The
History of the ISMS
goto
chapter: 1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 14
15 16
17 18
19 20
21 22 23
24 25
26 27 Epilogue
Chapter
21 - Dr Striphard
It seemed that once again I was caught between the Devil and a hard place. However, it was always said that I had more luck than Hartleys and perhaps this was just a blimp on the landscape. Then all at once - and this only happens once in a blue flood - I had brainwave.
"I've got it!" I shouted
"Well don't give it to me!" said Mary
"No, no, no. I know who to speak to to help us finalise the celebration plans. My old friend and mentor Dr Miriam Striphard. She'll help and she's bright, she was Oxfordly educated you know. She works at the University Hospital where recently a surgeon was suspended over a bowl of soup."
"What, you mean that old spinster you used to study under?" said Billy
"She can't be a spinster" said Mary, "she's never been married!"
"Never mind that" I said "Miriam will be happy to work with us on this. I've just read in the Times that she's fallen out with her boss. He was a male shoulder-less pig and she's not well endowed with him at the minute. I'll give her carsh blank to do what she wants to get this celebration up and running."
"You want to be careful. You're treading on thin air with her." said Mary "She sometimes tells a bag of lies, and half of them aren't true."
"My sediments exactly." added Billy
"Well that may impede on things a bit, but I'm still going to meet her." I said
I found Doctor Miriam's number in an old ISMS diary. (That reminds me of the time when we in the office were discussing the Asian dowry system and Tim said "What! They have to keep a diary?" Idiot!) I rang Miriam and explained how I needed her help. She was surprised I was able to track her down after all this time but as I explained, you can hide but you can't run.
Miriam was keen to be involved - like a red bull at a gate. We agreed to meet over breakfast the following morning, in a local hotel. Back in the office we cracked open another bottle and began celebrating again.
The following morning I arrived early at the hotel. I was slightly hung-over - I should have absconded from drinking the night before. I took a window seat in the restaurant and was just in time to see the rising sun setting over the horizon. Watching a local biker pass by the window I couldn't help thinking that he'd probably been boozing the previous night as he was all over the road without a paddle. I've never fancied a motorbike, but I wouldn't mind a side car.
I was seated near to the kitchen but - and I'd forgotten it was Sunday because I'm not a protestant, I'm Church of England - the sound of local church bells masqueraded the noise from the kitchen. There seemed to be a distinct lackage of staff in the hotel but eventually a waiter came to the table just as Miriam came through the restaurant door. I ordered two fully cooked continental breakfasts.
©
The History of the ISMS is copyright to S L Rottenpig-Rules and LFG
publications in association with the ISMS and JRP
