Tuesday Tale -Kitchen Sink Drama

‘Phillip, come in here quick, your mother’s on the television.’

‘A police spokesman said if it were not for the quick thinking of grandmother Abigail Morgan the incident could have become a tragedy.’

‘I just happened to glance out of my kitchen window last night before I went to watch the news and I noticed an altercation across the road. When I saw a man take a pair of ballet shoes and then a huge hammer from the boot of his car, I knew I must call the police.’

‘Were you worried they would arrive too late?’

‘I wasn’t sure if they would arrive at all, so I rushed outside.’

‘I don’t believe it, I knew we shouldn’t have let Mother live there.’

‘Phillip, it wasn’t up to you, she’s quite capable of making her own decisions, though she must be regretting her choice now.’

‘She had better stay with us until we can get that place sold. I’ll ring Oakdene and see if that flat is still available.’

‘I’m sure she won’t want to stay with us… oh shoosh , they’re talking to some of her weird neighbours.’

‘There’s always trouble around here since they opened that half way house.’

‘We’ve never had anything like this before, it’s a lovely quiet road, lots of families.’

‘There is a lot of confusion as to what actually happened here last night and why the arrested man was bizarrely waving a pair of ballet shoes in one hand and a sledge hammer in the other. Neighbours have spoken of seeing the white car parked regularly in this road, but nobody could name him. Police reassured locals that this was an isolated incident with no danger to the public. A local dog walker did not see what happened, but knows the Supergran well.’

‘I always walk this way to the park and have a chat with Abigail. I can’t believe she tackled a mad axeman alone.’

‘Ah, a police inspector is about to address the crowd of concerned neighbours.’

‘Police response was prompt last night and officers bravely disarmed a man in his early forties.’

‘They only caught him because that old lady had already squirted pepper spray in his eyes.’

‘Yeah and it’s the first time in twenty years I’ve seen police down this road.’

 ‘The arrested man is in hospital under police guard with eye injuries believed to be caused by a domestic cleaning product. He is not known to police and does not appear to have any mental health issues. I would ask that members of the public do not speculate on social media about what happened.’

Abigail made yet another cup of tea. After a second formal police interview she was looking forward to a more relaxed chat with a young woman reporter and a cameraman. She had tried to keep her answers to the police confined to the stark facts, but would have loved to be outside with the other neighbours speculating further. Abigail had been awake most of the night, sitting up in bed with her iPad and phone, following and contributing to the local Facebook page and WhatsApp group.

‘I believe you refused medical treatment last night Mrs Morgan?’

‘Of course, nothing wrong with me. Though I feel I’m under arrest, a police woman stayed here all night, don’t know what they thought was going to happen.’

‘You don’t have any family nearby?’

‘Oh yes, my son and daughter-in-law on the other side of town. I moved here to be nearer them.’

‘They must have been concerned about what happened.’

‘I didn’t bother to tell them and everyone here has been very nice.’

‘Would it be too upsetting for you to tell us what happened?’

‘No not at all. I don’t know the couple across the road or the man with the white car. I do know most of the neighbours well. I can’t imagine why he threw a pair of ballet shoes at her, but then it got scary when he approached the husband with that huge hammer.’

‘Then what happened?’

‘I just grabbed a bottle from under the sink, not sure what it was, forensics have taken it away. I saw that on a TV drama once.’

Abigail watched with satisfaction as the camera kept rolling.

‘I must apologise for the awful wallpaper, I haven’t been here long, I want to redecorate this room. I always notice the wallpaper when they interview people in their homes…’

She heard a familiar voice at the front door and hoped the police officer on guard would keep everyone out till her interview was finished.

‘…I’m Phillip Morgan her son, why wasn’t I informed, I found out from the television.’

‘Sorry sir, I believe Mrs Morgan said there were no relatives she needed to contact.’

Phillip walked into the tiny lounge as soon as the cameraman walked out and gave him the all clear.

 ‘Don’t think you’ll get a word in edgeways.’

‘Oh Phillip, there was no need to come over. This is Felicity Wordsmith, have you seen her on the local news? We’re just having a debriefing, off the record. I’m giving her a few tips so she can do one of those investigative reports. One of the neighbours said on Facebook last night that the wife used to be a ballet dancer, so looks like the boyfriend also was a dancer, a famous couple perhaps until she went off to dance with someone else. You and Sandra go to the ballet, do you think you might have seen them?’

‘Mother, the police have told neighbours not to spec…’

‘Felicity thinks White Car Man is the real husband and came to claim her back from the chap she ran away with.’

‘No, no I was just posing that as a possibility to show we have no grounds to make any suppositions…’

‘All the more reason for us to seek out the truth.’