Disputed Land (Part 2)
A Willerby Story
Troubled by intrusive thoughts and half-dreams, Dan did not sleep well.
He gave in at first light, left Sally in bed and went to the kitchen to make coffee.
This had once been his regular routine.
Before anyone knew why he was different, Sammy had been a terrible sleeper. He took hours to get down and then woke – often very upset – many times each night.
Those were awful times for Dan – over-tired caffeine-spiked nausea in front of the too-bright chanting YouTube animals that were the only thing that kept Sammy from inconsolable tears, clock watching, dreading the hands rolling over to six when it was time to hand him over to an even more exhausted Sally before showering and performed normality at an inevitably dreadful day at work.
This was not quite so bad – he didn’t have such a sleep-debt built up – but he was worried as he looked from the folding doors that opened out on the garden and the rolling fields beyond it.
It was – he thought – an immovable object, irresistible force problem.
Bal would not give up her claim and was incapable being brought to an understanding of why she should.
The goblins should not be moved – too many of them depended on the land too much.
He saw the outline of disturbing long-term consequences; while he was sure Queen Moggy would do her duty, he could see it could not be done without lingering resentment and inevitable repercussions
He would have and try again with Bal before she went to work.
…
“I just want what’s mine,” she said. “Fairly and legally, not as a favour, not something that means I owe anyone anything. I want it done right - written down in black and white.”
“I know,” Dan said, “but it’s going to upset people.”
Bal looked furious and for a moment Dan thought she was going to close the door on him.
“Ten years,” she said, quietly. “I’ve been here ten years and I’m still not welcome. I know the bin rota and who’s turn it is to do the church flowers. I organise the litter pick every year, do the church fete accounts, but it’s you and Sally, who haven’t been here half that sent to get me back in my lane. You and Sally who get invited to David and Maude’s house to gossip about how I don’t understand the Willerby ways.” She paused. “Well, maybe I don’t and maybe no matter how hard I try I never will, but that won’t stop me having what’s mine.”
“It’s not that,” Dan said. He tried to say more but Bal cut him off.
“I’m having that allotment, Dan,” she said.
And then she did close the door on him.
…
In the late evening after dinner Dan went back to the plot.
He took the long way – up the street past the church and Jack’s Pool, past Sharp’s dairy farm and the turn-off that led to the cutting and the abandoned station. On the walk he wondered how much he was not seeing – all the angles and folds that might be layered into every feature of the landscape around him. He stopped at a suspiciously symmetrical sapling and tried the trick that worked at the allotment but got nowhere.
Perhaps you had to know something was there to see it.
At the allotment he stepped over the gate and looked out over the growth.
Here it was easy. It took him only a moment to find the right angle. The plot tumbled down and outwards, and he was looking over an intensively farmed landscape packed full of the lives it supported.
He wondered how it all worked, knowing he would never really know how it could be so real to him but so completely beyond Bal and the other villagers who saw things the way she did.
She could – it occurred to him – be standing right there and see nothing but an overgrown allotment that an exclusionary in-crowd was keeping her from for reasons they couldn’t even explain.
He stayed there for a while thinking and then, in the early-morning birdsong the beginnings of an idea presented itself. To begin with it was more of vague direction than a map, but as he walked back home to Sally and Sammy it began to take shape.
It would not be easy – he’d have to talk to lots of people and do a lot of planning.
There were many variables and it might fail
But it was something.
…
The following Saturday, Dan went back to Bal’s house, but this time he was not alone.
Behind him came Thomas and Theresa Donaldson, each pushing a wheelbarrow laden with cutting tools – loppers, secateurs, and tough plastic-handled garden scissors. Just behind them came David, Mauve, Sally and Sammy.
Dan knocked on the door. A moment later Bal opened it. She looked at him and then at everyone else.
“What’s this?” She asked.
“We’re here to help with your allotment,” said Dan.
“We got you all registered and official,” called David from behind her. “And since you do so much for the village, we thought the least we could do would be to lend a hand to get you started.”
Bal’s mouth shaped words she did not say.
Then, “Are you serious?”
“Oh yes,” said Mauve. “Like you know your accounts we know a fair bit about growing and tending. Had an allotment of our own when our kids were small. Gardening is a good thing for children to do. These two,” she said, pointing at Thomas and Theresa, “already know a bit about it and have got strong backs so we’ve brought them along too.”
“You said you’d pay us,” said Theresa.
“Shush and hush about that now,” Mauve said. “You’ll get your pocket -money fair and square but that aint Bal’s problem. She does enough and that plot’s an eyesore right now so the first bit – clearing off a corner so she can get started, that’s village business and will come out of village funds.”
“So, Bal,” David said. “What is it you want to grow?”
Bal took a step back, blinking. “Well,” she said, “This is all quite unexpected. I didn’t think this would happen so fast. I’ve got a few books out of Beckworth library but to be honest I don’t know much about this sort of thing at all. Where I grew up.. it was all yards not gardens.”
“Will you take some advice from us then?” Asked Mauve. “You don’t need to – if you want us to mind our business just say.”
Bal looked at them all again and then gave a sort of smile nobody in Willerby had ever seen her give before – it was shy and hopeful and made her look younger. “No,” she said, “I think that would be nice, but only if you have the time and you want to.”
“Us two are retired!” Said David. “We got all the time in the world. And the two kids start school holidays next week and are keen, so I think we got what we need. The trick with allotmenting is to start small – it’s a bit late in the year for lots of things but if we clear a small, good patch – we’ll work out the best place – we can get some spinach, carrots and perhaps even a row of potatoes in the ground. If that works, then maybe you might want to do the same or a bit more the next year. Step by step.”
“For roast potatoes!” Sammy shouted. “For roast potatoes!”
…
They made a fine start – first they showed Bal where the best place would be – near the gate so she wouldn’t have to walk through the long, scratchy growth whenever she popped in to water and weed. She saw the sense in a carful, modest start and the patch they dug over and cleared was just a few square feet.
Chattering and bickering good-naturedly in the light of the climbing sun, it was pleasant work. With lots of hands to help it wasn’t long before what had been bramble and briar was tilled brown earth.
“Well, I think that’s it for now,” said Mauve, straightening up and shaking loose soil from her gloves.
“Really?” Bal asked, sounding disappointed. “We’ve only been here an hour.”
David laughed. “It’s been almost two! For now, there’s nothing more to be done and later just keeping this bit clear will keep us all busy enough. Let’s head back to ours and have a fry-up – we’ve earned it. And don’t worry, Bal, we know you’re one of those veggie people. We’ve got all that stuff too.”
They packed up and left. As they walked the long way down the street Dan realised Sammy was not with either him or Sally. He looked round and saw he was with Bal.
They were holding hands and laughing.
…
“We are impressed and think,” said Queen Moggy, “this plan may work,” learning forward, her elbows resting on the green tablecloth with her hands folded above them.
Mauve nodded with satisfaction. “He’s done well, this boy.”
“It might be only a temporary solution,” said Dan, “shared ownership can be complicated.”
“All solutions are temporary” said David, “But this is one that’ll do fine for now – we have Bal’s ear and she’s settled. Maybe she will want more land later – maybe she’ll lose interest – but whatever happens we’re in a much better place than we were. Don’t do yourself down here, Dan. This is very good work.”
“Yes,” said Queen Moggy. She smiled at him. “I see what your Masters see now. My people already know you as a friend, and this Bal, she will find if we know her plans, her crops will grow strong. She will get help she knows nothing about as well as yours.” She smiled again, pulling herself to her feet and nodding at the guards around her. “Goodbye to you all and farewell. For now. Let us know if there is any news we need to know.”
“Masters?” Dan said to David and Mauve as they walked down the stairs and into the Green Man’s lounge.
“Don’t be silly,” said Mauve. “They just have different words for stuff.”
“Steady on, love,” said David. “If the lad wants to call me master, I’m fine with that.”