
The
International Writers Magazine:Friction
Memory
Block
Mark Cunliffe
The
raindrops splattered onto the pub window and began to run into
each other, their dribbling pattern blurring the outside world
making it difficult to see. It reminded Guy Block of a hangover
he had in 1969.
That one really hurt.
|
|
Indeed, the rainy
day itself reminded Guy of a day in 1969 also.
Why was the late 60s on his mind?
Because Guy was meeting Marcus Marley.
Thats why.
Guy and Miles had both been at Cambridge together in the fag, or rather
joint end of the 60s, they went back a long way. Way back in the dim
and distant.
Why didnt Miles the bugger stay there?
To say Guy was not looking forward to this meeting would be an understatement.
Indeed, Guy would much rather detract his member from his body with
a rusty bread knife if truth be told.
For Guy hated reunions, especially those with former student friends.
And why?
Because they were always doing better than him.
Thats why.
And Marcus was doing better than most. A don at Cambridge, teaching
in their former college; several books to his credit, his first, "England,
an Island!" Pub. 1976, his most recent "England Is Europe!"
Pub. 2005; an alphabet after his name, and regular appearances on "Newsnight
Review" and other malodorous tosh which saw men, and Germaine Greer,
lounging around the room talking about the zeitgeist.
Zeitgeist?
Shitegiest.
Marcus entered the pub and immediately grabbed Guy in a bear hug.
That one really really hurt.
"Guy how are you?!" he demanded genially
"Mustnt grumble" came Guys response.
Cue annoying bellowing laugh from Mister MM
"Hows Cambridge?" Guy ventured
"Oh you know you know" Marley nodded
Err no, not since 69 anyway.
"Full of spies eh?" Marley snorted
Guy joined in "Which side?"
"Oh both dear fella, both" MM guffawed.
Well you know what they say, most students get summer jobs in the civil
service, the jobcentre and places like that. Oxbridge students do too,
but usually in MI5 or MI6.
Except Guy
Wrong tie
And it usually had gravy down it.
Lunch came and Marley tuckered in, Guy hoped that they were going dutch
at the very least for Marley had certainly gained weight, despite his
assurances that he only eats lettuce this days. The entire lettuce crop
of Southern England Guy would bet. Oh he hoped they would go Dutch.
"I say Guy, youve spilled gravy down your tie"
You see?
Why did that always and almost instantaneously happen?
It went down quicker than Jenna Jamieson goes down when the cameras
start rolling.
"Reminds me of the old days at Cambridge
" Marley began.
Oh well, thought Guy, its better to walk down memory lane than to indulge
in the aimless chat they had been doing;
MM; "What about Easterlins Critique? I found it a bit banal,
did you? Or did you really rather enjoy it?"
Guy; "Oh I found it a bit banal, I cant disagree there, you
found it a bit banal too then?"
MM; "Oh yes immensely banal, very facile and derogative"
Guy; "Facile yes, I found it facile and derogative yes, that too"
MM; "Mmm me too I found it so very facile, so banal. So derogative!"
Anymore of that pseudo speech and Guy would nip off to the kitchen and
ask Chef for his rustiest of bread knives. Except talk of the old days
fared no better, for Marcus was always the rising star even then, it
was his happening baby, Guy remembered. Oh yes Marcus dug it. He would
have hordes of girl followers hanging on his every word and any other
bit of anatomy that his kaftan couldnt cover.
Guy never got so much as a sniff of any of them.
Marcus turned on tuned in and dropped out.
Guy turned on, tuned in and realised hed picked up the shipping
forecast instead.
Guy was only at Marcus parties because Guy had all the Dylan LPs.
He felt sure MM still had his original Blonde On Blonde
Back then Guy always seemed to miss out. Even at school he was rotten.
Never got a girl, never got top marks, never got a girl, never really
got the hang of Latin, never got house captain,
Never got a girl
But nobodys Prefect right?
For Guy sex didnt start between Chatterley and the Beatles LP.
No for Guy it was between Hattersley and Wings.
Still, live and let die eh?
He certainly made up for it.
It was Cambridge that gave Guy his taste for academia. Surrounded by
such knowledge and reverence he felt humble. Learned. Overawed.
And horny.
MM was still going on, "
Those days are gone eh? Were
not like that now, had to grow up, to mature. I mean just because we
are academics doesnt mean we have to live in a bubble does it?"
Whats wrong with living in a bubble? Guy liked living in a bubble,
a comfort zone, even if it was the breezeblock and glass monstrosity
of a bubble named Trenton University.
The only thing he hated was the occasional bumping into people like
Marcus, whod had ambition, whod done so well. Christ, even
his former students were getting better jobs than him. And there was
nothing worse than seeing old flames rise and curl up the social ladder
nicely, getting better homes, lives, jobs, lovers.
Sod them.
Guy liked being the boy in the bubble.
Even if he was an ageing, decrepit, lecturing lothario rather than boy.
Trenton was his bubble, where Guy would happily see out his days. Well
maybe happily is stretching it. He is British after all.
But for Guy this was his life, his academia, and he could pretty much
legitimately say he was a bit of a big fish in a small pond. And Guy
was prepared to tread water here ad infinitum.
Stuff MM, he had been published too, once.
He had another book in him.
With at least another twelve years at least to go on working on it.
Twelves a good number, Guy thought.
Well, it was good enough for Jesus.
Hed been on tele as well
take that MM, Guy thought, though
looking back on that appearance Guy quickly concluded it was not a success.
Wandering off half way through a live broadcast to find the lavatory,
flicking the Vs at Malcolm Muggeridge as he tried to contest a
point and having fellow guest Oliver Reed advise Guy to take it easy
with the booze was not one for the memoirs. Oh, I dont know though?
Finally the meal and the one-way street that was memory lane came to
an end. Guy did pay the full whack, "My turn next time, let's do
it soon, maybe Christmas" MM the overpaid and overfed oaf said
as he took his leave.
Left alone Guy pondered it all, his life wasnt so bad he concluded,
especially when he saw a gorgeous dark and petite girl, the kind that
used to advertise coffee, whom he felt sure was in one of his classes,
step up to the bar.
Was she smiling?
Yes she was.
Guy decided to go over, Trenton was his home and damn it he was still
horny there. He was part of those breezeblocks, part of the timetable
you might say.
9:30 Lecture on Donne,
11:00 Tutorials,
12:30 Lunch,
2:00 Flirting and after that?
Would you believe it, Guy had a free afternoon
© Mark Cunliffe Oct 2006
markbc@hotmail.com
Until next time:
More adventures with Mr Block
here
Block
Head
Writer's Block
Chips
off the Block
Guy has his turn with the twins
More new Fiction in Dreamscapes
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