The Lost Hours with Annabelle

"So you like reading?" I asked her.

Annabelle nodded and put down her book. "That's right, I absolutely love reading and writing too, my part time job is in a library in Woodville. That's why I want to go to teacher's training college next year and become an English teacher."

I wasn't much into fiction, mainly reading non-fiction books and being more a maths/science sort of student, given I wanted to study to become a civil engineer after leaving school. But as Annabelle was so pretty, this time I was genuinely curious. "What sort of things do you like to write about?"

"Oh, just short stories really," said Annabelle. "Plus letters to my pen friends."

"Pen friends? How many do you have?"

"Five," said Annabelle. "All girls. One from England, another girl from New York, one from Christchurch in New Zealand and another from Cape Town in South Africa. The other girl Trish is a bit closer to home, Perth in Western Australia."

"It seems a good year for Perth," I said. "Earlier this year they turned on all their lights so John Glenn could see them from space, and later this year it's the Empire Games."

Annabelle nodded. "That's right, Trish lives not too far from where the stadium is so she's looking forward to the games. And she and her family really enjoyed turning on their lights the night John Glenn flew over."

"It must have been amazing," I said. "And it's incredible how fast things have come. A decade ago nobody had ever been in space, now men have travelled up there and there's all those American and Soviet satellites orbiting the Earth. And President Kennedy spoke about putting a man on the moon before the decade is out."

"My grandparents -- Mum's parents -- don't believe it," said Annabelle. "They think space exploration is all a big hoax -- you know filmed in a studio in Hollywood. But they don't even believe in dinosaurs either, so you can't really be surprised."

"It must be so interesting hearing from your pen friends around the world," I said.

"It is," said Annabelle. "My English friend Katie is from Liverpool, and in her last letter she was telling me about how she and her friends saw this new band playing." Annabelle paused, trying to recall their name, but shook her head. "Katie did tell me their name, but I forget it for now, it was four young guys. Katie wrote about three paragraphs about the drummer, a guy named Pete, she seemed to quite like him. She was saying that she thought this band will make it really big soon."

I could have spent all night talking with Annabelle, she was so nice and friendly, but of course we had to go to bed, and we made our way to our respective rooms. Out of habit, I nearly went to my bedroom, before remembering Mr. and Mrs. Smith were in there and heading for the sleep out.

Patsy emerged from her hiding spot, clearly hoping that this mysterious tall girl had departed. But the cat's luck was not in, as she saw Annabelle, now barefoot and wearing a white nightdress heading for Doris's bedroom after brushing her teeth. As before, the cat beat a hasty departure, this time into the sleep out and hiding in a cupboard.

*

Annabelle featured in my dreams during the night, although the dreams were not clear. But they must have been pleasurable as I awoke early in the morning with a considerable problem in the front of my boxer shorts that would prevent me getting out of bed without embarrassment. And not having my own room where I could close the door, I didn't have too many options to relieve my problem. It took thinking about having a tetanus injection after cutting my hand last year and how much it hurt to reduce the swelling in my groin and allow me to get out of bed.

It was Good Friday and a nice sunny day, but of course nothing was open apart from church and it was there that we and the Smith family headed in the morning. Annabelle looked so nice in a pink 'Sunday Best' frock with a white collar, maybe because the dress made her look prim and proper. I stole a quick glance at Annabelle's bottom on the way in there, noticing that the teenager had a visible panty line in her dress. Was she wearing the pink knickers I had seen in her case the previous afternoon? Maybe, but I would never know.

Back at home there was nothing much to do. Mum made some of her delicious hot cross buns to enjoy after lunch and we enjoyed fish and chips from the local shop for tea, always a Good Friday tradition. Having established Doris as a suitable target for his Dad jokes, Mr. Smith was at it again that evening as we discussed the plans for Saturday.

Dad, Mum and Mr. and Mrs. Smith were going to a golf course for the day, where Mr. Smith and Dad were playing golf with some of the other men from the company, while the wives had tea in the club house. We weren't expected to go along thankfully as the golf club would have to have been the squarest place in Victoria, maybe even all of Australia.

Instead, I was going to drive Annabelle, Chris, Doris and Eddie somewhere nice for a picnic, Mum and Dad suggesting somewhere by the Yarra River so I could show Annabelle and Chris the sights of the city on the way there. It sounded pretty good to me, any time spent with the beautiful tall blonde Annabelle was most appealing.

"And on Sunday Doris we've got a major treat for you, your brothers and Chris and Annabelle," said Mr. Smith with a big smile upon his face. "My wife and I, and your parents thought it would be just swell for you kids to have an Easter egg hunt in your front garden. What do you think to that, Miss Doris? Doesn't that sound like just the swellest thing ever?"

Doris's blue eyes and mutinous expression showed a total lack of humor at the audacity of this man and his terrible jokes. How could any adult be so un-cool as to even think up a joke that involved her being in an Easter egg hunt at age 16, and in the front garden where everyone could see her? Again it was hard not to laugh, and again I thought it best that this visit hadn't happened during Doris's ladies days.

Bed time saved Doris from any more of Mr. Smith's jokes, but knowing my sister no doubt he haunted her dreams, such as him coming to her school to make even more jokes in front of her friends. And few things worried Doris more than something affecting her social standing at school.

The cat, still not sure what to make of this mysterious tall girl staying in Doris's bedroom, had decided to sleep on the fold-out bed with me in the sleep out. In case the tall blonde should come in and eat her, Patsy insisted on sleeping closest to the wall, with me in between her and the door way. That way the blonde girl causing the cat so much angst would get me first.

Not known for being generous, the cat stretched her long body out on the bed during the night, a factor leading me to awaken at 4.30 in the morning, everything still dark outside, just the moon and stars shining through a gap in the curtains.

I got out of bed and saw some lights on. Obviously I wasn't the only early riser. To my delight, the other person up and awake so early was Annabelle. She looked so pretty in her white nightdress that displayed much of her long legs, with her feet bare and her long hair loose down her shoulders.

"Morning Annabelle, you're sure up early this morning," I said.

"Morning Jim, yeah I tend to be an early riser," said Annabelle. "Plus I'll let you into a little secret, your sister has a bit of a snoring problem."

I laughed. "I've had a cat hogging the bed all night, but even on normal nights I'm an early riser. You can get lots of things done before school if you're up early."

Annabelle nodded. "I'm the same as you, an early riser. I often study before school, or write letters to my pen friends. You're always running short of time in Year 12, with so much study and working part time. Actually I'm really glad you're up early too this morning. I was hoping you could please get me some paper, I can't seem to find any."

Given Annabelle had said that she would often wake up early to write letters to her interstate and overseas pen-friends, I naturally assumed that's what she wanted to do now. And she was in luck, Mum was an avid letter writer to friends and relatives, so we had plenty of pads of writing paper.

"Sure Annabelle, I'll just get some for you," I said, turning to go the cupboard where Mum kept the stationary. "Would you like some envelopes too?"

Annabelle blushed slightly. "Actually sorry Jim, I should have been clearer. I don't need writing paper, I need some toilet paper. There's none in the bathroom."

I also blushed. "Sorry Annabelle, I'll get you some more toilet paper." I led the teenager to the storage closet where the spare toilet rolls were kept, retrieved one and handed it to Annabelle. "Sorry about any inconvenience."

Annabelle smiled. "Thanks Jim, and there's no need to apologize, you weren't the one who left me with no toilet paper to use." She then paused and said, "Although the toilet seat was left up too, so the culprit must have been male."

I raised my hand in mock surrender and laughed. "Not guilty, Your Honor."

"I'll blame Chris," said Annabelle. "Years of experience sharing a bathroom with that brother of mine makes him the prime suspect in this case."

With that Annabelle turned on her bare feet and walked down the corridor carrying her new roll of toilet tissue, making haste for the toilet. Her tall figure looked so good from behind especially the shape of her bum, and I had to remind myself not to stare.

Annabelle went into the bathroom and turned on the light, and I saw her put down the toilet seat before closing and locking the bathroom door. I felt pretty good about myself helping Annabelle despite the slightly awkward exchange when I misinterpreted what type of paper the young girl needed. I felt like a knight in shining armor to Annabelle's damsel in distress, but of course this was an exaggeration.

While Annabelle was in the toilet I found myself undertaking another of my roles in the Johnson house, that of the cat butler. Patsy emerged from the sleep out, and having decided that as I was up so early I might as well make myself useful and feed her, calling until I gave in and fed her.

After another five minutes or so I heard Annabelle flush the toilet and then her washing her hands, before she emerged and turned off the bathroom light. Annabelle's knickers must have been a bit uncomfortable after she pulled them up after finishing on the loo, and I watched the tall teenager reach under the hem of her nightdress to adjust her underwear. I was rewarded with a glimpse, just for a second or so, of the white cotton fabric of Annabelle's panties, but it was enough to make me hastily depart for the sleep out and sit on the bed, thinking about sad movies so I could stand up again.

*

While I was looking forward to a picnic on a Saturday that dawned bright and sunny, I got the impression from observations the previous day that certain other members of the household were not so keen on the idea. Seeing odd things, like Doris, Eddie and Chris whispering together under the jacaranda tree in the front garden, then Doris taking off across the street to the red public phone box and insert a few pence into the slot to make a call rather than using the kitchen phone made me all the more certain something funny was going on.

I was certain when I was summoned by my brother and sister to a meeting in the park just down the road. "So, what's going on this morning?" I asked.

"Jim, can Chris borrow your bike?" Eddie asked.

"Sure, not a problem," I said, noting that Doris was wearing a blouse and pedal-pusher pants, certainly dressed for cycling. "But would you have time? We're leaving for the picnic soon."

"That's what else we wanted to talk to you about," said Eddie.

Doris was more direct. "We don't want to go on the dumb old picnic and neither does Chris."

One of the main functions of an older brother was to make jokes, so I took a humorous approach to the conversation. "Well why didn't you say so then? You want to go to the golf course with Mum, Dad and Mr. and Mrs. Smith instead? I think that's a swell idea. Eddie, you and Chris can be caddies for Dad, Mr. Smith and the other guys, and Doris you can have tea, sandwiches and cake with the wives and talk about sewing, cooking and the like. Or you can swap, and Doris you can be a caddy for Dad and your new friend Mr. Smith and Eddie you and Chris can have tea with the women in the clubhouse. Remember, things are more equal nowadays."

Doris glared at me as did Eddie, for even having the audacity to joke that they would want to attend a place as square as the golf course.

"Shut up Jim, I wouldn't be seen dead in a place as square in that golf course, and I sure don't want to spend the day with that Mr. Smith," snapped Doris.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to be walking around a dumb old boring golf course," grumbled Eddie. "And if I was in the club house having tea with the women, everyone would think I was a poofter and beat me up in school."

"So you don't want to go to the golf course and the picnic?" I said. "What do you want to do? You don't have work." Doris and Eddie had part time jobs at a textiles store and a car wash respectively and often worked Saturday mornings, but with this being Easter the owners decided it wasn't worth opening for Saturday morning trading and would stay closed the whole weekend.

"That's where you come out, you have to help us get out of the picnic and not have to go to the golf course," insisted Doris.

"Yeah, Jim, you have to help us," Eddie emphasized. "We don't ask you for favors much."

"I really don't think I have to," I said. "And I'm always covering for both of you with Mum and Dad for one thing or another."

"Not all the time," said Doris.

"Yes, all the time Doris," I said. "Like last year, when you and your friends went to that party at that guy's house I gave you an alibi in case Mum and Dad found out what type of party it really was."

*It was just a party," insisted Doris.

"Doris, it was a make-out party," I said. "And I know that you drank beer and played truth or dare, seven minutes of heaven and spin the bottle with quite a lot of boys."

My younger sister opened her mouth to deny it, but I cut her off. "Doris, I know it was a make out party, and I know what you and your friends got up to with the boys there, but thanks to me giving you an alibi, Mum and Dad don't."

Eddie was smirking and I turned to my brother. "I don't know why you're laughing Eddie. I openly lied for you saying you'd gone to a talk at the mechanic's institute after school, when you were really hanging out with that loser Rodney Roberts and his crew and like your twin sister, drinking beer."

My brother's face showed that sulky expression. "He's not a loser. You, Mum and Dad are prejudiced against Rodney."

"With good reason, Rodney Roberts is a rat bag," I said. "And so are his stupid mates."

Eddie was displeased. "Anyway you can rest easy, Rodney's transferred schools so I don't see him anymore."

I laughed. "Talk about lying by omission. Rodney Roberts was expelled from high school and is now in reform school for stealing cars. First a steamroller, then the tractor mowing the oval at school in which he was chasing kids and finally the headmaster's Ford Edsel in which the cops caught him playing silly buggers with the trams on Collins Street. Only a moron like Rodney would do that. His older Bodgie brother and sister who had graffiti written about her in the boys' toilets were just the same. The brother got sent to a cattle station in the Northern Territory because his parents gave up trying to control him, and his sister in my year got packed of to a convent school in Ballarat, and wound up married to a carnival worker and two kids by the time she was 18. Anyway, we're getting off track. What do you need my help with to get out of today?"

"Chris, Eddie and I want to go to my friend Raelene's house and study algebra and trigonometry with our friends," Doris said.

I laughed. "Oh pull the other one Doris, since when do you and your friends want to study maths on a Saturday, especially on such a nice day?"

"Well it's a nice day now, but have you heard the weather forecast for this afternoon?" Eddie asked. "It's turning cloudy by noon, and rain by mid-afternoon so they were saying on the radio."

"Somehow I don't think this has anything to do with the weather or studying maths," I said. "What's really going on with you two today?"

"We can't go on the picnic because it's too embarrassing," asserted Doris.

"What's embarrassing about a picnic?" I was starting to lose patience a little.

"It's embarrassing because Annabelle is there," said Eddie. "People will look at her and see her with us, and they'll think we're weird too."

"Yes, did you see everyone looking at us in church yesterday the moment they caught sight of Annabelle?" Doris asked. "It was so embarrassing, everyone was looking at that freak and at us, everyone from school and around the neighborhood. Henry Chapman and his parents and sister were there, and they were looking at us like we were peculiar." Doris sighed and stepped up the drama. "I have enough embarrassment to deal with every day with people making jokes about my name and that I look like a famous woman who also has that name. Now I have to put up with a man staying with us who makes even more stupid jokes, but even worse his freak of a daughter."

"And think about Chris," said Eddie. "We only have to be seen with Annabelle for a few days, back home in Adelaide Chris has to be seen with Annabelle all the time. Imagine how embarrassing it is for him, having a sister like that?"

"Chris needs a day off from Annabelle, and so do we," affirmed Doris. "If we go out on the picnic today, it will be like we've taken a giraffe with us."

I had indeed noticed that Annabelle's 6 foot 9 figure had attracted the attention of many people in church, and that my shallow sister and brother were embarrassed by the said attention. It made sense that Doris would find it especially embarrassing that Henry Chapman -- a Year 11 boy who was in the same classes as my friend Sandra -- had seen her with Annabelle, as she seemed to have a bit of a thing for the handsome young man. Moreover, around the house I had noticed that the twins seemed to get along well with Chris, laughing and joking and talking about sports, music, movies and TV shows they liked, but were stand-offish with Annabelle.

"You two are awful," I said. "Really, really awful. You claim it's embarrassing to be seen out in public with Annabelle and people looking over and staring. How do you think poor Annabelle feels when people stare at her? She can't help being so tall, any more than she can help having blonde hair, blue eyes or being born a girl. And Annabelle's really nice."

"It's not the only reason," said Doris. "Annabelle's annoying, last night she kept waking me up snoring."

I laughed, recalling that Annabelle had said Doris snored too, which didn't impress my sister.

"Stop laughing Jim, it's not funny," complained Doris. "Even if Annabelle was only five feet tall, we wouldn't want to spend a day with her because she's boring. Chris is cool, we like Chris. But his sister is such a square."

"And you're a square too Jim, so you're good company for each other," Eddie informed me.

"Um Eddie, if you want somebody to do something for you it's probably not a good idea to insult them by calling them a square while you're asking them," I pointed out to my brother.

"So when we tell Mum and Dad that we can't go on the picnic because we have to study maths with our friends at Raelene's house and Chris wants to come and study with us, that's where you step in Jim," said Doris. "You volunteer to take Annabelle on the picnic alone, we get a day with Chris and our friends, and you get a swell day out alone with the girl you like so much without the three of us in the way."