‘Click'

I dropped another sprocket and stood on the pedals as the road twisted through Quiddelbach on its way up to the Nurburg Grand Prix circuit. Its best part of thirty-five kilometres from home to the top and all of it's up hill so I was starting to feel the strain a little. With my season starting next week this morning is my last real workout before I start the new campaign. Whilst it's not warm it's not freezing either and I've already built up quite a head of steam!

I crested the final brow and took the opportunity to take a pull on my bidon before getting back to the job in hand. There's a correspondingly long descent back home, a good chance to practice my descending and cornering skills.

‘Kerchunk!'

Back into the big ring.

‘Click, click, click.'

Into the thirteen sprocket.

Down past the museum, the long straight alongside the Nurburgring long circuit, I started to wind things up some. A left onto the 412 then a bit of a climb towards Hohe Acht where I swung onto the Kesseling road. On the map it looks pretty straight but it dives about a fair bit, the road surface is pants and in places it drops quite steeply. Great fun!

Part of going fast is reading the road and once or twice I got it a bit wrong but I managed to stay on two wheels – just. Its exhilarating stuff, at one point the comp was hovering on eighty kph and I had to overtake a couple of cars in Herschbach! I swept back onto the 257 at Ahrbruck and settled into a steadier cadence on the flatter valley bottom.

Of course I picked up the speed again on the chute out of Altenahr and covered the last leg back home at around fifty. Two hours, not bad if I say so myself for just shy of eighty kilometres, I reckon I'm ready for next weeks race, hope the others are pinging too.

“Back already, I thought you'd be at least fifteen minutes yet.” Dad mentioned as I wheeled the winter iron back into the garage.

“Well it was a slight tail going out and I got a bit of a tow behind a bus through Adenau.”

“Hmm.”

“I hit eighty coming back!” I crowed.

“You be careful kiddo, you know what happened to Siegfried last year with that car.”

“I know, I was being careful, honest.” Yeah as if!

“Well get yourself showered.” He suggested taking my bike off me, “you seen this tyre?”

“No, why?”

“Geez Drew, its got a right twist in it, you must've felt that.”

“It was a bit lumpy I guess.” I allowed.

“A bit? You're lucky it didn't blow, that's coming straight off.”

“Yes Dad.”

He shook his head, “kids!”

For a change I was back early enough for a more leisurely breakfast so I chucked a couple of slices in the toaster and joined Bern at the table where the teapot was beckoning.

“Good ride?” she asked looking up from her magazine.

“Okay I guess.”

I poured myself a cuppa and took a long draught.

“Ah nectar!”

“You're weird.”

“For drinking tea?”

“You do make a bit of a performance of it.”

I shrugged.

“Whatever.”

“So you've got to wear your new uniform today?”

“I suppose so.”

“I bet you'll look cute.”

“Give over Bern, I am not cute!”

“Are so.”

I didn't feel like arguing.

“So what are you doing today?”

“Well there's this cute new waitress I wanna see.”

“Give it a break!”

“Sorry, couldn't resist. Well I've got to catch up a bit with my German, Jules was on about going to see one of her mates this afternoon.”

My toast popped up so I went to retrieve it.

“You want some?”

“No ta, I had cereal while you were out.”

I made short work of my toast, one slice with cherry jam the other with Marmite ®. I slurped the rest of my tea down and cleared my crocks.

“Best get ready I suppose.”

“Don't forget your tights!”

I had forgotten, I guess it'll go easier if I put them on here then I can put the flippin' uniform on quicker.

“Whatever.” I sighed.

“I'm off.” I mentioned to anyone who was listening.

“See you later kiddo.”

“Laters!” Bern added.

“Yeah.” I agreed.

I had intended wearing my usual trainers to work but I doubt that would go down very well. I was already wearing my 40 den hose so I decided to ‘borrow' Jules Skechers, they're pretty comfortable and I guess they look all right with a skirt. I found them in the kitchen cupboard and slipped them on. I guess they sort of go with jeans too, I mean they don't look über gross or anything. That settled I set off to clomp around to the Bäckerei Thesing on the Schauff for another day of fun, buns and coffee!

“There you are, you remember your Strumpfhose?” Con enquired.

“Yup.” I pulled at my jeans leg to show her.

“Gut, it's in my room, on the bed.”

I didn't need to ask what, there could only be one thing. With a sigh I went upstairs into the Thesing's apartment to get changed. It didn't take long, jeans off, skirt on, t shirt off, blouse on add the new apron and tie my hair up. I looked in Cons mirror, so okay there was a Fox looking back, I guess I look okay.

“Ah Gaby, you look very good, the new uniform suits you.”

“Er thanks Herr Thesing.”

“Much better than those shirts I have to say.”

“Gab's are you coming?” Connie called up the stairs.

“I'd er best go down.” I suggested.

“I suppose so, see you at dinner then, Abend.”

“Tschuss.” I made good my escape and quickly joined Con in the shop.

“Well don't we look the cutie?”

“I am not cute!” I stated through gritted teeth.

“Hold your hat!”

“Well it's getting a bit old, Bern kept on last night and this morning.”

“It was meant as a compliment.” Con pointed out.

“Whatever.”

Well the day went pretty much as normal, except of course I was sort of conscious of my skirt, its not that its uncomfortable but the material is a bit stiff and reminded me of its presence at every step. The shoe worked out well, if this is gonna continue I suppose I'll have to get myself something similar.

We were a bit busier than usual but nowhere near as bad as I feared and the extras were mostly made up of a coach load of ‘older' walkers who swamped us for thirty minutes just after one.

“Phew! I'm glad that's over.”

“Yeah.” I agreed.

I locked the front doors and took off my apron before following Con upstairs.

Frau Thesing already had our dinner on the table so after swapping shoes for slippers we sat down to eat. It felt good to be free of the clumpy shoes, however comfortable and I found myself rubbing my stockinged feet together to ease the tension. It was Schweinebraten with mixed veg and mash, nothing too out of the ordinary but pretty tasty nevertheless.

It was the first of a two-part Tatort; the bad guys have kidnapped this heiress and are holed up in like this old Schloss in the forest outside Berlin. I hate these multipart ones; you just get into it when it ends! And worse, I might miss next weeks due to the race, that's right; I'm not working next Sunday.

“You changing to go home?” Con asked.

Am I? Not much point I guess.

“Nah I'll not bother, it's not like its cold, well not freezing.”

I collected my stuff from her room and was soon on my way home. I'd forgotten what it was like to ride in a skirt – draughty to say the least! Its not a long ride as you know but everything below the waist was frozzed by the time I got home.

“Nice outfit.”

“Mum!”

I rushed to give her a hug.

“And how's my favourite waitress?”

“Mu-uum!”

“Just kidding but that uniform does suit you.”

“When did you get back?” I tried to change the subject.

“George dropped me off about fifteen minutes ago.”

“It's good to have you home.”

“It's good to be here kiddo.” She pulled me more tightly into a hug.

“So don't make any plans okay?”

“Yes Mum.”

“No Mum.” Jules added with a sigh.

Looks like Mum has something she wants to talk to us about, last time it was about our move here and before that, well before that it was Mum's cancer. What does she want to talk about this time, I hope its not the big C again, geez that would be terrible, no it can't be.

I headed up to bed wondering what on earth tomorrow's family get together is all about. I realised I hadn't looked at my email for a couple of days so after putting my pj's on I booted up the computer and opened Yaboo. I wasn't sure what I was expecting to find in the inbox but it was disappointing anyway. The only mail from back home was from Helen; it's been noticeably quiet from the others the last few weeks. Ally especially used to mail me at least three times a week but she hasn't written at all this week.

I opened Hel's mail,

‘Dear Drew,

Hope things are going well, pass my best to Bern. It's been all go here, Woody told us about your Mum's race in Mexico, you'd think it was like the Olympics or something the way he went on.

I got a surprise this week too, I got made patrol leader at Guides! So okay it's not exactly that interesting but Mum said she'll buy me a new bike to celebrate. Oh yeah you don't know about that do you? My old Gazelle finally gave up working a couple of weeks ago, the guy in the shop said it's not worth repairing.

Anyway what was I saying…'

Maddy Bell 12.02.09 © 2009

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