{"id":1954,"date":"2021-02-08T10:17:24","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T10:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carolbarton.uk\/?page_id=1954"},"modified":"2021-02-08T10:17:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-08T10:17:26","slug":"the-visitor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carolbarton.uk\/index.php\/the-visitor\/","title":{"rendered":"The Visitor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This story was written as a task set by a member of my writing group.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Visitor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe old boy across the road has got a visitor. I\u2019ve never seen anyone visit him before. Don\u2019t recognise the guy,\u201d Alison moved away from the front window. Daniel took her place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever seen him before, mind you, we don\u2019t really know many people round here.\u201d It was true. Like most people on the new Shrublands Estate, they had moved in two years ago, but had not met many of their neighbours on Lilac Crescent, or any of the other appropriately named roads. Working all day meant fewer chances to see and speak to other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian, the old boy, smiled at his visitor. He had never met him before but he had stopped for a chat when he saw Brian pottering in his front garden. Brian was so grateful to have another human being to speak to. He had moved here after his big, old rambling house had become too much for him to cope with alone. He had hoped to make new friends but everyone was so busy with their own lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome in and have a cup of tea with me,\u201d he said hopefully to the stranger. He could almost hear his daughter\u2019s voice screaming at him<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDad! What are you doing? You don\u2019t know him from Adam. He could be a serial killer or a fraudster.\u201d Well, she was too far away to see what he got up to and if he wanted to invite a new friend into his house then he could do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It turned out his new mate, Mac, was not a serial killer or a fraudster, just a nice man, who lived \u2018somewhere nearby\u2019 and was happy to let Brian chat and just listen. Mac could see Brian was lonely. There were lots of photos around the cosy room of Brian\u2019s wife (died five years ago) and his daughter and grandchildren (live 300 miles away), but it seemed Brian did not have much company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mac waved goodbye and carried on down Laurel Grove. At number two he saw an old lady sitting in the window and gave her a friendly wave. A man washing his car at number four saw him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you know, Ruth, then?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo not all. Just saw her sitting there and thought she looked like she needed a smile and a friendly face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToo right. She\u2019s very lonely poor soul. Can\u2019t get out like she used to. Her son visits occasionally. I get her shopping for her but don\u2019t have a lot of time to spare with my job. I do what I can.\u201d Mac carried on and turned right down Rowan Avenue. At number 13 he helped a young mum get her pram up the steps to her front door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks, love. It\u2019s a struggle and he\u2019s still only tiny. How I\u2019ll cope when he gets bigger I don\u2019t know. Still, as my dad said, – you\u2019ve made your bed, Mandy, and now you\u2019ve got to lie in it! I knew being a single mum would be hard work.\u201d She shut the door behind her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 At number one Mac met Steve, cleaning his windows. Steve was definitely up for a chat and within a few minutes Mac had his life story. He was divorced and this was his first time living on his own. He had loved his wife but she had cheated on him once too often. He was trying to start his own business as an odd job, gardener, handyman in the local area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell I know there\u2019s a young mum on her own at number 13 who could do with some support and a friendly face. Maybe a ramp up to her front door might help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mac continued past Green Park to Maple Road. Half way up the road he saw a mum struggling with heavy bags of shopping and an inquisitive three year old, who wanted to stop very few steps to investigate something exciting he had seen. As Mac approached the little boy had just picked up a worm from the path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, mummy, look. A baby snake!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLovely,\u201d replied his mum, distractedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me take your shopping for you, so you can properly appreciate this marvellous find!\u201d The lady laughed and thanked him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do try, but you need the patience of a saint to deal with Noah\u2019s constant demands. He asks questions constantly and loves finding mini beasts and flowers to show me. It\u2019s easier when his dad is home but he works on the rigs so he is away three weeks at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know someone who would love to go on a minibeast hunt with Noah,\u201d suggested Mac. \u201cBrian lives at number 6 Lilac Crescent. He\u2019s on his own and has got a lovely, wild garden. He would love the little lad\u2019s company and you could enjoy a sit down on the patio. You would be doing him a favour, he\u2019s been very lonely since his wife died.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you. I might just give him a visit when I\u2019ve put the shopping away. I don\u2019t know many people round here. I\u2019m Millie Cooper. Do you live round here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m Mac,\u201d Mac replied. \u201cI live down that way.\u201d He waved his arm vaguely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maple Road was the last road on this little estate. It led back on to Lilac Crescent. At the junction of the two roads Mac saw an elderly lady sitting outside her front door with a mug of tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI only get the sun out the front in the afternoon,\u201d she told him. \u201cBut I like sitting out here anyway. I can chat to people as they walk by. Not that many do. I\u2019m Bren. Do you live round here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot far, but I have met lots of friendly people on the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLucky you. I\u2019ve been here nearly two years and I only know a few people who stop and pass the time of day with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, if you take a little walk to number two Laurel Grove, there\u2019s a lovely lady called Ruth, who is housebound. I\u2019m sure she would make a good friend for you, and you for her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you dear. She sounds just the ticket.\u201d Mac smiled as he walked along Lilac Crescent, through Ivy Walk and back to the main road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian became very good friends with the Coopers. Noah gave him a new lease of life. It was like having a grandchild living down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruth and Bren became good friends. Bren visited most days for a cup of tea and they were always at the end of the phone for each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve built a super ramp at the front of Mandy\u2019s house which made it easier to get the pram in and out. He ended up visiting regularly, initially to do the little jobs she kept finding for him, but eventually just because they enjoyed each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Visitor was never seen on the estate again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Visitor \u201cThe old boy across the road has got a visitor. I\u2019ve never seen anyone visit him before. Don\u2019t recognise the guy,\u201d Alison moved away from the front window. Daniel took her place. \u201cNever seen him before, mind you, we don\u2019t really know many people round here.\u201d It was true. Like most people on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1954","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t