Writing for Fun
March 2015
The Reunion - Joan Bond
That is just what Joanna was thinking. It was time for a catch up.
It would be a bit tricky as Ada was still inside. She had only run off with the Bingo money but as she had quite a record behind her they said she had to learn to behave. Fat chance but she was quite enjoying her stay; no meals to cook, no rent and she had made many friends by writing letters for, and reading on arrival, mail for the women who had not the educational attributes that she possessed. She also had a nice little poker set who played every evening, not for much but she had great satisfaction at sometimes beating the evening warders that joined in.
Flavy. I found out from her daughter had gone off to Argentina with a very rich man to his place in Buenos Aires. The daughter thought by having conversations with her mum lately that she was tiring a bit at having plenty of money to spend, found it dull and would be up for another scrap anytime just for the excitement.
Joanna had many friends but they all were serious members of the U3A and completely straight, except for one maybe who liked to do something a bit daring. She took on the chair of the group and one couldn't be more daring than that. I don't think however she would do anything unlawful.
You see one needs to have a challenge. She joined a racing club at Brands Hatch, getting experience of driving racing cars, but they got a bit stroppy when she drove one home one day and had forgotten there was a speed limit on the M25. She told the speed cop her name was Bond, J. Bond and was on a mission but they are not so gullible now and I must admit her lithe body and long blonde curls have diminished slightly.
Alice very sadly has passed away, she found that cliff diving at Acapulco wasn't really her thing, but again better gone having fun than bored to death.
So the meeting. Seems Ada was in quite well with the governor at the prison, wrote his letters sometimes, and she persuaded him to let us have a tea party in the prison gardens. Flavy didn't need much encouragement to accept the invitation and we planned the event for the Master break, which was a very appropriate word really.
As Ada was so popular, everyone in the jail joined in preparing little fancy sandwiches and cakes, only apple tarts, though no one could apparently buy mincemeat locally, but it looked very nice with a table white cloth and even serviettes. The other prisoners were looking on and happy for Ada and her day with friends but were the more delighted when the helicopter flew down, and in no time at all the ladies were all swooped up, tablecloth and all and whisked away off. Seems Flavs husband had turned up trumps and they finished the meeting toasting each other on the plane to South America.
The sequel to this story was that the girls found Argentina, with its carnival spirit bright happy clothes and dancing in the street, was captivating.
They decided to join a club Romeo; persuaded Ada to learn the tango with him for the competition. I have to say she still had a good pair of legs and could wrap them round any handsome young guy. Joanna bought herself a frilly dress, bought up all the fruit she could find and went as Carmen Miranda. I won't explain her to you younger folk, but she had a hat so decorated with oranges bananas and much tropical fruit, and swayed around in Samba fashion to make your head spin. She also knocked a few people out in the process - flying bananas were pretty lethal. Flavie was of course used to all the merriment and believe it or not, or maybe because they charmed their way, being elderly they bloomin' won across the board. They decided that the reunion had been the making of them and it didn't matter that they wouldn't return to grey old England - it would just have to manage without them!