Ensnarement

"On the way home, Jean's friends were asking why hadn't she accepted a date with you? Jean told them that she was intending to marry you. If she had gone out with you, it would only last a couple of months. Once you had found you couldn't get her knickers off, you would be gone.

Then Jean said to them, "Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey. I've told you all before, I'm going to marry that guy!"

"After that she was everywhere you were, and you would drive past the house several times a day. Jean would sit in her bedroom looking out the window. She had a little chart; she would watch for when you drove past and mark down the time. As I remember once on your way to work, then again on your way back home again. You would go past again at around seven-thirty most evenings on your way into town."

"So if some poor slob wanted to take Jean out, he had to pick her up a twenty past seven exactly, and woe be tide the beau who was late. More than one was told to sling his hook for not being on time. When they did arrive on time, Jean would keep them waiting whilst she watched for you from her bedroom window. She had the timing perfect; when she saw you drive around the bend, she was downstairs and out of the door like a bloody shot. Jean would be getting into her date's car, just as you drove past. Jean would insist that her dates took her to places that she knew you frequented and her diaries were more about you than the fellas she went out with. They were often lucky if they got a mention."

"Are you telling me you used to read Jean's diary?"

"Of course I did. My job was to find out what pubs you went to. Jean always gets what Jean wants. I was part of her ensnarement plan for you. Jean was in love with you, and I love my sister. She needed my help to get you and told me everything. She had everything planned, except when that guy attacked her.

"She cried for a week after that because she thought you were going to get into trouble for beating him up. Then you weren't around anymore she really panicked. She called your home, but you were never there. She left messages for you to call her back, but you didn't. Poor Jean was going frantic. She thought you had had enough of her, and she'd played her fish too long."

"Then by chance I saw you in town one night, the girl that was with your friend worked at the same place as me so I persuaded her to set up that blind date. I dropped Jean off and was in the other bar in case it all went pear shaped on her. As she went in, she told me that by the end of the evening you two would be engaged, or she would end up an old maid. Well, she's not an old maid, is she? And I'll tell you, if Jean says your having four kids, then four bloody kids you are going to have."

"Well, John, that's an interesting tale, but I didn't get off the boat yesterday. Just let me fill you in on a few things."

++++++++++++++

Well, all that happened over eighteen years ago. Bringing up two sets of twins has been hard work. I think twins must run in Jean's family, but both Jean and I have enjoyed the experience.

We're with the whole family at the local bowl tonight. I have just been explaining to one of my boys, that if he really wants to marry the pretty blond who keeps flashing her eyes at him from the next lane, he would do best if he pretended she doesn't exist. If he plays it just right, he'll get her in the long run.

Jean seems to be staring at me, with her mouth open, and John and his wife are sitting there with silly grins on they're faces.

It could be, the penny has just dropped in Jean's mind, and it looks like I'm going to be in trouble when we get home tonight!

Life goes on.