlotte that commented that Tamsin always spoils it for everyone. 

I thought that remark was a little unfair; Tamsin was only trying to keep the mouse a secret. In any case I didn’t think the mouse looked all that stupid so I amended the title of this story. 

Anyway back to the real world. Most of you would not be aware that Tamsin is a Macgregor. This is her mother’s ancestry so she identifies as a Macgregor. I admit in the past the Campbell’s and the Macgregor’s have had their minor differences of opinion….and killed each other for it. 

When there is a dance she will wear a skirt with the Macgregor Clan tartan. She is also a predator where boys are concerned. Let me explain. 

I may have mentioned this before but at dances I have seen her deliberately lose a partner who she had decided she didn’t like in the middle of an Eightsome reel. When the dance floor is full and dance partners are changing continuously it is the easiest thing in the world to lose one's partner, then the dance descends into full disarray, that is what Tamsin takes advantage of. With her partners finding they are standing outside the toilets desperately searching for her meanwhile she has paired off with someone else. 

I’ve even seen people wandering around the car park looking for her, or questioning people giving a brief description of her, like distinguishing marks, moles and tattoos and stuff, know what I mean? 

She is terrible like that. Four different partners during an Eightsome reel, come on its too silly for words. 

I’ll always remember the time she was approached by ‘Spotty’ McGauran who asked her to partner him in the Scottish Waltz and she told him she suffers from the worms ….and it is a communicable disease ….a virus that can be passed on as easily as cholera. I am surprised Miss Frenzi, the Assistant Headmistress does not take her own life because of her, that’s Miss Frenzi not Tamsin. 

She also has her own stupid version of Scottish history too, including the slaughter of us Campbell’s at Bannockburn. She said her grandad told her his father had nothing to do with it. He said he was hoeing or herding sheep at the time and heard about it on the grapevine. She is a quick thinker our Tamsin.

Tamsin’s family settled back in the Scotland at Loch Awe where they bought the old Presbytery. Our families met at a Scottish New Year’ Eve dance at Argyll Castle and became very good friends. I suspect it was the reason I and Tamsin both ended up Denham Hall. 

When we finish college in about one year’s time we will probably enrol at university in Edinburgh. Trouble is Tamsin does not take to directions easily; anyways we have a while to decide on our futures. Miss Sefton the headmistress always encourages the girls to go on to further education. 

I do worry for Zanthe though, I really do. 

Oh yes, before I go, Miss Taylor suggested I should have a book signing in the dining hall. Yes, I might do that and that Gascoigne girl, Phaedra Gascoigne better say something nice, rather than me being full of my own importance, now I am an author. She actually used a slightly different expression. 

I don’t know if I told you this, but it was I that decided on mother’s Christian name (apparently). As a child she was talking of names at the breakfast table. She spoke of her Christian name being Denise. As a 4 year old I told her that Denise was the most totally, stupid name I had ever heard of. Mother said “well Bridgette dear what name do you think I should use?’’ I suggested Delilah. She smiled and replied “alright dear, let’s do that”. 

She must have thought by the end of the meal I would have forgotten about this conversation but not so. As an adult she had forgotten how the mind of a 4 year old works. I was not about to let go. 

Ever since that conversation my mother officially answers to the name of Delilah, a name bought and paid for down at the Inveraray Council Offices. Father had immediately warmed to the name and pointed out to my mother, I suppose to allay her fears that opposed to the name Denise it was at least a classical name and convinced her to adopt it. 

Mother became Delilah Campbell more or less a week later; the change took place on my 5th birthday if I remember. Her parents Mr and Mrs Rachael Davenport of Oban were also surprised, as you can imagine.