Writing for Fun
October 2015
Secret Garden - Jenni Bowers
Jenna couldn't wait, dreary old office routine would be shaken off in a few hours and the anticipation was keeping the boredom at bay as she filed yet more policies in the claustrophobic filing room at Benton and Benton Insurance Brokers. Working 9 to 5 and bringing home a decent salary kept her parents happy, that's what they'd groomed their daughter for – none of that ballet and tap for their daughter, she'd been brought up straight-laced, learning how to be a nice subservient young woman. Leaving school and attaining the kind of job where she would hopefully meet a suitable young man or have a pension to look forward to, congratulating themselves on a producing such a sensible young woman.
However at eighteen Jenna had no social life and no friends as the girls at school had shunned the 'little swat' and the boys just laughed at her in her socks and lace up shoes as they flirted with the classmates who rolled up their skirts, wore stockings and flirted right back. Her two older brothers were currently off exploring the world on a gap year from their University; Jenna was lonely as well as bored.
She spent lunch hours wandering around the area in which the office was located – finding some interesting sculptures, dress shops she would never dream of entering with gorgeous clothes too expensive to even try on and little cafe's where sometimes she'd purchase a cup of coffee as a treat.
One day she wandered down a deserted boulevard and came across a big black door with a sign above the lintel she could barely see – Secret Garden – well, that's odd, she thought, there can't be a garden in there, surely it looks like a high rise block of flats. Then she noticed the board nailed to the wall just past the door – open 9 till late. Intrigued Jenna wandered back to work determined to come back later to investigate.
She told her parents she'd be late next day and after work ate a meal at one of the little cafes then she walked back to the door and knocked. With a huge creak it opened and an elderly man smiled and beckoned her inside, hesitating, she asked, 'Is this for the garden'? He nodded and gestured to her to proceed up the wide staircase in front of her, she could hear music, rock 'n roll playing, so, uncertainly, she walked towards the sound.
Cautiously following the corridor, which was adorned with beautiful palm trees in huge tubs with begonias and orchids planted around their bases, lilies and roses giving out scent so wonderful and also a fountain in the centre of an atrium, water tinkling as it cascaded over pebbles in a pool around it, splashing over water lilies and marsh marigolds!
The rock 'n roll beat vibrated the floor and soon it was so loud Jenna grimaced then she stopped by an open door and peering into the darkness could see people swaying in time to the music – dressed in strange clothes.
'Come in, come in,' called a very attractive girl, wearing a red, very tight, top and gathered yellow skirt with a froth of net underneath and little red slippers on her feet. 'Do you dance'? she enquired of the young woman now almost at her reception desk. Shaking her head Jenna could only stare at the girl in speechless wonder.
'Ere Bill, this lady needs lessons,' she called.
Bill materialised out of the shadows and took Jenna's hand, 'I think you're a dancer love, soon have you bopping away, toots.'
To Jenna's amazement he began to push her to and fro, swinging her arms in time to the beat of the bluesy number now playing, at first her feet just tripped and stuck to the floor and several times she trod on Bill's blue suede shoes, but clinging to his hands she found he was an expert at the jive and soon got the hang of the routine following as he pushed, pulled and guided her around in faster and faster circles – she was laughing so much – never had she had so much fun, but completely out of breath she collapsed on a chair.
Bill disappeared and returned with a large glass of lemonade. 'You can have something stronger if you like. ducks, but for now just get some liquid down you, jiving is great but exhausting at first. Did you enjoy that?'
'Oh yes, I've never danced in my life before,' she replied.
'Well, join our club and put some fun and exercise into your little life then darling; we only charge £1 a session and you can come to our parties too' He then pointed out other members dressed in their rock 'n roll finery and called some over introducing Jenna to happy smiling people, some older but some teenagers like herself, explaining 'The girls wear cancan petticoats and flared skirts, bobby socks with pumps their hair in pony tails as the chaps wear brothel creepers (suede shoes with thick crepe soles) and maverick ties, do their hair in quiffs, like Elvis – you'll love it.'
Jenna left for home that night vowing to come back at least once a week, a new chapter had begun and suddenly she felt alive. The office routine didn't worry her after that as she'd got fun to look forward to and something even better – Bill's brother Stevie, a local builder, had asked her for a date!