Simply Splendid !

A retired Wax Jacketed ...Green Wellie wearer does a bit o Carpe Diem ! :). Huggy Marko xoxo

Simply Splendid

Every morning for years he’d do his morning walk.

‘’Wakey wakey hand off snaky!’’ he’d smirk thinking of his old national service days .

Or, hand off the c***s into the socks!! was another ...’’Corporal Marsh what ever happened to that chap ?...hmmm... Carpe Diem! where’s my wax jacket ? ..’’.

The scenery changed little over the years ,a few dog companions had though.

He’d  never married ‘’too busy for that sort of thing y’know...the wheels of industry n’all ...you know’’

At 6:30 am sharp he’d leave the house ...his house of over 50 years.

‘’C’mon Ruby ! good gal ...what a beautiful dog...finest Collie y’know... Simply Splendid’’ ....

Rising sun peaked over the moor ...as his green wellies ploughed the dew ...’’what a sight eh? Oh the fresh country air .... and god’s light ...gosh...oh my...Simply Splendid ..y’know.’’.

In the distance a ribbon of rippled silver ...’’ah the Sea!... next stop Calais  et La Belle Beaujolais ...’’

Guffaw guffaw ..’’.Simply Splendid !...c’mon Ruby Gal !...now leave that poor Mr hedgehog alone eh? ...my.. look at his prickles  and cute nose ....Simply Splendid.’’...

He stopped and opened the top button of his Ralph Lauren chequered shirt ...’’my goodness feeling a tad bit off ....hmm mustn’t grumble ...c’mon Ruby let’s go down our secret leafy lane and see how the old Norman Castle is doing ! ..eh? ..so lucky to live here ...Simply Splendid.’’

For no apparent reason he thrust out both arms and twirled around a la opening scene Sound of Music...’’.I am so lucky ...I love my life here ...I am consumed by nature everything knits together ..just so... don’t you think Ruby ol Gal ? what ?....It’s Simply Splendid !!! ..’’.

 

Still marvelling at the turning blue sky.... the sharp pain struck through his arm ....it seared him like a lightning bolt ..in a micro second he knew what it was ....his chest contracted in darting jabs....he staggered towards a copse tripping in a 4 foot concealed ditch ...collapsing... his face bashed off a mossed jagged rock .One final twisted spasm saw him bloodied face up ..his eyes staring vacant glaze ....his being ....dead.

 

When the ravens scavenged his eyes out ....Ruby tugged at her masters shirt as did the foxes and badgers at his clothing and underwear scurrying it to dens located off secret leafy lanes.. and undergrowth nests...when worms and rodents ate his skin and undigested stomach contents ...and the magpies stole his watch and the sun bleached his bones and snow covered him and a flash flood washed away his skull  ......’’everything knits together just so’’.....nature...Consumed her Consumer...imbibing him  to her perpetual lush bountiful bosom......as is her  way.... it was.....

Simply Splendid ......

Mark Manning

2011