Faye Visits

You’ve just finished dinner and are loading the dishwasher when the doorbell rings. Answering you find Faye from next door.

“Faye, how are you? How may I help you?”

“I was wondering how you are settling down, and I want to talk to you about Agatha.”

“Agatha, ok? Why don’t you come in. Do you want a drink?” Faye steps in and nods at the suggestion. “Tea? Coffee? Beer?”

Faye takes a beer, and you settle down in the conservatory. After a few sips and few more pleasantries, Faye begins.

“I saw you talking to Agatha earlier and I don’t know how much you know about her.” You admit not much. “It’s her situation. Look, I introduced her to your mother over two years ago. I’d used her, I found her useful, and your mother was really struggling with the garden back then. We’ve become friends. I don’t have many friends in town, but I view Agatha as one of them. She’s probably not mentioned it, but she’s struggling.”

“Yes, Agatha did tell me.”

“Oh, she did. But I bet she’s underplayed it. You don’t understand how bad it is. Your mother was her best client. If she loses your contract, I don’t know what’ll happen to her.”

“I’m sorry, but I must think about my finances. There’s no point me supporting her, if I can’t support myself. I’m not a charity.”

“St Perpetua’s must pay well. Their school fees are astronomical. I know, I’ve seen how much my brother pays for Brianna’s place.”

“That might be so. And I think the salary’s good, but I’m used to university wages, which are only just better than being a student. The salary currently doesn’t mean much to me. Not until I’ve seen how much I get after the government’s had its share. I don’t want to make the decision until then.”

“I understand. I just want you to know her situation. She’s young and naïve. She went in thinking she could make a living, and to start with, she was. But the economic situation has declined, and the only people hiring gardeners now are those at the top, and they’re all into this permit scheme. I told her she should try for a permit. She’s more than good enough for that, but it’s the bureaucracy. I’ve offered to help, but… I don’t really have the time, and her and bureaucracy don’t really mix.”

“You telling me nobody’s employing independent gardeners?”

She waves her hand to indicate that is so. You raise an eyebrow.

“This whole town’s weird. You might not realise it, having been brought up here, but it is. The same families have run it for generations. The council is the same people as when you were a kid. The shops haven’t changed since the sixties. Everything is run by the same people. You know the local council is the only council that has historically been run by independents. All independents. For decades. Even the local MP is independent. The national parties have virtually no footprint here.”

“I’m not into politics.”

“I understand. Just realise it’s strange. No, it’s a cartel. A cartel that descends even to the gardeners. Certain families are the gardeners, and those in control use them. Agatha is looking to break in, but because she’s not designated a gardener, it’s hard.”

“You’re going a bit far now. Take me. If everyone has a designated place, I’m not a teacher. So why am I teaching at St Perpetua’s?”

“Because you left. Because, I don’t know. But, in the 3 years, I’ve been here, I’ve noticed, everybody here, you’re either like me or you, an outsider, who has little to do with the town, or you’re an insider, in which case you’re given a role, and you stick to it. I’ve looked up St Perpetua’s. The teachers can come from outside, but the heads of department, the board of directors, all the people in control, they’re all associated with the families that run the town. Both the headmistress, Dr Stricture, and the head of history, Mrs Oversight, they’re connected to the council. Mrs Oversight’s husband is on it and has been for decades.”

“But I’m getting off point. I came over to give a plea for Agatha. If you can afford to keep employing her, please do so. She won’t beg, but trust me, she needs it. Your mother’s money is the only thing keeping her off the streets. And your mother knew that. That’s why she paid for six months in advance.”

Her green eyes bore into you with passion. You feel uncomfortable under such pressure.

“I’ll see what I can do,” you ay, just to lessen the pressure.

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m seeing whether I can use her more. If you can do that as well, hopefully she can survive.”

After that you to discuss how you’re settling. Faye is interested in your first week. She adds an intriguing insight. “Brianna says you’re the talk of the students. All those not doing history are jealous of those like Brianna who do. I think I might be a bit jealous of her as well.”

Faye laughs, and you can’t help but notice how her large breasts jiggle when she does so.