Southend U3A

Writing for Fun

February 2020

Suspicious - Bob Wendelkin

He always thought there was something strange about the way Uncle Jim seemed to fit into the family and the way his mum treated him. Ever since he could remember Jim was always in there. He found that Uncle Jim had some very strange interests that said that one day he would share with Andy. As for Andy’s father he was told by the boys at school that his dad had gone off with another woman.

When he was five he started school, he was one of the less fortunate children he was born at the wrong end of the school year being born towards the end of July. As he was turning five others in his class were just turning six. At this young age as a percentage of time being born at either end of the school years is significant in brain development. So at the young age he was usually in the bottom groups in the class for Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. It was only in later school life that he lost the disadvantage of being born at the wrong end of the school year that eventually he passed his 13 Plus and when he went to Grammar School and hence on to Uni.

But at school he was often asked what his dad did for a living. When he replied that he didn’t know the other kids would say his dad must be in prison. Often when he was young he would go home crying to his Mum about what they were saying about his dad. His Mum would put her arms around him and tell him to take no notice of them and that his dad would soon becoming home, he was at the moment earning money to support his family.

Andy gradually grew up and Uncle Jim was still part of the family. Uncle Jim who said he was his father’s brother contribute to the family’s income. Andy was always a little suspicious of his Uncle. Then things started to happen, the telephone would ring and no one was on the other end of the line, then sometimes it would ring only to find that it was a wrong number. There would be knocks on the front door only to find that there would be strange people trying to sell strange products. Often Uncle Jim would answer the door and tell them in quite strong language to go elsewhere.

This unusual activity continued for a number of months so much so that Andy decided he would try to do something about it. On one occasion he was out in the street playing with his friends when a black car pulled up across the road from his house. A man in a black coat got out of the car and went over to his house and knocked on the door. Andy followed the man to his front door. He tried to talk to the man who didn’t answer so Andy just stood behind him until his Mum answered the door.

The man said to his Mum, ‘You say nothing, Understand?’ He then turned and pushed Andy out of his way and returned to the black car.

Andy went to his Mum who was still standing at the door looking quite distressed and put his arms around her to comfort her. The two of them went indoors and Andy helped his Mum into a chair where she sat still looking upset. Andy sat beside her, not understanding what was happening, so he sat there holding her hand. After a while they heard a key going into the front door and Uncle Jim came in and saw the two looking upset.

His Mum explained to Jim that they had callers from the Men in Black. Uncle Jim said he thought it was time that they should explain to Andy what was going on and where Andy’s father was being held. Andy’s Mum wasn’t certain that it was the right time but she went along with what Uncle Jim suggested.

Andy’s Mum started, ‘Your Dad isn’t at sea, he’s being held because of what he had seen and the Government don’t want him to tell anyone.’

‘What does he know that they don’t want him to tell anyone?’ asked Andy as he pulled himself closer to his Mum.

‘Your father was employed by a Government Department that investigated suspicious things and events. On one occasion he actually witnessed an actual event rather than speaking to people who had seen the event. It was your father’s job to investigate the event make an accurate record then poo poo the event to the public,’ said his Mother.

‘Your father was part of the British Blue Book investigation into UFO. He became involved after the UFO incident up in the Norfolk/Suffolk where a UFO was reported to have landed and was photographed by Americans from one of their near by Airbases. Although the UFO was seen by a senior officer the whole incident was later as lights from a near by Light House,’ said Uncle Jim.

‘The Government are gradually circulating stories that your Father is being held in a Mental Hospital where he is being treated for seeing imaginary things so that when he is returned to us no one will believe anything he says about seeing UFOs,’ said his Mum.

‘When is Dad coming home?’ asked Andy.

‘We expect him home anytime now,’ replied his Mum.

Just as she said that there was a knock at the door.

‘I wonder who that can be at this time of the night?’ said Uncle Jim as he got out of his chair to go and answer to door.

When he opened the door there standing was Andy’s father.

‘Come in. Come in. Welcome home,’ said Uncle Jim. ‘It’s your Husband.’

Into the room came Andy’s father. Andy’s Mother jumped out of her chair and grabbed him and gave him a big kiss, his brother shook his hand. Andy put his arms around him.

‘They let you out,’ said Uncle Jim.

‘I had to swear that I would never tell what I had seen and experienced and if I did then I could expect to have a fatal accident as well as some of my family,’ said Andy’s father.

‘Forget all that you are home, and that’s all that is important,’ said Andy’s Mother.

‘I can’t, it’s all still all too real and the things that I have seen and experienced at the government’s hands makes it all too true. I’m going to write it all down and put it somewhere safe that should anything happen to me or any of my family the whole story will be made public,’ said Andy’s father.

‘That’s all very good but how about a nice cup of tea?’ asked Andy’s Mother.

‘What a good idea, UFOs, men in Black Coats, Government threats are all very well but they can’t beat a nice cup of teat and biscuits can they?’