The woman who was jealous of herself 11

Saturday evening.  James phones Henry

James:    Henry!  I did it!  It is done!

Henry:    That’s something then. So, how did it go?

James:    A Ferrari works wonders. I should have thought of it before!

               Henry:    So you went for the Ferrari!  How much did that set you back?

James:    Getting on for a month’s salary!  Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained! But it went well, Henry.  It went really well.

Henry:    And?

James;    Well, there is just one small thing.

Henry:    How small?

James:    I was Alex not James.

Henry:    So you have got nowhere, James.  Don’t you realise? If she thought you were Alex, you are no further forward!

James:    But I couldn’t face her as myself.  As Alex, inspiration was strong within me!  I knew I could do it. Life is so easy when we are acting a role.

Henry:    We are always acting a role.  All day through! Right now my role is advisor to a friend who is going round in circles!

James:    I mean consciously acting, having a face you can hide behind! The doctor, the lawyer the policeman, they are all acting a role. They don’t have to think. Their script is given to them by the job. The doctor speaks, the lawyer speaks, the policeman speaks, and it is all scripted! See them in a bath towel with their hair all over the place wandering round the bedroom looking for their slippers and they are no one!

Henry:    But what happened?

James:    The heavens conspired with me. It was pouring with rain.  I saw her coming out of the uni building.  She was loaded down with books and had no umbrella.  I stopped the car!  Not any car, remember, but a gleaming red Ferrari!   I offered her a lift.  She said no. I insisted! Yes, I insisted, Henry. I actually told Magdalena what to do!  James would never have done that!  And she got in the car! She got in the car, Henry!

Henry:    Well, she got in the car!  OK!  And what then?

James:    We cruised down the motorway to Clevedon, and walked to the end of the pier and then we had sandwiches on a bench and looked out over the sea.

Henry:    You had what?  I said you should treat her to a meal in the best restaurant in Bristol.

James:    She insisted on sandwiches.  Egg mayonnaise. Very good! We sat on a wooden bench and looked at the waves! A little rain in the air but not too much, a little breeze from the channel, the seagulls in the sky, the spray in the wind.   Marvellous!

Henry:    And then?

James:    Then in the sleepy luxury of the Ferrari we drove back up the motorway to Bristol once more.  I took her home, and her father came out.

Henry:    Her father!

James:    Yes, but I don’t think he saw me.  No problem there! So there we are.  Actually I’m seeing Magdalena again tomorrow.

Henry:    When you say ‘I’, you mean you?

James:    Of course, ‘me’.

Henry:    You mean James, not Alex?

James:    Yes, me, James. She phoned me, James, and said it was urgent.  Anyway, I’ll keep you up to date.

Henry:    Goodbye. James.  Remember that Alex will land you in a lot of trouble.  Get rid of him! Bye!