#like do i feel safe? no. but id rather risk it and keep their financial support and the car for as long as possible

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argentdandelion · 5 years ago

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Things Anti-Monster Politicians Could Do (Mild)

(Mild) → (Moderate) → (Severe)→ (Extremely Angsty)

Note: This series assumes Mt. Ebott is in the U.S., based on Vegetoid’s description: “Not monitored by the USDA”. This presumably stands for the United States Department of Agriculture. However, most of the article would apply if Mt. Ebott were in other countries, too.

The anti-monster politician would ignore or dismiss monsters’ specific bodily or cultural needs, or make it inconvenient for them to fulfill particular needs. Loopholes, alternatives and workarounds to the policies are obvious, but discouraged or inconvenient.

Tactic 1: Gyftmas is Not Valid

Tactic 2: No Magic Lessons

On a slightly stronger note, anti-monster politicians (AMPs) could, rather than creating species-segregated schools, strategically adjust school rules and requirements.

AMPs (school superintendents, principals) could ban bullet patterns inside a school. In principle, this makes sense: humans could get hurt, and for particularly crowded schools, a lot of humans could get hurt at once. The AMPs could (at risk to sounding reasonable) ban bullet patterns on school grounds, so monsters can’t even do it at recess or shortly after being released from school.

School superintendents could make curriculum options that conspicuously omit magic-expression, even as an extracurricular. One plausible-sounding excuse for why they wouldn’t teach magic is due to a school being majority-human (but still close to Mt. Ebott), and humans being unable to use magic or find it as appealing or useful as monsters.

Even without specific regulations, AMPs could influence hiring decisions for human-only/human-dominant schools so they just happen to never hire magic-expression teachers, or block attempts to teach magic-expression because “it’s not part of the curriculum”. They could even block merging magic-expression lessons into art or communication classes. Alternatively, AMPs could mandate only monster-specific/monster-dominant schools need to teach magic expression, or specifically block all but monster schools from teaching it.

In total, these regulations wouldn’t endanger monsters, but only give them a sub-par species-specific education if they attend human-dominant schools. They could find workarounds, such as tutors, separate schools or parents teaching them, but it would be inconvenient.

Tactic 3: No Monster Food in Cafeterias

AMPs could suggest “accommodating monsters with magic food” (e.g, cafes, school cafeterias) is financially onerous for businesses, making monster food availability lower. They could also disguise not supplying monster food as personally not liking the cuisine or considering it unappealing to kids. After all, Chinese food is just more of a crowd-pleaser than, say, Lebanese food. Still, this would be absurd since monster food largely mimics common American foods.

Not supplying monster food would be extra inconvenient in cafeterias, because children have less of a choice in what schools or businesses they attend or work for than what cafes they visit. Even without official policies or justifications, AMPs could simply not supply any monster food, ever, in cafeterias. It would be very suspect because some schools do import food outside typical catering, and monster food would likely be healthier, tastier, or cheaper than human food. This is especially true when serving normal food a small percentage of humans are allergic to, but monster food is “made of magic” and might not contain allergens at all.

Since monsters apparently need to defecate if they eat physical food, AMPs could make this worse by forbidding them from entering student/employee bathrooms. Some possible excuses are: “so many unsupervised students/employees in one place could kill them”, or “we aren’t sure if our toilets can handle your waste”, or “monsters defecating is gross”, or “since you’re an “it” or “they”, you can’t go to the girls’ bathrooms or boys’ bathrooms) But, AMPs could suspiciously never supply a single toilet for monsters in the whole building to address the “waste” concerns, despite the existence of handicapped bathrooms/specific stalls that also serve a tiny minority. AMPs could also discourage, if not outright forbid, them from using the single-stall teachers’ bathrooms as a workaround.

Now, to make this even worse, AMPs could suggest, without any basis, that monster food is nutritionally inferior or reacts poorly with the human body. They could then use that to discredit monster-run food shops. (a la monosodium glutamate and anti-Chinese xenophobia) They could even fabricate or fudge the results for a study on monster food’s effect on humans, then use the fake results to support banning monster food from restaurants. While monsters can still eat physical food, shifting their diet to have drastically more physical food at once will surely lead to mass digestive troubles and possibly nutritional problems. (It would also sabotage humans, since monster food could be really handy in some situations.)

Tactic 4: No Body Accommodations

Taller monsters, such as Asgore, need bigger models of cars to safely fit in cars and/or comfortably drive. Smaller cars are generally more fuel-efficient, and harm pedestrians less in case of a collision. So, AMPs could make suspiciously-timed subsidies for smaller cars, outright ban big cars from cities or parking garages, or have buyback programs for bigger (and potentially monster-suitable) cars.

The AMPs could also suggest physical accommodations of any sort (e.g., entry ramps for legless monsters) would be expensive and useless. However, his particular tactic would probably cause humans with impaired mobility to team up with monsters, since they also need or greatly benefit from similar ramps. Indeed, this is classified as “mild” partly because the tactic could anger or greatly inconvenience humans, and so nudge them into making political alliances with monsters.

Workarounds

Workarounds for No Magic Lessons

Workaround 1. Gerson is hired to teach (human) history. AMPs figure he’s just teaching (human) history, and on the face of it he’d be a good history teacher. But Gerson just happens to make asides on monster history when it parallels human issues, and just happens to give demonstrations of bullet patterns in monster history, or re-creates artistic patterns throughout human history using his own bullets.

Workaround 2. A monster P.E. teacher (e.g., Undyne) notices the rule says “students can’t use bullet patterns inside school/on school grounds”. The monster demonstrates bullet patterns for the students to actually practice later. Better yet, the monster P.E. teacher takes one step outside the school’s legal property (e.g., a surrounding field, in the parking lot, on the roof), shows off bullet patterns, and has students take turns stepping just outside official school property to demonstrate. The monster teaches them how to express bullet patterns in an athletic way to justify it being part of athletic curriculum. Or, the monster realizes it’s still legal for P.E. teachers to play dodgeball with students (which can hurt), and so does “magic ball” instead, controlling bullet damage so it does exactly as much damage as getting hit by a dodgeball. (The monster P.E. teacher could probably say, “Frisk survived because they were so good at dodging! Knowing how to dodge magic attacks will keep humans safe in human-monster conflict!”)

Workaround 3. One reason/excuse for not teaching magic at a majority human school is the fact humans can’t use magic, and it not being important in human society. However, a function on Frisk’s monster-made cell phone changed their SOUL to Yellow mode, allowing them to emit bullets like a monster. (if in a very simplified fashion) Monsters providing SOUL mode technology or magical objects that emit bullets means humans wouldn’t feel left out in magic expression classes. Furthermore, of course human children would want to learn how to use magic in some way, even if it took years of practice. If humans with yellow SOULs can naturally emit bullets, that would cause an even greater faux pas to AMPs. People would probably argue they’d want to cultivate their abilities, and not providing magic lessons even as an extracurricular is discriminatory to Yellow SOULs.

Workaround 4. Humans can, in fact, use magic after monsters return to the Surface, and monsters teach them how to use magic.1 The fun and utility of humans knowing how to use magic encourages human-monster integration. While Tactic 2 suggests magic classes are of little to no use in purely human/human-dominant schools, the school with one or multiple magic classes in GlitchTale seems to be human-dominant.

Workarounds for No Monster Food at Cafeterias

Workaround 1: Monster students just bring bagged lunches. Alternatively, for teenagers allowed to go off-grounds for lunch, there could be a monster restaurant for cheap that’s very close to the school.

Workaround 2: Internet personalities who specialize in recording eating food or visiting restaurants make a point of eating monster food. They could even repeatedly swear or say really funny things to make the videos super-popular.

Workaround 3: Monster food-engineers supply magic-food equivalents to common allergen-containing foods, like oysters or peanut butter, allowing allergic people to taste what they’ve been missing out on and feel “normal”. The video would be highly “wholesome” and saccharine in a way that would make it super-popular, like unexpected puppies.

Workaround 4: An actual Chinese restaurateur makes a satirical video comparing monster food xenophobia to historic Chinese-food xenophobia.

Workaround 5: The fact monster food converts to energy (presumably upon being swallowed) heals HP (presumably minor injuries, in non-video-game terms), and probably doesn't contribute to weight gain 2 means it would be popular among humans, who might pack some monster food in their school lunches. Monster food's popularity and convenience among humans would just highlight AMPs' absurd monster-food restriction.

Made with the help of Batter-Sempai, CinnamonAzzy and Ihasafandom.

If you enjoyed this post, you may be interested in the author's Patreon and Ko-Fi.

Related Works Chara's Stomach Rumbles (a possible side effect of eating only monster food) The Perils of an All-Monster Food Diet (More detail on problems with eating entirely monster food. Still doesn't justify banning monster food from cafeterias, however) Undertale Character Heights (listed chronologically. Part 2 to 4 covers how human-designed objects and buildings are ill-suited for extra-wide or tall monsters)

The fan works GlitchTale (Season 2) and Endertale feature this. In GlitchTale, humans regain use of magic very quickly, suggesting they've kept theoretical knowledge on it, even if they couldn't actually use it. In Endertale, Frisk learns magic over three years. ↩︎

In the fanfiction Long Road (specifically Chapter 4), monster food is popular among humans for similar reasons. ↩︎

#Undertale #Post-Pacifist #Meta #Analysis #Things Anti-Monster Politicians Could Do

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decordwertge1976 · 4 years ago

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brentrogers · 5 years ago

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Building a Therapeutic Alliance with a Dreamer: Trials and Tribulations of an Undocumented Immigrant

This is not a love story. This is a story that talks about sensitivity, vulnerability and understanding of being with someone who is or was once undocumented. The life of undocumented immigrants who grew up in the United States, also known as the 1.5 generation, can be very difficult and confusing.

As a mental health practitioner and researcher, I was invited to join a panel to address mental health issues for this specific undocumented immigrant college student’s community. I formulated a support group, where the students shared their stories about love and vulnerability. I would like to share the story of a girl who immigrated from Nigeria when she was seven years old and her life trajectory as influenced by her undocumented status.

As an undocumented child, she was told to never reveal her immigration status to anyone, including her teachers and peers. At the playgrounds, she remained cautious when forming new bonds with peers. She learned to manipulate and deflect conversations away from topics that might reveal this vulnerable identity. The only time she could talk about this topic, was at home, with her mother and her brother. They were her only protection, but also her deepest fear of abandonment — as she knew that she can be separated from them at any time.

Shame and Guilt

She related an incident in her senior year of high school, when she asked a boy, a friend who she liked and built a relationship with through her freshman and sophomore year of high school, to help her with her financial aid application for college. He jokingly questioned her immigration status, “You don’t have papers?” All her fears immediately came to light. Triggered, she abruptly left the room to go home and cry in her mother’s lap.

Upon her return, her friend had apologized, but she kept him at bay, choosing not to give him any opportunity to exploit her fear of feeling powerless, deceived and abandoned by him. She did not give this relationship another chance and denigrated all her relationships whenever she felt the same comfort as she did with this one friend. A pattern started to emerge, where she could not maintain friendships as simple interpersonal conflicts resulted in an intense provocation of anxiety and rage. Understand her struggle.

Trigger

After she graduated high school, she started community college. As the semester wrapped up, one of her classmates, who she liked, invited her to come drinking at a local jazz bar, as it was the last day of class for the semester. As she stood in line with the rest of the people to enter the bar, she was denied entry because she did not have a legal form of state ID. This minor rejection evoked the past experience of feeling abandoned and ashamed. She remained frozen, while her classmate nudged her to capture her attention. As she looked around, she could not hear what her classmate was saying, she pushed him aside and left for home. Recalling the incident, she reflected, “I felt like there was a ball stuck in my throat, I couldn’t speak… as soon as I snapped out of it, I left and walked home, which is 5 miles away… I didn’t even have the capacity to think of taking the train.”

When she went home, she told her family what happened. They listened to her and poured her a glass of wine, to recreate this celebration at home, for the end of the semester. Helpless yet safe, she wondered if anyone would understand her struggle.

Abuse

For her, family was always safe. Until her mother married a man with legal status — for love and to possibly legalize their immigration status in the future. Not realizing that this person was an outsider, she showed similar attachment to him as she did for her brother and mother. She said, “I was so happy to know there is one more person in my life who would understand me, I took my safety at home for granted and dropped my guard as I though he was a part of the family.”

Her mother was the authority figure and now there was a new authority figure, a caretaker who she could idealize and hope to share her struggle with. However, as she vented to him, he would make sexual advances. She would again dissociate, not fully conscious of her surroundings and unable to fathom the severity of the situation, she was molested. When she told her mother and brother about the incident, the stepfather threatened them with deportation by calling Immigration and Custom Enforcement on them. The very next day, in the midst of night, the family ran away from home, leaving everything behind to take shelter at a church, later settling in a smaller town, away from this dangerous person.

After sharing this story, she added, “I wondered if this would keep happening to me, will I always end up putting myself in similar humiliating situations?” She seemed to have blamed herself for the abuse she experienced, rather than seeing herself as the innocent victim.

“No one understand me,” she told me. “You will never understand me.”

“It’s true,” I said. “I will never understand your pain… no one will understand your pain.”

She interrupted me and said, “Thank you for saying that… it feels so good to hear that… everyone always acted like they understood me… even when they didn’t and that hurts so much!”

Intimacy

Eventually, she returned to her college, taking a semester off to recuperate. She wanted to reconnect with her old friends and make ones. Except, she had difficulty with intimacy and the relationships became fragmented. One mistake and she would accuse her friends of neglect and abandonment.

After talking about several broken friendship incidents, she would say, “I don’t even know what trust is anymore… I don’t know who to trust.”

I would respond, “It takes time to build trust, especially after everything you have been through… you will know when you feel safe in a friendship.”

From a clinical lens, I knew she was showing symptoms of hyperarousal, flashback and dissociation, that prevented her from forming healthy intimate relationships.

Destitute

Over time, she knew her current maladaptive reactions to her friendships were preventing her from establishing healthy and secure relationships. She started journaling and reflecting on her relationships, only to realize the importance of forming new experiences without prematurely sabotaging them in order to prevent the possibility of any emotional hurt. As a result, she only engaged in some casual relationships, only to find a pattern of entering relationships that she knows will never turn into anything serious or long term. Upon further reflection, she recognized her vulnerability to exposing herself to risk of repeated victimization, especially in intimate relationships.

Boundaries

After attaining her associated degree, she gave another shot to a serious relationship. Six months into the relationship, her partner wanted to go on vacation to Cancun together. He invited her to come with him, only to be reminded that she was undocumented, and she cannot travel out of the country. So they decide to go local and take a trip to Florida.

Over time, however, the limitations turned into resentment and the relationship fell apart. Instead of seeing this as a failure, she recognized it as a renewed sense of control. In other words, at least, she knew to end the relationship as her partner did not have the capacity to support her in her survival of her marginalized identity. There was a new sense of autonomy and empowerment. She would define this as the ability to form relationships that were based on her wants and not her needs.

Hope

In 2015, she became eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which prevented her from being deported and gave her accessibility to health insurance. With psychotherapy and psychiatric support, she discovered that her symptoms were like symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder. When she was alone, intrusive thoughts of physical and emotional abuse came flooding in, limiting her ability to be present in the moment and causing her to dissociate. And, when she was questioned about anything associated with her immigration status, she became defensive and everything was perceived as a threat or her enemy.

Even as a temporarily documented person, she had difficulty letting go of these various survival traits. If she felt like she was not in control of something, she ran away from those scenarios, including friendships and intimate relationships. The outcome was isolation and alienation, which manifested as depression and anxiety.

Compassion

She is one of the fortunate survivors of such severe hardship that comes along with the identity of being a 1.5 generation undocumented immigrant. Her story bears one conclusion: being undocumented and the hardship associated with such status, can manifest as a form of complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

She is your co-worker, neighbor and classmate. This article is a reminder to be compassionate towards your peers, even if you do not know about their immigration status. Be sensitive and understanding of the hardships associated with immigration status. More importantly, advocate for the undocumented immigrants to have access to mental health care.

Building a Therapeutic Alliance with a Dreamer: Trials and Tribulations of an Undocumented Immigrant syndicated from

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whorchataaa · 5 years ago

Text

Building a Therapeutic Alliance with a Dreamer: Trials and Tribulations of an Undocumented Immigrant

Shame and Guilt

Trigger

Abuse

“No one understand me,” she told me. “You will never understand me.”

“It’s true,” I said. “I will never understand your pain… no one will understand your pain.”

She interrupted me and said, “Thank you for saying that… it feels so good to hear that… everyone always acted like they understood me… even when they didn’t and that hurts so much!”

Intimacy

After talking about several broken friendship incidents, she would say, “I don’t even know what trust is anymore… I don’t know who to trust.”

I would respond, “It takes time to build trust, especially after everything you have been through… you will know when you feel safe in a friendship.”

From a clinical lens, I knew she was showing symptoms of hyperarousal, flashback and dissociation, that prevented her from forming healthy intimate relationships.

Destitute

Boundaries

Hope

Compassion

from https://ift.tt/2NZaTBr Check out https://peterlegyel.wordpress.com/

0 notes

ashley-unicorn · 5 years ago

Text

Building a Therapeutic Alliance with a Dreamer: Trials and Tribulations of an Undocumented Immigrant

Shame and Guilt

Trigger

Abuse

“No one understand me,” she told me. “You will never understand me.”

“It’s true,” I said. “I will never understand your pain… no one will understand your pain.”

She interrupted me and said, “Thank you for saying that… it feels so good to hear that… everyone always acted like they understood me… even when they didn’t and that hurts so much!”

Intimacy

After talking about several broken friendship incidents, she would say, “I don’t even know what trust is anymore… I don’t know who to trust.”

I would respond, “It takes time to build trust, especially after everything you have been through… you will know when you feel safe in a friendship.”

From a clinical lens, I knew she was showing symptoms of hyperarousal, flashback and dissociation, that prevented her from forming healthy intimate relationships.

Destitute

Boundaries

Hope

Compassion

from https://ift.tt/2NZaTBr Check out https://daniejadkins.wordpress.com/

0 notes

dipulb3 · 5 years ago

Text

How vacation travel has been impacted post-COVID

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/how-vacation-travel-has-been-impacted-post-covid-2/

How vacation travel has been impacted post-COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed pretty much every aspect of our lives. From our workplaces to our financial situations to our freedoms, there’s truly nothing left of what we used to call “normal.” Over 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment in this crisis – that’s a serious shift.

With this unprecedented time upon us, one thing that absolutely nobody is doing right now is taking a vacation. It’s just not a viable option. Many countries have closed their borders, imposed a fourteen-day isolation period on arrival, and most hotels, resorts, bars and beaches are closed.

If you were to take a vacation, there wouldn’t be many places you could go. Everyone’s home right now, and for the time being, that’s the safest place possible.

Frustrations With Travel

Many people are increasingly frustrated because their well-planned, much-anticipated travel plans have been canceled indefinitely. Although it’s legally required that people receive their money back, many travel companies are attempting to persuade holiday-goers into a voucher, rather than a cash refund. Whatever your situation, if you planned to travel this summer, it’s likely that it isn’t happening anymore.

But of course, this is going to come to an end sometime. Whenever that time comes, the time when we can go to our favorite destinations and feel safe doing so, millions of people will be taking that opportunity. The idea of being on a beach, your toes in the sand, chilling out with a cocktail might sound like living the dream when you’re stuck at home. Traveling for vacations, though, might look different post-COVID. Although we’re all desperate to get away, here are some ways we might consider traveling differently in the future.

Flying Might Not Be So Easy

Even before coronavirus, being in a packed plane with total strangers for hours on end didn’t feel fun to most people. We all know that taking a plane was risky if you didn’t want to get a common cold. The air conditioning circulating around the plane makes it very easy to pass germs.

Many budget airlines do not thoroughly clean their planes between passengers. We all know that feeling of sitting in a crowded airport, sometimes even sitting on the floor, waiting for delays. The hygiene of flying leaves a lot to be desired.

Imagining yourself sitting in tight quarters with unmasked strangers might send shudders down your spine. After this deadly virus that scares everyone on a very serious level, flying might become something even more frightening. Many people will try to opt for different ways to travel to their vacations; this might even mean only taking vacations that are closer to home than usual.

Here are some great alternative solutions to flying which can keep you safer than a plane!

Roadtrip!

Yeah, that old chestnut. Everyone loves a road trip. Piling the family into a camper van, singing along to your favorite songs, and stopping at motels for the night. All good memories from childhood, right?

Well, the retro way of traveling might be making a comeback. It may sound like a nightmare, in our modern world. How on earth can you pack your life into your family car and drive hundreds of miles without going insane? Well, there are tried and true ways.

Companies such as TCS Upfitting, found at https://tcsupfitting.com/truck-accessories/, can help you transform your car into a cargo machine. Adding a tow bar, a luggage rack, or whatever else you need to lug your family around on vacation has never been easier. You’ll save money on flights, you’ll have fun on the road, and most importantly of all, you’ll be safer from germs.

Taking the train

In Europe, this is already a very common way to travel. A pastime called ‘Interrailing’, which involves taking long, scenic train journeys between cities and countries instead of flying, is common among young backpackers. But this doesn’t have to be a hippie, backpacker hobby. Taking long train journeys could sound pretty dull, but the scenery across the world is best seen by train. Plus, the environmental differences between ground and air travel are huge. COVID-19 has changed the world in many negative ways, but the silver lining of this awful virus is that the earth is breathing again.

If you want to fly, aim to reduce it

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with taking a hard-earned vacation. But after coronavirus, everyone will be reconsidering how they travel, and the ways flying takes its toll on your health and wellbeing. Instead of multiple flights per year, taking even one vacation per year which requires flying reduces your risks.

A Pause In Activity

OK, so you’re on vacation. You’ve traveled there, in whatever way, and now you’re wondering: have the rules changed? What can’t I do now?

Depending on the country you visit, even when resorts have reopened and vacations resume, there may still be restrictions on your activities. For example, swimming pools might have tighter restrictions on the number of users at once. Dining areas of hotels or resorts might be further spaced out.

Some vacation activities might not be happening altogether, like packed boat trips. Other parts of the country you’re visiting could have a tourist ban, such as local food markets belonging to smaller villages. Of course, none of us truly know how the landscape of tourism will look after this virus. However, the impact has been so huge and widespread. It will change the way we travel for a very long time to come.

There’s Always A Silver Lining

Although coronavirus ruined so many things, there’s always a silver lining to the devastation. It takes a lot to see the good in the world nowadays, but if you look carefully, it’s there!

Since the coronavirus outbreak, travel has largely halted across the world. A recent article from National Geographic said:

In India, where air pollution is among the world’s worst, “people are reporting seeing the Himalayas for the first time from where they live,” Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said.

All over the world, people are reporting clearer views from their homes, as the lack of planes in the sky causes pollution levels to plummet. The article explains that taking in pollution particles actually worsens somebody’s chances of getting COVID-19, as it says:

If you’re getting COVID, and you have been breathing polluted air, it’s really putting gasoline on a fire,’ in a statement from a doctor.

These words resonate with many city dwellers who live in fear of becoming infected.

The lack of pollution, therefore, doesn’t just benefit the planet’s habitats and overall health but actually can reduce your risks of becoming infected with COVID-19. The silver lining of this terrifying lockdown period has meant that when we return to the world, we will be returning to something much cleaner and healthier than before.

Be Conscious of Future Travel

When future travel does happen, then, it’s important to be conscious. Returning to the world is something we’re all desperate for, but when we return, it’s essential we don’t simply return to old habits. Our freedoms which we took for granted are now things we will always appreciate; playing sports, hugging our friends and family, and assuming we will not be hurt by an invisible disease, for example. Let’s extend that gratitude to the world, and our ability to travel, and take the responsibility that comes with it seriously.

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mikemortgage · 7 years ago

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‘I’ve seen people cleaned out’: Divorce later in life comes with its own special set of problems

Divorce at any age can be emotionally and financially taxing, but for those above the age of 50 and especially for retirees, the stakes can be even higher.

Such so-called “grey divorces” have been on the rise for decades in Canada, and as the baby boomer generation ages, they are only becoming more common.

While statistics Canada doesn’t record current data on age-based divorce rates, the median age for divorce rose between 1991 to 2008: for men it jumped from 38.3 to 44 years, women jumped from 35.7 to 41 years.

Toronto-based Shulman Law Firm spoke to the Post recently about their own internal data, which they say bears out the change.

Solo retirement is on the rise — here’s how you can mitigate the risks

If you think retirement will change your spousal support obligations, you might want to think again

‘You should do it right’: More couples are signing postnuptial agreements despite being on shakier ground

A decade ago, about 10 per cent of their clients were 50 and older. But the firm now says the demographic “constitutes approximately 40 per cent” of their clientele. Interestingly, the age group of 60 and older saw the most significant change, nearly doubling over the past 10 years — although it still remains the minority of cases at the firm.

Getting divorced later in life poses problems that other age groups frequently do not experience. Older couples who split up have often been married for longer periods, which means there can be more assets and liabilities to sort through, complicating the process.

Limitations on future earning potential, especially for those in their 60s and 70s are also a challenge.

“The concern I always have when I’m dealing with a woman or a man in their late 60s (is) they don’t get another chance. They don’t get another career in which to make money,” said Mary Jane Binks, of Ottawa-based Augustine Bater Binks LLP.

With so much at stake from a personal finance perspective, here are some things those who are going through a divorce later in life should keep in mind:

Everything is on the table

While most people know that major assets such as the marital home will be divided, other assets that build up over the course of a marriage are also in play.

“Often the biggest asset in the family is someone’s pension. It’s not the house, It’s the pension,” said Greg Evans of Winnipeg-based Evans Family Law. “Baby boomers tend to have really good pensions.”

The realization that it can be divided can be a tough pill to swallow, according to Diane Isaac, a family lawyer at Shulman Law.

“With married couples because they thought, ‘This is something I’ve worked for, why are they getting half of this?’ and we obviously have to explain that as a result of the marital dissolution by divorce, all this is subject to division,” Isaac said.

Similar to a pension, both parties also need to share their liabilities. If one person had debt that wasn’t disclosed in the marriage — for example if they had a gambling problem — or spent money that was meant to be saved, all of a sudden it becomes a problem for both people.

Secondary properties, such as a family cottage, can also be up for division as well. Even an heirloom cottage that was handed down through the generations on one side of the family is often treated as a shared recreation property when the time comes to divide assets.

There is an emotional toll

While all divorces are entangled in emotions, grey divorcees tend to come following marriages that have lasted for long periods of time.

“We use counsellors to help people deal with their emotional stuff,” said Evans, who says the majority of cases he deals with are grey divorces. “(If) you’re disappointed or upset, or you’re feeling a betrayal perhaps in some situation (it) can cloud the way that you approach the financial issues.”

A grey divorce can take a huge emotional toll because they tend to come after long relationships.

In Canada, it does not matter whether one partner’s conduct was more to blame for the breakdown of the marriage when it comes to splitting assets.

“Because we have no fault divorce in Canada, whether or not my spouse cheated on me doesn’t change the way property is divided,” he explained.

Evans said that bringing a couple’s children into the process only adds to the potential emotional toll, even if the children are in their 30s or 40s.

“I think people forget that they’re still their children,” he said.

It doesn’t hurt to be prepared

Obviously no one plans to get a divorce when they’re getting married. But getting a marriage contract can prepare individuals just in case they end up in a messy separation situation. If someone inherits money from their parents as a gift, but would like to keep that money from entering the marriage, they can include that in a marriage contract as not belonging to their spouse.

“Well I’ve seen some people unfortunately in their 60s and 70s left with very little after a bad relationship, I’ve seen people cleaned out. And it’s a shame, if they don’t have a contract that protects their interests it can be very dicey,” said Binks.

“Let’s say your husband had a gambling habit and has gone through the family assets, what do you do when you’re 72 or 73? There’s very little to be done. The time to protect yourself is upfront. The financial ramifications of marriage or cohabitation are extremely important.”

Getting a marriage contract can prepare individuals just in case they end up in a messy separation situation.

Entering a second marriage, a contract can be essential. If there are children from a first marriage, it might be important to make sure that the money kept aside for the children (for school, or a home) is kept safely on the side for them, rather than being shared between both parties.

“People have asked me at what juncture do you ask this? Obviously not on the first date,” said Isaac. “But I think that it you’re candid and you know this person is the person you would like to spend your life with and you intend on moving in with this person and becomes very serious I think you should have that preliminary discussion.”

There are some ways to reduce the costs

Once a couple reaches a state where their marriage cannot be saved, there are still things that can be done to minimize the pain and costs of a divorce.

While collecting decades worth of financial documents accrued throughout a marriage can be tough, being organized and open with everyone involved can save money. When couples can give the lawyers all the information they need up front, and make decisions on their own without fighting in court, it’s even better for their wallets.

“There are some people who have no idea what they have, or they let the other spouse control this,” Isaac said. “There are some people who don’t even know what their spouse earns. But I think the more you organize your own information, A) it’s more cost effective and B) It helps to strategize how we’re going to move forward.”

Rates can also change depending where a couple lives. Focusing efforts to stay out of court is also helpful, because hiring a lawyer can cost anywhere from several hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars. When couples are retired and have no new income, that can represent a major difference in their future quality of life.

With files from Postmedia

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captain-spookycandycollecti-blog · 7 years ago

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I turn 16 in February and I want to know about how much I'm going to be paying for my car insurance. I'm going to be under my Dad's plan with State Farm. I'm male and my GPA is over a 4.0. I'm going to be driving a 2001 Dodge RAM 1500. I don't know if anyone can give me an exact cost but I justed wanted to know a range.

Car insurance question?

I just turned 16 and got my driving permit. I would be using my grandmothers car and she has erie insurance. My question is.. Am I allowed to practice driving on the car even without getting insurance? She insists that I'm not allowed to unless I get insurance but everyone else I know does it without. She thinks that I am going to get in a crash because I can't keep my room clean. (wtf?)

How would my insurance company know this if I don't tell them?

I am getting ready to buy a home (Already selected, move in will be next week) and I own a German Shepard. I am currently shopping for homeowners insurance, and I know that many companies will not insure you if you have an aggressive breed of dog, and the ones that do will give you higher rates because of it. So I was wondering, what reason do I have to tell them that I have an aggressive breed? When they come to inspect the home, my friend down the street can watch my dog for a few hours. If I were to just leave out the fact that I have an aggressive breed so my rates will stay low, how would the insurance company ever be the wiser? PS: This IS a repost. Last time I asked everyone said Well it's misrepresentation and if you have ever have to make a claim, then they can deny you because you lied about the dog. Yes I understand what the consequences would be, that wasn't the question. My question is HOW could they ever find out in the first place? If I have to make a claim for say, a fire, then I could have someone take my dog for a few hours again and make the claim without having any reason to mention the dog? So how would they ever know?""

Can I still use my provisional car insurance?

I passed my test today, but my mum won't let me alter my insurance because she says I can still use my provisional insurance, as long as I have somebody in the car with me and don't go on motor ways . Is this true, or do I need new insurance?""

Car insurance please someone help me!?

I need to get a drivers abstract for this job I'm applying for....I have a speeding ticket which took 3 demerit points, but I'm pretty sure my insurance company hasn't found out....this was about a year and abit ago and my insurance company told me when renewing my insurance that its clean......if I get this drivers abstract will they find out and want to charge me more? And do companies really care about a speeding ticket 16km/h over?""

Does a full license reduce insurance premiums over a provisional license(NOT learners permit)?

In my state and probably many others now as well, there are three License tiers: Learners Permit, Provisional Drivers License, and Full License. Learners permit is pretty much self explanatory, you have to drive with a parent/guardian only and must hold it for 9 months to get to the Provisional License in the middle which allows you to drive fully unsupervised after you turn 18 with many restrictions before 18 but still carries increased penalties(what they consist of I am not sure but they are nonetheless there only for Provisional Licenses) even after you turn 18, and then after you hold a Provisionals for 18 months, you can finally get a full license. Obviously not having increased penalties would be nice but I'm wondering if Full License status would also reduce insurance rates since it shows that you were able to hold a Provisionals for so long without moving violations and are therefore not quite as problematic of a driver as someone who has not yet passed the 18-month probationary period required for a Full License. Clarification on what a Provisional License is for my age(20): The Provisional License is for all intents and purposes basically the same as a full drivers license after you turn 18 with the exception of enhanced penalties for moving violations which remain possible until you get a full license. I'm just curious if there are insurance benefits that come with a full license as well or if, for some absurd reason, they still base it on the old learners-then-license system, and then they go up after you get a full license because they think you are suddenly unsupervised, which is not the case with a Provisional License moving up to a Full License.""

Drink driving & car insurance?

Does anyone know of any car insurance dealers that are kind(er) to drink drivers? All my qoutes are high and I just don't have the money to be forking out on car insurance. I have just bought my first flat and have a baby on the way...I wish they could see that circumstances have changed!!!

Do I have to buy health insurance in New Mexico?

I recently moved to New Mexico and started a new job. Now I am being told that I have to buy health insurance from my employer, or prove that I am covered under another policy. I am only 21, but I am a smoker and I know this will be expensive. I do not go to the doctor, and have not since I was 10. Do I have to buy coverage I won't use? Is there a way around this?""

Why is everyone whining about being required to buy heath insurance?

you probably don't realize it, but you practically are required to buy car insurance. if you wreck and you have no insurance, it's not very pretty, especially for your money. Same thing with heath. if you get sick and don't have insurance, it's not very good! i don't understand why people so strongly oppose requirement to buy heath insurance, but don't even stop to think about car insurance, the same principle.""

What are your reviews for Geico and Progressive?

We have Amica insurance and they cost $1200 a year and our car is Saturn ION 2 2004 sedan. This is financed car so we need full coverage. With clean driving history and clean car history do you think this is a good price? Should we try other companies to compare? What are your reviews about Geico and Progressive? Do you think they are good companies and can give us better rates?

Just wondering if there is any kind of insurance coverage for the victims of the tsunami?

It is a natural disaster. I know that in California there is earthquake insurance but very expensive. Do the Japanese have any kind of insurance protection? I'm sure there will be some kind of aid from the government but what about their losses? Thankful to be alive, I'm sure.""

Can any body tell me what is the lowest online car insurance company?

i have an old car and sometimes i use it but i think i pay too much to insure it $55 a month and it is just liablity insurance and i am looking for an online insurance company that can give me a very low rate

Which icar insurance is cheap and best?

where can i find find cheap and good car insurance

How much is a 2010 Jeep Sahara cost a month for insurance?

Insurance price for a 16 year old?

I'm 16 live in Minnesota and i want to get a car maybe around $5000 just wanted to know how much a month it would cost for insurance with and without my parents

Uk Motorcycle insurance question?

I'm currently doing my CBT and the going to do my A2 licence, which would permit me to ride a 400cc bike, so i'm planning on getting a 600cc bike and restricting it. Would that lower the insurance if i were to mention it has been resticted, i looked it up and for an 18 yr old i got a quote for a 600cc bike for about 1,300. would that be lower if i said it was restricted??""

Can I be reimbursed for birth control paid for after Affordable Care Act took effect?

After paying my co pay for birth control for about a year, I finally asked my pharmacist what he knew about the Affordable Care Act. He ran my insurance and found out that I was eligible for free birth control. Is there any way for me to be reimbursed for the birth control that I paid for after the Affordable Care Act became effective?""

What's the cheapest insurance for an 18 year old?

Where can I get insurance coverage for a very low monthly price?...for an 18 year old

If I don't own a home should I buy the cheapest insurance coverage?

I'm a student living at home, with no property of my own. Which insurance coverage would suit me best, the lowest 25,000/50,000 or a higher amount?""

Baby insurance?

Okay so my fiance and I aren't married yet. I am on my moms insurance until I am 19 and they wont cover the baby. He has his own insurance through WI called Hirsps. I can't change my license yet because my moms insurance will drop me and we dont want that to happen because it will be hard to get insurance to cover hospital bills. How do we get the baby insurance? Can we put the baby on his insurance?

Where can i buy cheap car insurance?

Hello. Im 18 years old and im looking to buy car insurance for a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 sxi 60 plate costing about 8000. I passed my test last year April 2010 and have not driven any car so i have no NCB. Where can i get cheap car insurance for around 1000-1500?

How much is Florida's car insurance each month.?

i was wondering how much car insurance in Florida each month. for a 19 year old?? please only people who no what their talking about.

Should medical insurance be only for childrens?

I am doing a paper on medical Insurance for my class project I have 10 question that I need answers too.

How much might insurance be...?

On a car like a 2008 Hyundai elantra for a guy under 25 if it was new?

texas insurance quotes

Should I get business insurance?

I am an LLC for my small online business (I sell handmade jewelry). Should I also have business insurance? I make under $50k a year.

Will I have to switch my car insurance if I buy a new or used car from a dealer?

My current car is just costing far too much money in repairs for it to be worth it to keep piling money into. I'm a college student, so money isn't exactly plentiful, but its looking right now like I just need a new car, period. I have a decent job, and I could probably afford a car payment of around $200 a month just fine, however I am very concerned about any hidden cost with insurance. My dad told me that if I buy a car from a dealer, then I will have to switch my insurance to full coverage (I'm currently just on my dads insurance, and I only have to pay about $50 a month) but he says that if I get a new or used car from a dealer, I will have to change my insurance coverage and it will cost me more around 150-200 a month in insurance. And if you pair that with a car payment, I simply couldn't afford it and still be able to make rent and whatnot. So I came here to see if he is correct in this. I know there will be taxes, dealer fees, registration costs etc. but Its the insurance part of it that might make it impossible. Also, do I have to have my credit established for a certain amount of time before I can buy a car? I tried to avoid credit cards for as long as I could, so now Im still kind of new in the whole credit game.... Anyways, thank you for taking the time to read my question and hopefully answer it!! It is much appreciated!!""

I need Insurance help?

Hey, I just got a full-time job that pays very well. I make roughly $1500 a month, and I was looking to get a new vehicle as a means of celebrating my new step into adulthood. The vehicle I was looking at was a 2005 Pontiac GTO. I'm 19 years old, so I would have to get my parents to help me with cosigning. That wouldn't be a problem, since my parents have good credit. Now, my parents said that they'd cosign if I pay for both the car payment and insurance monthly. I also pay $200 a month for medical insurance, phone bills, etc. The car payment monthly would be about $400 a month, so that would be about one check. My question is, does anyone know roughly how much insurance would be for me? I currently pay $122 a month on a 2002 Taurus, with just one speeding ticket on my record. Any ideas? Thanks""

Is there insurance you can get that will cover pregnancy?

I just found out that I am pregnant and I don't have insurance and I make to much for State covered insurance. Is there an insurance company out there that covers pregnancy now?

Can a step parents add a child on his health insurance?

We live in california, and i have heard that if they investigate and there is a claim and they look into it, because he has no legal coustody, then there is a possibility they would not cover the claim?? Please help, and if you reference from a website, if you could include the url that would be great.""

How much will my insurance go up?

I got a ticket today for reckless driving (drifted coming out of school.) I'm only 16 and I'm a male, so how much will my insurance go up?""

What are the cheapest home owner insurance for oklahoma city?

what are the cheapest home owner insurance for oklahoma city? can someone tell me which company give the cheapest rate and the best coverage please, thank you very much; this is my first time buy a house, if you have any advise please let me know, thanksssssssss a million :)""

I have a question about teenage driving insurance?

I let my son drive my car sometimes and his six months is up and he is now wants to drive friends in the car. I know my car insurance will cover him if he is in a wreck, but will it cover his friends?""

What happens after i complete traffic school for a speeding ticket?

I'm 17. I got a speeding ticket in February, payed it in March, and finished traffic school this month. I went to take my traffic school certificate this week. Does this mean it is cleared? I live in California? I'm wondering because I'm trying to get an insurance rate and it asked if i ever got a ticket.?""

""How to save more money as a teen, for a car and motorcycle?""

I'm about to turn 16, and would like to save up for a reliable, cheap (2k-4.5k), good-looking, car. It has to be American, or anything other than Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, etc. cause dad works for GM. I am paying for the car on my own, most likely, but maybe I can convince parents to pay 1k or so. Money is tight right now in my family. Dad got demoted last year during GM's bankruptcy, and may get a promotion in spring. My Mom is opening a restaurant this year, which is going to cost a lot. I got a job in November at a brand new Kroger grocery store, where I get minimum wage and cannot work over 16 hours per week because I'm only 15. I have saved a little over 1.2k in the bank. I also have invested $500 of my own money this year into stocks, which are up a little. This might sound dumb to some, but I have dreamed of buying a motorcycle. I want a Kawasaki Ninja 650R. AND YES, I KNOW INSURANCE COSTS MONEY, (FOR CAR AND MOTORCYCLE) I'M NOT AN IDIOT. I also need to plan on how to save for that. Any tips, help, and info would be great! Thanks so much.""

Anyone have a phone # for Wells Fargo Auto Insurance Claims Dept? All the online numbers are for quotes.?

Just got hit and person gave a non-working number for the insurance company (I guess Wells Fargo Auto Ins took over Wachovia Auto Ins). Thank you!

My auto insurance covers anybody who drives my car...is my teen covered? I cannot afford to list him....?

Me and my teen have a car. I have both cars listed on my insurance with full coverage. If he is not covered is there an insurance company that will cover a driver of his age without ...show more

""I am 18 years old and have 6 points on my driving license, will my insurance cost go down after a year?

I currently aren't on any insurance policy!

DUI and Car Insurance???

What is the cheapest car insurance out there to get for someone who has a DUI and a speeding ticket within the last 3 years?

Who thinks eligibility for car insurance/rates should be based solely on your driving record?

I read a story that says that insurance companies are trying to base their rates for car insurance on your credit rating, age, and gender etc. Is that right/do you agree or disagree with the practice, what do you think the right way is to determine insurance rates etc?""

""On average, how much is motorcycle insurance?""

Let's say for instance I owned a road bike with 750 cc's, how much would insurance be? Or at least AROUND how much?""

Insurance for student?

I am currently a student, and saved up enough to buy a car, but the problem is the insurance. As a student, the insurance premium is very high since I have to be the primary driver. I cannot be under my parents insurance, I am not in good terms with them. Is there any way to reduce the premiums? I already did the driveres ed course which gives you a 10% discount. Do you know any cheap insurance companies? I am just looking for basic coverage. Thanks! PS - I live in Ontario.""

How much would it cost for 3-5 million dollars General Liability Insurance?

I work in various chemical plants and refineries repairing/maintaning/calibrating the laborotory instruments in these places. I'm currently working as a sub-contractor through another company but that is about to change, as my business partner and I are breaking away from them to start our own business. Most of these plants require between 3-5 million in liability coverage to my knowlege. I need a ballpark figure of what that kind of coverage costs in the Louisiana/Gulf coast region. Last year we did $150,000 in sales between 3 people and the revenue has been growing substantially each year (~20% or so). Thanks in advance for your answer.""

Car Insurance In Virginia?

I'm 19, First time driver, 1 Child, Car paid in full, Live in the 22031 area (fairfax), Had a seatbelt ticket before I obtained my license, Female. I want to know which insurance would be best suited for me, I dont need the quotes, I just want advice (from expierience) on where to get quotes from first. I have my permit, and will have my license in 25 days. I'm looking into cars right now, and should have one chosen in the next 2 weeks. I know the car will change what the insurance is, but I have not chosen it. I know I want an automatic 4 door sedan Used. Not sure on mileage yet. Leaning towards Nissan Altima. Any advice???""

What are some affordable health insurance in the NJ area?

I am 25 years old and currently unemployed. I will be a student in the health care field and I'm required to purchase health insurance. I also have to get a physical exam along with vaccinations. I looked online for some insurance and I have to pay at least $250 a month which is too much for me. Are there any affordable health insurance?

Will a provisional influence car insurance?

Hi guys, Im thinking about getting myself a car when Im 17 and Im looking into the insurance and what type to look for so I can save and know what Im looking for. So I was wondering if I have a provisional moped license will that help to lower my car insurance? and what car should I be looking for that cheap and easy to run and best on the insurance. Thanks in advance for your help.""

How long does it take for an auto insurance claim to clear you record?

I currently have USAA and back in Nov 2005 I hit a piece of tire on I-25. The tire ripped out my wheel well cover and took the electrical system with it. I made a claim that came out to 1K including my deductible. When trying to change insurance this claim came up and uppped my 6 month policy by 300 dollars. It is not on my DMV driving record, can I still get the cheaper insurance thru progressive.com? Thanks a bunch.""

How much more is it to insure two personal cars vs. one?

I am just one guy, I live by myself and nobody drives my car but me. I keep insurance on it but conditions may turn out that I will end up with a 2nd car. I would ultimately drive them both and have them insured but how much is it for one person to insure a 2nd car? Is it (premium of one car) X 2 or more like 1.5(P) I hope this wouldn't be too expensive and make it not worth it.""

Insurance cost for a BMW 325i?

So I am 19 bought a 2004 BMW 325i for 12,000 dollars and was wondering how much the insurance would be? I live in CT and are only planning to use for school.""

What good are healthcare insurance brokers?

I called one two weeks ago & he was going to email me different quotes. He never bothered to, and so I called him & asked where they were. He said he forgot. Meanwhile I called another health care insurance broker & she too sent me some quotes. I attempted on line to apply for one, but there was a problem with the form allowing me to go further. I not only called the broker like she said I could if there was a problem, but I also emailed her about the problem. She didn't return my phone call, and as of yet has answered my email. It seems to me they must not want to make a commission, so is it just best to contact the health insurance companies on their own? In the past a broker was able to tell me if I would qualify if there would be a mark up above standard rates. Now they say just apply on line and see what happens. Everything has to be on line which always obviously doesn't work. So, what good are health insurance brokers? They need to just do away with them if they aren't going to work.""

texas insurance quotes

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/motorcycle-insurance-quotes-online-free-elijah-acevedo/"

0 notes

loreneweiner · 7 years ago

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Financial Planning for Beginners

Earlier this year, household debt balances in America rose to $12.73 trillion, the highest in our history. In fact, 73% of us die in debt. With this much debt, it’s hard for many people to reach long-term goals such as retirement savings, or shorter-term goals such as paying for a wedding. Many of us just wing it when it comes to our finances, thereby decreasing our opportunities and our joys in life. But with a bit of planning, we can take control of our finances, which gives us much more control over our lives and our futures.

You will find that the following guidelines make a big difference.

Set Your Financial Goals

We all know it’s impossible to get anywhere without knowing where we want to go. Many of us have more than one financial goal, which means we need to set priorities. That doesn’t mean you can’t work toward more than one goal at once. Think about what is the most important thing to you now:

Paying off debt;

Contributing to an emergency fund;

Saving for short- or medium-term goals, such as paying for a wedding or a vacation; or

Saving for long-term goals, such as retiring comfortably.

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In order to reduce both your risk and your anxiety, it’s best for most people to prioritize paying down their debt and building an emergency fund but without ignoring their retirement. Of course, your goal setting will depend to a large extent on your priorities in life. Recognize what those are and plan your spending accordingly. For some people, buying a large, comfortable house is paramount. For others, travel and new experiences are more important. Neither is right nor wrong. The point is to plan and act to make your personal goals become a reality.

Pay off Debt

Many people wonder how they got into so much debt and they don’t see a way out of it. But you can climb out of debt with good planning. If you are part of an average American household, you may have $15,654 in credit card debt, $27,669 in auto loans, and $46,597 in student loans. And almost half of credit card holders have revolving debt, meaning rather than paying off their debts every month, they carry it forward. If you have these kinds of debts, you are probably paying thousands of dollars per year just in interest.

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Also, if you are in debt, you may occasionally overdraw your bank account trying to cover payments. That’s usually a minimum $34 bank fee and more if you don’t repay the money almost immediately. Banks are thrilled when you overdraw. They make more than $30 billion every year in overdraft fees.

Contribute to an Emergency Fund

If anything is constant it’s that nothing is constant. Life happens, and you need to be have a little cash put away for an emergency. Try to have at least enough money to get you by for three months. Six months is better. Shockingly, about 70% of Americans have less than $1,000 in the bank. If you have sudden medical bills, an accident, or lose your job, you need some cushion. If you don’t have an emergency fund, this should be a top priority.

Save for Short- and Medium-Term Goals

Once you have your debts under control and have a comfortable emergency fund, you may want to turn your attention to some short- or medium-term goals. This could be anything from buying a car, going on vacation, or buying a house. Life is to be enjoyed. Just don’t pursue these goals while going deep into debt or ignoring putting money aside for an emergency.

Save for Long-Term Goals

Of course, a long-term goal everyone should have is saving for retirement. Here are a few ways to do so:

Start putting money aside as soon as you can, even if it’s only $50 per week.

Don’t put your retirement behind everything else. It is far too easy to push it off. Don’t steal money from your retirement to renovate the kitchen or fly to the Bahamas for a few days.

If your employer will match retirement funds, put in the maximum amount they will match.

If you are over age 50, you can make a larger retirement contribution. Do this.

Know Where Your Money is Going

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The first step to reaching your goals is understanding what you have to work with. You need to know where your money is going before you can redirect it to be more in line with your goals.

Go through your bank statements and receipts and list what you are spending on.

Separate your costs into two groups. The first group is fixed costs, such as rent or mortgage payment and insurance. The second group is flexible costs such as going to the movies and other entertainment, eating out, and gasoline.

Make a note of your assets and net worth.

Check your credit scores.

Add up your debt.

You don’t need to go back years. Just take a look at your spending and financial information from the last few months.

Build a Budget

Just as you can’t get anywhere without deciding where you want to go (your goal), you also can’t get there without a plan. Once you have a firm grasp on the money you have coming in, your debts, your expenses, and how you spend your extra money, you need to make a budget.

“Budget” is a word that can strike terror into the hearts of many people to the point that they become paralyzed with fear. The word can conjure images of failure, similar to the word “diet.” There is no need to put yourself through this. Your budget doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Recognize your personal priorities and be realistic.

If you are saving for a short- or medium-term goal that is extremely important to you such as a big wedding or a vacation, you might be willing to tighten your belt in some areas for a bit. But if you live and die for weekend golf or morning lattes, those may not be the first place to look at cutting your spending.

Just realize you may not be able to have it all, at least not all the time.

Get Help if You Need It

Some people become almost paralyzed with fear when it comes to dealing with their finances. If sifting through your financial records and creating a budget is too much for you, get help. There are various levels of help according to your needs. Help can come in the form of budgeting software, budgeting services, financial advisors, accountants, and bankruptcy attorneys.

The most important thing is that you get started immediately, because your future won’t wait.

Free Initial Consultation with a Utah Lawyer

It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite CWest Jordan, Utah 84088 United StatesTelephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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Source: http://www.ascentlawfirm.com/variable-annuity-investment-lawyers/

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omcik-blog · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on OmCik

New Post has been published on http://omcik.com/stocks-are-too-risky-bonds-pay-too-little-where-do-i-invest/

Stocks are too risky, bonds pay too little. Where do I invest?

I’m 64 and would like to retire. Problem is, if I invest in stocks I risk losing money to a huge correction, and if I invest in safe fixed-income investments I earn only 1% to 2%. Either way, retirement seems elusive, if not impossible. What’s someone in my situation to do?–Jim

I hear you. Even though stock prices have been hitting record highs of late, there’s still that entirely legitimate concern that stock prices could suddenly crater as they have many times in the past (and no doubt will at some point in the future).

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As for bonds and CDs, market watchers have been saying for upwards of seven years now that yields are going to rise substantially. But while interest rates have bounced up and down the past couple of years, they still remain quite low by historical standards.

So I can see why you feel you’re between the proverbial rock and a hard place. But if you step back and assess your situation, I think you’ll find you have more options — and more wiggle room — than you seem to believe.

Related: How do I know how much I’ll need in retirement?

The first thing you want to do is arrive at an appropriate mix of stocks and bonds for your retirement portfolio. That means investing enough of your savings in stocks to allow you to harness equities’ superior potential for long-term gains (even if those gains may not be as strong as in previous years), while at the same time keeping enough in bonds so your retirement portfolio won’t suffer a total rout when the stock market takes one of its inevitable periodic dives.

It would be nice if I could tell you exactly how to divide your money between stocks and bonds. But I can’t. The blend that’s right for you will depend on what size returns you want to shoot for and the risk you’re willing to take to get them.

That said, many people entering retirement put anywhere from 40% to 60% of their savings in stocks and the rest in bonds (plus a cash reserve), although the percentage can fall above or below that range depending on one’s situation.

To get an idea of what blend of stocks and bonds might be right for you, you can go to this risk tolerance-asset allocation questionnaire. This tool will also show you how various blends of stocks and bonds have performed on average and in good and bad markets in the past.

Just to be clear: Going through this process and investing your savings in a suitable mix of stocks and bonds isn’t a magic bullet. It won’t boost bond yields. You have no control over the bond market. Besides, even if bond yields do rise, as they will eventually, you’ll still be relying mostly on the stocks in your portfolio for long-term growth.

Nor will divvying up your savings between stocks and bonds immunize your portfolio from downturns in the stock market. But completely avoiding such setbacks isn’t your goal. If it were, you could simply stash your savings in CDs and money-market accounts. But that would mean having to accept even lower returns. Rather, your aim is to limit your downside enough so that you can ride out stock market downturns and participate in the eventual recovery.

So the question becomes how much of a setback can you tolerate before you would panic and dump your stocks? The answer comes down to how much of your savings you invest in stocks. I can’t predict the magnitude of future market meltdowns. But you can get a reasonable idea of what kind of turmoil you might have to weather by looking at past downturns.

During the financial crisis year of 2008, for instance, stocks lost 37% of their value while bonds gained about 5%. So if you had a mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds, you would have seen the value of your portfolio drop about 20%. If that sort of decline would keep you up at night, you could always go to a more tame mix, say, 50% stock-50% bonds or 40% stocks-60% bonds, allocations that would have lost roughly 16% and 12% respectively in 2008. The more you dial back your stock exposure, however, the lower your long-term gains are likely to be.

As you’re considering how different allocations of stocks and bonds might have performed in down markets in the past, keep in mind that just because your portfolio overall is down, say, 20% in a given year, doesn’t necessarily mean that 20% of your portfolio’s value has been wiped out for all time. Assuming you refrain from liquidating all your holdings and hang in for the rebound, you have a chance to regain lost ground.

And in fact, after suffering a loss of 20% in 2008, a 60-40 portfolio that was rebalanced back to 60-40 at the end of each year would have gained almost 20% in 2009 and then almost 13% in 2010, bringing its value to nearly $108,000 by the end of 2010.

Remember too that once you start tapping your portfolio for income in retirement, the size of your withdrawals will also help determine how far your portfolio’s value drops during market downturns, not to mention the extent to which it’s able to recover.

What you want to avoid is a combination of market losses and withdrawals that put such a dent in your portfolio’s value that you run the risk of running through your savings prematurely. But as long as you hold your withdrawals to a reasonable level — say, an initial 3% to 4% subsequently adjusted for inflation — you should have a decent chance that your nest egg will support you for 30 or more years.

You can get a sense of how long your savings might last at different stocks-bonds allocations and different withdrawal rates by going to this retirement income calculator.

Related: I’m 60 with little saved — what do I need to do to retire?

If you’re really anxious about whether your nest egg will be able to support you throughout a long retirement, you might also consider devoting a portion of your savings to an immediate annuity, an investment that turns a lump sum into guaranteed lifetime income. As this annuity payment calculator shows, a 65-year-old man who invests $100,000 in an immediate annuity today would receive about $545 a month for life, while a 65-year-old woman would get about $525 a month and a 65-year-old male-female couple would receive about $470.

Knowing that you’ll be collecting that monthly income regardless of what’s going on in the market may provide some peace of mind that will allow you to feel more comfortable about owning stocks, and possibly make you less prone to get flustered and jettison them when the market goes haywire.

Still, annuities aren’t for everyone and buying one isn’t something you should do lightly. So before you even think about committing a portion of your savings to an annuity, I suggest you bone up on how they work and learn more about both their upsides and downsides.

The simple truth is that you can’t eliminate risk entirely. Bonds and cash equivalents may protect you from market crashes, but their low returns may heighten the risk that you’ll run through your savings prematurely. Owning stocks gives you a shot at higher returns, but also subjects you to the vagaries of the stock market.

The best you can do is strive for an acceptable equilibrium, enough safety so you can enjoy retirement but also enough return potential to generate the income you’ll need for as long as you need it.

CNNMoney (New York) First published August 2, 2017: 10:26 AM ET

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realentertaining-blog · 8 years ago

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Forever girl story

6) After I posted writing and pictures on tumblr, Bank of Scotland transferred extra 7 pounds into account 6422913728 (card numbers:5509890021024178, cvv:272, member since 2017, valid thru 01/2023, pin:111111, pbebank login ID: starryl, password: 12345abc )

Part one: I have often wondered about the proposition that for each of us there is one greater love in our lives, and only one even if that is not always true - experience tells most of us it is not real - there are those in legend at least who believe there is only one person in this world whom they will ever love with all their heart sincerely. Tristan persisted in his love of Isolde in spite of everything that happened; Orpheus would not have risked the Underworld, one imagines for anyone but Eurydice instead. Such stories are touching but the cynic might be forgiven for saying: yes, yet what if the person you love does not reciprocate? What if Isolde had found somebody else she preferred to Tristan or Eurydice had been indifferent to Orpheus in the end? The wise thing to do in cases of incomplete and unsatisfying affection is to look elsewhere because you certainly cannot force another human being to love you so choose somebody else then. In matters of the heart though, as in human affairs, few of us behave in a sensible way. We can do without love of course and claim that it does not really play a major part in our lives. We may do that but we still hope diligently and daily. Seeming indifferent to all the evidence, hope has a path of surviving every discouragement no matter what setback or reversal we face for hope sustains our souls and enables people to believe they will find the person we have dreamed of getting along with all the time. Sometimes in fact, this is what happens exactly. This story started when the two people involved were children. It began on a small island in the Caribbean, continued in Scotland and Australia and came to a head in Singapore. It took place over sixteen years, beginning as one of those intense friendships of childhood and becoming in time, something quite different too. This is the story of a sort of passion, definitely a love story and like many love stories it includes more than just two people for every love has within it the echoes of other lovers. Our story is often our parents’ story told again and with less variation than we might like to think. The mistakes, however often or few, are usually the same wrongdoings our parents committed before as human problems so regularly are. The Caribbean island in question is an unusual place like fairytale. Grand Cayman is still a British territory by choice of its nations rather than by imposition, one of the odd corners that survive from the monstrous shadow that Victoria cast over more than half the world. Today it is very much in the sphere of American influence - Florida is only a few hundred miles away and the cruise ships that drop anchor off George Town normally fly the flags of the United States or are American ships under some other flag of convenience. But the sort of money that the Cayman Islands attract comes from nowhere; has no nationality nor characteristic smell. Grand Cayman is not exciting to look at either on the map where it is a pin-prick in the expanse of blue to the south of Cuba and the west of Jamaica or in reality where it is a coral-reefed island barely twenty miles long and a couple of miles in width. With smallness comes some useful advantages, among them a degree of immunity to the hurricanes that roar through the Caribbean each year. Jamaica is a large and tempting target for these winds and is hit quite regularly. There is no justice nor mercy in the storms that flatten the houses of the poor places like Kingston or Port Antonio, wood plus tin constructions which are more vulnerable than bricks and mortar of the better-off. Grand Cayman, being relatively minuscule is actually missed although every few decades the trajectory of a hurricane takes it straight across the island. Since there are no natural salients, big part of the land is inundated by the resultant storm surge. People may lose their own possession to the huge wind - cars, fences, furniture, fridges and beloved animals can all be swept out to sea and never be seen anymore; boats end up under the trees, palm trees bend double and are broken with as much ease as one might snap a pencil or the stem of a garden plant somehow. Grand Cayman is not fertile anyway, the soil which is white and sandy is not so useful for growing crops and the whole land is left to its own devices, would quickly revert to mangrove swamp. Yet people have occupied the island for several centuries and scratched a living there. The original inhabitants were turtle-hunters who were later joined by various pirates and wanderers for whom a life far away from the prying eye of officialdom was attractive. There were obviously fishermen as this was long before over-fishing was an issue, and the reef brought abundant marine life. Then in the second half of the twentieth century, it occurred to a small group of people that Grand Cayman could become an off-shore financial centre. As a British territory it was stable, relatively incorrupt (by the standards of Central America and the shakier parts of the Caribbean), and its banks would enjoy the tutelage of the City of London a lot. Unlike some other states that might have nursed similar ambitions, Grand Cayman was an entirely safe zone to store money. “Sort out the mosquitoes,” they said. “Build a longer runway that allows the money to flow in, you’ll see. Cayman will take off soon.” Cayman rather than the Cayman Islands, is what people who live there call the place an affectionate shortening with the emphasis on the man instead of the word cay. Banks and investors agreed and George Town became the home of a large expatriate community, a few who came as tax exiles, but most of them were truly hardworking and conscientious accountants or trust managers. The locals watched with mixed feelings since they were reluctant to give up their quiet and rather sleepy way of life when they found it difficult to resist the prosperity the new arrivals brought. And they like the high prices they could get for their previous worthless acres. A tiny whiteboard home by the sea which was nothing special could now be sold for a price that could keep one in comfort for the rest of one’s life. For many, the temptation was simply great; an easy life was now within grasp for many Caymanians as Jamaicans could be brought in to do the manual labour, to serve in the restaurants frequented by the visitors from the cruise ships, to look after the bankers’ children. A privileged few were given good status as they named it, and were allowed to live permanently on the islands, these being the ones who were really needed or in some cases who knew the right people - the type who could ease the passage of their residence petitions. Others had to return to the places from which they came which were usually poorer, more dangerous and tormented by naughty mosquitoes. Many children do not choose their own names but she did when she grew up. She was born Sally, and was called that as a baby girl but at the age of four, having heard the nice name in a story, she chose to be called Clover for real. Initially her parents treated this indulgently, believing that after a day or two of being Clover she would revert to being Sally. Children got strange notions into their heads; her mother had read somewhere of a child who had decided for almost a complete week that he was a dog and had insisted on being fed from a bowl on the floor. But Clover refused to go back to being Sally and the name stuck until now. Clover’s father, David was an accountant who had been born and brought up in Scotland. After university he had started his professional training in London, in the offices of one of the largest international accountancy firms. He was particularly capable - he saw figures as if they were a landscape, instinctively understanding their topography and this smartness led to his being marked out as a high flier. In his first year after qualification, he was offered a spell of six months in the firm’s office in New York, an opportunity he already seized enthusiastically. He even joined a squash club and it was there in the course of a mixed tournament that he met the woman he was eager to marry. This woman was called Amanda and her parents were both psychiatrists who ran a joint practice on the Upper East Side. Amanda invited David back to her parents’ apartment after she had been seeing him for a month. They liked him but she could tell that they were anxious about her seeing somebody who might take her away from New York. She was an only child and she was the centre of their world. This young man as accountant was likely to be sent back to London, would want to take Amanda with him and they would be left in New York. They just put on a brave face on the prediction and said nothing about their hidden fears; shortly before David’s six months were up though, Amanda informed her parents that they wanted to become engaged. Her mother wept at the surprising news in private. The internal machinations of the accounting firm came to the rescue. Rather than returning to London, David was to be sent to Grand Cayman, where the firm was expanding its office. This was merely three hours’ flight from New York - through Miami - and would therefore be less of separation. Amanda’s parents were mollified. David and Amanda left New York and settled into a temporary apartment in George Town, arranged for them by the firm. A few months later they found a new house near an inlet called Smith’s Cove, not much more than a mile from town. They moved in a week or two before their official wedding which took place in a small church round the corner. They chose this church because it was the closest one to their home. It was largely frequented by Jamaicans who provided an ebullient choir for the occasion, greatly impressing the friends who had travelled down from New York for the good ceremony. Fourteen months later, Clover was born. Amanda immediately sent a photograph to her mother in New York: Here’s your lovely grandchild, look at her eyes and stare at her beautiful smile. She seemed perfect at two days! “Fond parents,” said Amanda’s father. His wife studied the photograph. “No,” she said. “She’s right.” He replied, “Born on a Thursday,” “Has far to go…” He frowned, “Far to go?” She explained, “The song you remember it, Wednesday’s child is full of woe; Thursday’s child has far to go in fact…” “That doesn’t mean anything much.” She shrugged, she had always felt that her husband lacked imagination recently, so many men did, she thought. “Perhaps that she’ll have to travel far to get what she desires. Travel far - or wait a long time maybe.” He laughed at the idea of paying attention to such small things. “You’ll be talking about her star sign next, what a superstitious behaviour. I have to deal with that all the time with my patients.” “I don’t take it seriously,” she said. “You’re too literal, these things like horoscopes are fun - that’s all.” He smiled at her, “Sometimes it is, but not every time.” Part two: The new parents employed a Jamaican nurse for their cute child. There was plenty of money for something like this - there is no income tax on Grand Cayman and the salaries are generous. David was already having the prospect of a partnership within three or four years dangled in front of him, something that would have taken at least a decade elsewhere. On the island there was nothing much to spend money on, and employing domestic staff at least mopped up some of the cash. In fact, they were both slightly embarrassed by the amount of money they had. As a Scot, David was frugal in his instincts and disliked the flaunting of wealth; Amanda shared this as well. She had come from a milieu where displays of wealth were not unusual but she had never felt comfortable about that. It struck her that by employing this Jamaican woman they would be recycling money that would otherwise simply sit in an account somewhere. More seasoned residents of the island laughed at this. “Of course you have staff - why so told? Half the year it’s too hot to do anything yourself anyway. Did think twice about the matter it seems.” Their advertisement in the Cayman Compass drew two replies yet one was from a Honduran woman who scowled through the interview which ought to last longer. “Resentment,” confided David, “That’s the way it goes. What are we in her eyes? Rich, privileged, maybe we will find anybody related…” “Can we blame her?” David shrugged, “Probably however but you can have somebody who hates you in the house nowadays?” The following day they interviewed a Jamaican woman called Margaret, she asked a few questions about the job and then looked about the whole room. “I saw a baby and it is extremely adorable and lovely.” They took her into the room where Clover was lying asleep in her cot. The air conditioner was whirring but there was that characteristic smell of a nursery - that drowsy milky smell of an infant. “Lord, just be mesmerized by her glowing body!” said Margaret. “That little angel.” She stepped forward and bent over the cot. The child now aware of her presence, struggled up through layers of sleep to open her eyes. “Little darling and sweetheart!” exclaimed Margaret, reaching forward to pick her up again. “She’s still sleepy,” said Amanda, “Maybe…” But Margaret had her in her arms now and was planting kisses on her brow. David glanced at Amanda who smiled proudly and exaggeratedly. He turned to Margaret, “When can you start?” “Right now, I start right now.” she said. They had asked Margaret everything about her circumstances at the interview such as it was and it was only a few days later that she told them about he lifestyle. “I was born in Port Antonio, my mother worked in a big hotel and she worked hard frequently, always trustworthy I tell you. There were four of us - me, my brother and two sisters. My brother’s legs ran a lot somehow one day he got mixed up with the crew who dealth with drugs and alcohol and he went all the way they went. My older sister was twenty then, she worked in an office in town and had a great job, she did it well because she had learned the most of English, computers, internet and science and had high memory. Until one morning she came home and there was a special letter, a message about her career and we just sat there and wondered what important clues to think. Someone had seen her and heard that she was professional and strong. Then we watched a movie on a cold night where a person drove a flying car that operates using solar system which we obviously fancied much to own the moments feeling light on the sky. Every day I reminisce the talented gifts from God above who controlled the widest universe ever, I understand he has his famous reasons to grant people the best techniques and shiny cars.” She continued her touching story, “Then somebody older reminded me I should travel to Cayman with her, this lady was a sort of talkative aunt to me and she arranged it with some relatives I was familiar with. I finally came over and met my charming husband who is Caymanian, one hundred per cent. He is extraordinarily good at fixing government fridges including bridges. He announced that I did have to labour because I want to sit in the house after that to wait for him to come back joyfully so that’s why I have taken this job, you see it made sense right?” Amanda listened to this conversation and thought about how suffering could be compressed into a few simple words: Then one day she just woke up and found someone new sitting next to her. And so could happiness be explainable in phrases such as a good young man who fixes fridges. There was a second child, Billy who arrived after another complicated pregnancy. Amanda went to Miami on the last day the airline would let her fly and then stayed until they induced labour. Margaret only came with David plus Clover to pick her up at the airport. She covered the new infant with red kisses just as she had done before. “He’s going to be very sincere and proficient,” she blessed, “You can tell it straight away with a boy child you know, you look at him and say: this one is going to be truly favorable and praised. Amanda laughed out loud, “Surely you must hope and rejoice for that but you will celebrate it someday.” Margaret shook her head, “You watch the birds and they know they feel their feathers are the main reason they are light in air. So they get to tell you when a storm is on the way every time.” And she could tell whether a fish was infected with ciguatera by a simple test she had learned from Jamaicans who claimed it always brings them up and enlightened. “You have to watch those reef fish,” she explained, “If they have the illness and you eat them you will get really sick and vomit. But you know who can tell whether a fish is sick? Ants. You eat the fish when it is thoroughly cooked or fried before ants let their sensitive gang gather around the tasty and delicious meal. You already know this fact as you learned in class.” Amanda said to David, “It could have been very different for Margaret.” “What could?” “Life, everything she had the chance to education was easy.” He was steady, “It’s early, she could go to school and the were relevant courses.” Amanda thought this was likely to occur, “She works here all day and there’s Eddie to look after and those dogs they have all this time.” “It’s her own life, if that’s what she craves for.” She kind of thought so, “Do you think people actually want their lives to the fullest potential? Or do you think they simply accept them? They take the lives they’re given mostly I assured you.” He had been looking at a sheaf of papers like figures and he put them to the talk, “We are getting philosophical are we?” They were sitting outside by the pool. The clear water reflected the bright sky, a shimmer of light blue lingered. She said, “Well these things are important otherwise.” “Yes?” “Otherwise we go through life knowing what we want or mean and that feels enough.” She realized that she had talked to him regarding these things they were doing so she suddenly saw he had something secret in his mind like questions. It was a single moment that she identify as the precise point when she used to fall in love with him. He picked up his papers, a paper clip that had been keeping them together had slipped out of position and now he manoeuvred it back. “Margaret?” he asked, “What about her? Will she have her children of her own?” She did answer him at first and he shot her an interested glance. “Need to tell? Has she spoken to you elsewhere?” he said. She had done so one afternoon but after extracting a promise that she would tell her heart there had been shame and tears. Two ectopic pregnancies had put paid to her hopes of a family. One of them had nearly killed her, such had been the loss of blood. The other had been detected earlier and quietly dealt with. He pressed her to reply, “Well? Even with me along.” “Yeah, I could discuss it later.” She looked at him, the thought of what she had just felt the sudden and expected insight that had come to her appalled her. It was like wind of faith must be for a priest to preach; the moment when he realises that he believes in many gods and everything he has done up to that point - his entire life really has been based on something that is visibly there; the grasp of time, self-motivation now all for the prize. Was this what happened in marriages? She had been fond of him and she had imagined that she would love him but now quite suddenly like a provoking incident it was as if he were a stranger to her - a disguised stranger. She relaxed her hands and seen him as an outsider so tall, well-built man who used to have everything in his way because others looked like him had the similar experience. But he might also be seen as a rather exciting person of habit, interested in figures and money and much more creative filming in between. She got dizzy at the thought of what, years of satisfaction ahead? Clover was eight now that Billy was four, fifteen years to go? She answered the riddle, “I swore to her I would mention it to anyone near that I assume you intended to know.” He agreed, “People think that spouses know everything and they usually do, people keep things from their spouses sometimes in cases of privacy.” She thought there might have been a note of criticism in what he said even of reproach but he even smiled at her and she was asking herself at that fast moment whether she would ever sleep with another man, while staying with David. If she could, then who would it be? “A bit, I mean she probably judged that you knew,” she said. He tucked the papers into a folder, “Silly woman, she loves kids too much and she is acting unfair and impolite.” There was an old sea-grape tree beside the pool and a breeze cool air from the sea, making the leaves sway just a little. She noticed the shadow of the leaves on the ground shifting, and then returning to where it was before. George Collins, if anyone, it would be with him. She felt the surge of disgust and disgrace, and found herself blushing shyly. She turned away lest he should notice but he was getting up from his reclining chair and had begun to walk over towards the pool. “I’m going to have a dip, it’s getting cozy, I hate this heat,” he said. He took off his shirt; he was already wearing swimming trunks. He slipped out of his sandals and plunged into the pool instantly. The splash of water was in that Hockney painting she thought, as white against the blue as surprised and sudden as that. George and Alice Collins had little to do with the rest of the expatriates. This was maybe because they were stand-offish or thought themselves a cut above the rest - it was more of a case of having different interests. He was a doctor but unlike most doctors on the island he was quite interested in building up a lucrative private practice. He ran a clinic that was mostly used by Jamaicans and Hondurans who had very little insurance and were eligible for the government scheme too. He was also something of a naturalist and had published a check-list of Caribbean flora and a small book on the ecology of the reef. His wife Alice was an artist whose watercolours of Cayman plants had been used on a set of the island’s postage stamps. They were polite enough to the money people when they met them on social occasions - inevitable in a small community, everybody eventually encounters everybody else but they did really like them at the same time. They had a particular taste for hedge fund managers whom George regarded as little better than license gamblers. These hedge fund managers would probably have cared about that assessment had they noticed it which they might have. Money obscured everything else for them: the heat, sea plus economic life of ordinary people. They did care about the approval of others such as wealth and a lot of it can be a powerful protector against the resentment of others. Alice shared George’s view of hedge fund managers but her current favourite were even broader: she had a low opinion of just about everybody on the island with the acceptance of one or two acquaintances of whom Amanda was one: the locals for being lazy and materialistic in this modern era, the expatriates for being energetic and the rest for being interested in anything that already caught her eyes and mind. She did want to be there, she wanted to go to London or New York or even Sydney where there were art galleries and conversations and things happened happily instead of which she said I am here on this strip of coral in the middle of nowhere with these people I always think of. It was a mistake she told herself, ever to come to the Caribbean in the first place. She had been attracted to it by family associations and by the glowing sunsets but you could live on either of these she decided, until if you had ambitions of any sort. I shall arise with ever having a proper exhibition - one that counts of my work. Neighbours will remember me anytime. The Collins house was about half a mile away from David and Amanda’s house and reached by a short section of unpaved track. It could be glimpsed from the road that joined George Town to Bodden Town but only just: George’s enthusiasm for the native plants of the Caribbean had resulted in a rioting shrubbery that concealed most of the house from view. Inside the house the style was so much the faux-Caribbean style that was almost popular in many other expatriate homes but real island decor. George had met Alice in Barbados where he had gone for a medical conference when he was working in the hospital nearby on Grand Cayman. He had invited her to visit him in the Caymans and she had done so. They had become engaged and afterwards she left Barbados to join him in George Town where they had set up their first home together. Much of their furniture came from a plantation house that had belonged to an aunt of hers who had lived there for thirty years and built up a collection of old pieces. Alice was Australian; she had gone to visit the aunt after she had finished her training as a teacher in Melbourne and had stayed longer than she intended. The aunt who had been childless had been delighted to discover a niece whose company she enjoyed. She had persuaded her to stay and had arranged a job for her in a local school. Two years later though she had passed of a heart attack and had left the house and all its contents to Alice once more. These had included a slave bell of which Alice was ashamed that was stored out of sight in a cupboard. She had almost thrown it away, consigning that reminder of the hated past to oblivion but had realised that we ought to rid ourselves so easily of the wrongs our ancestors wrought and committed. They had one obedient son, a boy who was a month older than Clover. He was called James, after George’s own father who had been a professor of medicine in one of the London teaching hospitals. Alice and Amanda had met when they were pregnant when they both attended a class run in a school hall in George Town by a natural childbirth enthusiast. Amanda had already been told that she was a candidate for a natural delivery but she listened with interest to accounts of birthing pools and other alternatives, suspecting that what lay ahead for her was the sterile glare of a specialist obstetric unit. Friendships forged at such classes like those made by parents waiting at the school gate can last and Alice and Amanda continued to see one another after the birth of their children. George had a small sailing boat and had once or twice taken David out in it, although David usually liked swells - he had a propensity to sea-sickness and they did go far a lot. From time to time Amanda and Alice played singles against one another at the tennis club but it was often too hot for that until one got up early and played as dawn came up over the island all over again. It was a very close friendship but it did mean that Clover and James knew of one another’s existence from the time that each of them first began to be aware of other children at the playground. And in due course they had both been enrolled at the small school, the Cayman Prep favoured by expatriate families. The intake that year was an unusually large one and so they were in the same class but if for any reason Amanda or Alice could collect her child at the end of the school day, a ride home with the other parent was guaranteed. Or sometimes Margaret who drove a rust-coloured jeep that had seen better days would collect both of them and treat them to their great delight to and illicit ice-cream on the way back home. Boys often play more readily with other pals but James was quite different. He was happy in the company of other boys but he seemed to be equally content to play with girls and in particular with Clover. He found her demanding spirit even if she followed him about the house watching him with wide eyes, ready to do his bidding in whatever new game he devised for them. When they had just turned nine, David who fancied himself as a carpenter made them a tree-house, supported between two palm trees in the back garden and reached by a rope ladder tied at one end to the base of the tree-house and at the other to two pegs driven into the ground. They spent hours in this leafy hide-out, picnicking on sandwiches or looking out of a telescope that James had carted up the rope ladder. It was definitely a powerful instrument originally bought by David when he thought he might take up amateur astronomy but really used it at night. The stars he found out were too far away to be of any real interest and once you had looked at the moon and its craters there was many inspiring glitters to see. But James found that with the telescope pointed out of the side window of the tree-house, he could see into the windows of nearby houses across the generously sized yards and gardens. Palm trees and sprays of bougainvillea could get in the way obscuring the view in some directions but there was still plenty to look at. He found a small notebook and drew columns in it headed House, People and Things Seen. “Why?” asked Clover as he showed her this notebook and its first few entries. “Because we need to keep watch,” he answered, “There might be spies you know. We had seen them from up here.” She nodded in agreement, “And if we saw them, what will happen?” “We’ll have the evidence,” he said, pointing to the notebook. “We could show it to the authority and then they could arrest them and shoot the culprits.” Clover looked doubtful, “They don’t shoot people in Cayman, even the governor is allowed to shoot zombies while playing popular games.” “They’re allowed to shoot spies,” James countered. She adjusted the telescope so that it was pointing out of the window and then she leaned forward to peer through it. “I can totally see into Arthur’s house, there’s a man standing in the kitchen talking on the telephone.” “I’ll note that down, he must be a spy,” said James. “He might be, It’s Mr Arthur, Teddy’s father.” “Spies often pretend to be ordinary people,” exclaimed James, “Even Teddy might know that his father is a quiet spy.” She wanted to please him and so she kept the records assiduously. Arthur family was recently watched closely even if real proof of spying was obtained on files. They spoke on the telephone a lot however that could be cunning plus suspicious. “Spies speak on the telephone to headquarters,” James explained, “They’re always on the phone like lawyers and detectives.” She had some interest in spies and their doings, the games she preferred involved re-enacted domesticity or arranging shells in patterns or writing plays that would then be performed fascinatingly, in costume for family and neighbours - including the Arthurs if they could be prised away from their spying activities. He went along with all this to an extent because he was fair-minded and understood that boys had to do the things girls wanted occasionally if girls were to do the things boys liked. Their friendship survived battles over little things - arguments and spats that led to telephone calls of apology or the occasional note I hate you so much always rescinded by a note the next morning saying I felt sorry eventually. “She’s your girlfriend, is she?” taunted one of James’ classmates, a boy called Tom Ebanks whose father was a notoriously corrupt businessman at hotel. “Well she’s just a normal friend.” Tom Ebanks smirked, “She lets you kiss her? You put your tongue in her mouth like this and wiggle it all around?” “I told you honestly, she’s just a friend.” “You’re going to make her pregnant? You know what that is, how to do it secretly?” He lashed out at the other mate and cut him above his right eye. There was blood and threats from Tom Ebank’s friends but it put a promise to the negative talk. He did care if they thought she was his girlfriend. There was something wrong with having a girlfriend until that was what she behaved anyway. She was alike any of the boys really, a true friend indeed. She had always stayed around, so simple as storybooks’ characters. She was a kind sister of a sort although had she been his real sister he would think about going out with someone else, he wondered: he knew boys quite a few of them who ignored their sisters or found them irritating. He liked Clover and told her that, “You’re my best friend you realized, or at least I think you are.” She had responded warmly, “And you’re definitely mine too.” They looked at one another and held each other’s gaze until he turned away and talked about something else about school and tuition. Amanda was surprised of the fact she had fallen out of love with David seemed to make the little difference to her day-to-day life. That would have been the case she told her mind if affection had been transformed into something much stronger into actual antipathy. But she could dislike David who was generous and equably tempered man. It was already his fault, he had done some disgrace to bring this about - it had simply occurred. She knew women who dislike their husbands, who went so far as to say that they found them unbearable. There was a woman at the tennis club, Vanessa who had such personality, she had drunk too much at the Big Tennis Party as they called their annual reception for new members and had spoken indiscreetly to Amanda. “I just try hard to stand his attitude you hear of, I find him physically repulsive and headstrong, can you imagine what that’s like? When he puts his hands on me?” Amanda had looked away when she wanted to say that you should ever talk about marriage bedroom but she could define it the tough way instead. That’s embarrassing and private of course but it sounded approving. “I’ll command you,” went on Vanessa sipping at her gin and tonic and lowering her voice. “I have to close my eyes and imagine that I’m beside somebody else for it’s the only easy way out.” She paused, “Have you ever done that?” The other woman was looking at Amanda with interest as if the question she had asked was entirely innocuous, an enquiry as to whether one had ever read a particular colourful book at the library or bookstore. Amanda shook her head, but I did, she thought. “That’s the only way I can bear to sleep with him,” Vanessa said, “I decide who it’s going to be and then I think of him.” She paused, “You’d be surprised to find out some men I’ve slept with, even yours crazily. In my mind I’ve been very socially successful.” Amanda stared at the sky and it was evening, they were standing outside, most of the guests were on the patio. The sky seemed clear, white stars against dark velvet. “Have you thought of leaving him behind at the woods or forest?” Vanessa laughed sarcastically, “Look at these nearly naked people.” She gestured to the other guests around. One saw the gesture and waved excitingly, Vanessa smiled back. “Every one of the women, I could speak for the handsome wild men but every one of those lucky women would probably leave their past husbands if it was for one hopeful thing.” “I could assume this topic would go far.” “If I tell you it’s true,” The gin and tonic was almost finished now just ice and lemon was left. “Money keeps them all the time, it’s proven at statistics and votes.” “So much true, surely women have wide options nowadays. Careers and you would have to stay with favourite man you deserve to get along with.” “See you’re wrong, you have to stay because you can do otherwise right? What does this tennis club cost? What does it cost to buy a mansion or tall house here? Two millions dollars for something vaguely habitable. Where do women get that much money when it’s men who’ve chased up the famous jobs?” She glared at Amanda for an answer, “So it’s real?” “It’s very good.” “Yeah, it’s a selective choice to choose.” The dull conversation had left her feeling depressed because of its sheer hopelessness, she wondered if Vanessa was at a further point on a road upon which she herself had now embarked. If that were really true, she decided she would leave fast before she reached the stage level. And she could, there were her parents back in New York City, she could return to them right away and they would accept her again. She could bring along the children and bring them up as Americans rather than as typical expatriate children living in a place where they did belong and where they would always be sure exactly who they were. There were plenty of children like that in places like Grand Cayman or Dubai and all those other cities where expatriates led their detached, privileged lives knowing that their hosts merely tolerated them, always loved or received them into their care. But she thought then she had so much difficulty living with David. She did dislike him all along, he did annoy her in a way he ate his breakfast cereal or in the things he said. He could be amusing, he could say witty things that brought what she thought of as guilt-free laughter, there was a victim in any of his stories. He did embarrass her with philistine comments or reactionary views as another friend’s husband did. And she thought too that as well as there being some positive reasons to leave, there was a very good reason to stay and that was so that the children could have two parents. If the cost of that would be her remaining with a man she did love then that was a great price to pay. “What an amazing woman,” said Margaret one morning. “She’s going to achieve high goals day by day.” “What woman?” asked Amanda. Margaret was one of those people who made the assumption that you knew all their friends and acquaintances. They were standing in the kitchen where Margaret was cooking one of her Jamaican stews. The stew was bubbling on the cooker, giving off a rich earthly smell that attracted her hunger. “She works in that house on the corner, the big fancy one. She’s worked there a long time but they treat her like a stranger.” The story could be assembled together through the asking of the correct questions but it could take time. “Who does treat her right? Her employees?” “Yes, the people in that house, they make her work all the time and then she gets sick enough and they say it’s got something with do with her behaviour. She twists her leg at their place you see and they still say it’s got something to do with her balance. Some people say something related to do with their prank, big or small at their own place too.” “I consider.” “So now the leg is fixed by that useful doctor. He kills more people than he saves at the pool that one. The Honduran type, all those Honduras people go to him when they get sick because he says he was a big man back in Honduras and they believe his lies. You predict what they do in life. They believe things you and I would laugh at somehow the Hondurans believe them. They cross themselves and so on and believe all the fake stories that people write, more questions to ask.” She elicited the story slowly. A Honduran maid, a woman in her early fifties had slipped at the poolside in the house of a wealthy expatriate couple. They were french tax exiles, easily able to afford for their maid to see a reputable doctor but had washed their hands of the matter. They had warned her about wet patches at the edge of the pool and now she had accidentally injured herself. It was cruelly her fault like their pain. The maid had consulted a cheap honduran doctor who was licensed to practise in the Cayman Islands but who did so in the back of his shipping chandlery. Now infection had set in the bone and progressed to the point that the public hospital was offering a service. There was an ulcer that needed dressing too. The leg could be saved, Margaret said but it would be extravagant. “You could ask Dr Collins,” she commented, “He’s a good man who could perform tricks.” “Has he seen her?” Amanda asked. Margaret shooke her head, “She’s too frightened to go and see him. Money is the ultimate solver. Doctors are busy when you sit at their waiting room so eagerly.” “He acts like that, so clever.” “Well as they say, but this woman is too frightened to go.” There was an expectant silence. “All right, I’ll take her on my own,” said Amanda. It was onerous, and she realized that she wanted to see him in her dreams. She had always been into his clinic - the glittering building past the shops at South Sound but she had seen the beautifully painted sign that said Dr Collins, Patient’s at back. She knew that he was responsible for the apostrophe that was the fault of the sign-writer and she knew too that it remained there because the doctor was too tactful to have it corrected. The sign-writer was one of his patients and always asked him with pride if he was happy with his work and cherished it. “Of course I am Wallis, I would change a word of it” the doctor said to Alice. Margaret arranged for her to pick up the honduran woman, Bella of fairytale. She did so one evening waiting at the end of the drive while the maid who was using crutches limped towards her intently. “My legs are running,” she said as she got into the car. “Swollen, I’m sorry it smells bad too, I try to help myself with healing it.” She caught her breath and there was an odour, slightly sweet but sinister too; the smell of physical corruption of infection. She wondered how this could go untreated in a place of expensive cars and air conditioning. But it did of course, illness and infection survived in the interstices even where there was money and the things that money bought. All they needed was human flesh, oxygen and indifference or hardness of heart perhaps. She reached out and put a hand onto the maid’s forearm. “I did mind and I noticed your smile.” The maid quickly looked at her, “You’re very aware of my situation.” Amanda thought, am I? Or would anybody do this chess game surely anyone like it? She drove carefully, the road from the town centre was busy and the traffic was slow in the late afternoon heat. She tried to make conversation but Bella seemed to be willing to speak out loud and they completed the journey in safe mode. The clinic was simple, in a waiting room furnished with plastic chairs, a woman sat at a desk with several grey filing cabinets behind her. There was a noticeboard on which government circulars about immunisation had been pinned tidily. A slow-turning ceiling fan disturbed the air sufficiently to flutter the end of the larger circulars. There was a low table with ancient magazines stacked on it, old copies of the National Geographic and curiously a magazine called Majesty that specialised in articles, essays and long fiction about the British royal family at England. A younger member of that family looked out from the cover. Exclusive, claimed a caption to the shiny picture: we tell you what he really feels about history and duty for self-accomplishment. Amanda spoke to the woman at the desk sucking in the air-condition. She had previously phoned her and made the appointment and this had been followed by a conversation with George now there was a form to be filled in. She offered this to Bella who recoiled from it out of ancient instinctive habit. And that must be a sign of how you feel if you have always been at the bottom of the heap, thought Amanda carefully. Every form, manifestation of authority, came from above was a potential threat. “I’ll fill it in for her,” she said tiredly, glancing at the receptionist to forestall any objection. But there was mystery. “That’s fine, as long as we have her name and date of birth, easy to deal with.” said the woman politely. They sat on adjoining chairs, she smiled back at Bella, “It’ll be all right.” “They said at the hospital like that.” She stopped her, “Be mindful of what they announced, we are ready to see what Dr Collins says, right?” Bella nodded fakely and miserably then she seemed to look brighten, “You’ve got those two children, madam.” “I’m only Amanda for real, be justified.” “Same as my type, two, boy and a girl. You have that Clover? I’ve seen her so pretty and delightful.” “Thank you for praising kid, yours?” “They’re with their grandmother in Puerto Cortes, in Honduras.” “You must miss them in time.” “Yes every moment especially now I do.” A consequence of the expatriate life, Amanda judged or of another variety of it. The door behind the receptionist’s desk opened. A woman came out, extremely gorgeous, young, tall with light olive complexion of some of the Cayman islanders. She turned and shook dependably the doctor’s hand before walking out, eyes averted from Amanda and Bella actually. “Mrs Rose?” He nodded to Amanda, they had spoken on the phone about Bella when he had agreed to see her just now. Bella looked anxiously at Amanda, “You must come too.” Amanda caught George’s eyes. “If she wants you in, that’s fine, all right? Mrs Rose she can come in with you anytime.” he said naturally. They later went into the doctor’s office. The receptionist had preceded them and was fitting a fresh white sheet to the examination couch. Amanda felt what she always keened to feel in such cozy places: the accoutrements reminded her of mortality. The smooth couch, the indignity of the stirrups, the smell of perfume, the gleam of medical instruments, all of these underlined the seriousness involved in our plight. Human life, enjoyment individually and collectively hung by biological thread. Bella lay on the couch wincing as she stretched out her legs. Amanda shook back, she wanted to look away but found her gaze drawn back to the sight of George moving the dressing like dancing fella. His touch looked gentle, he stopped for a moment when Bella gave a grimace of pain. “I’m quite surprised that this is very nasty,” he said awkwardly. The wound made by the ulcer was yellow, she had expected that before to be red. He probed gently with an instrument. She totally noticed the watch he was wearing, a square watch of a sort the advertisers claimed as thirties retro. She noticed that the belt he was wearing had been correctly threaded, missing a loop at the back. She thought of him dressing up for work in the sunny morning, dressing up for his encounters with his patients, dressing up for whatever the day might bring him to, the breaking of bad news, the stories of physical comfort and luxury, while David dressed up for cold meetings, his daily stint in the engine room of money, she looked at the back of his neck at his shoulders. Suddenly Bella reached out a hand towards her. She had been on the other side of the room, only a few feet away, but crossed over immediately like hell and took the extended hand. She saw that there were tears in the honduran woman’s eyes. George turned away from Bella and addressed Amanda. “She needs proper hospital treatment. Intravenous medicines at the very late night. There might need to be some surgical implant of tissues and skins. They’ll need to get the infection under control.” She whispered, “There’s problem solved soon, they will send her off-island.” He shook his head, “There are some good people in Kingston. Medical missionaries from Florida. They have a first-class surgeon who knows all about these infections. I’ve used them in history class. If we can get her to hold them.” He looked down at Bella and laid his hand on the sofa. While the hand was held by Amanda, the three of them were like close friends. “I’ll try betting for free. It sounds easy, nice and cute.” “Awesome, that’s active of your spirit. They’ll continue to take care of the rest.” He let go of Bella’s hand and turned to the receptionist. “Can you put on a clean dressing please, Annie?” He drew Amanda aside, “Why has this been allowed to get to this tough point? Was there anybody knowledgeable?” She shook her head, “The employers washed their hands of it, you probably know their technique. That french couple on the corner are part of the issue.” He suddenly raised his eye brows, “They’re truly wealthy.” “That’s for sure like all the time.” He sighed, “You said that it happened at work? In the housing area?” “She slipped at work.” He asked whether she could get to the lawyer. “There are enough of them, this place is crawling with lawyers upstairs.” “They work for the banks.” “Yeah, they work with precise and accurate talent, how challenging this society is.” After the dressing had been changed, George helped Bella off the couch. He explained that he would try to make an appointment for her to see somebody tomorrow who would make arrangements for her to go to a hospital in Jamaica. Bella said okay fine but nodded her assent. “A drink to please?” said George as he showed Amanda out. She felt her heart leap in decision, “Why yes after I’ve taken Mrs Rose home.” “Great, the Grand Old House? An hour’s time at evening?” he suggested with a grin. “I could have been there for ages, the mansion seems crowded.” The grand old house was a top restaurant and bar on the shore near Smith’s cove. At night you could sit out at the front and watch the lights of boats on the water. The staff tipped food into a circle of light they purposely created in the water and large grey fish swam in to snap up the morsels in the shallows. She thought about the invitation as she drove home. She should call David in the beginning perhaps and inform him and something would have been done prepared for the children before midnight. They were with Margaret somehow at her huge house and they could stay there for hours maybe until she returned home. Margaret fed them pizzas and other junk food, they really loved eating there like owners. So she would have called David, he said he was likely to be delayed at the office because somebody had come in from London and there was an important meeting about one of the trusts they administered. He might be back until ten or even afterwards. Back at the house after dropping off Bella she had a quick swim in the pool to cool off. Then she washed her hair and chose something shiny that she could afford to wear to grand old house. She chose it with tendency to trick, with fingers of excitement already tapping at the door, insistent, mistake prevalent and known. They had decided to investigate more closely what was happening at the Arthur house. The onset of cooler weather in December meant that Mr Arthur who normally worked in an air-conditioned study had opened his windows broadly. The house was built in the west indian style, both Mr Arthur and his wife came from barbados, and had wide doors and windows under the big sloping eaves of a veranda. If the windows of Mr Arthur’s study were closed to allow the air conditioners to function, then they could see what was going on within even with the single telescope. But with the windows open and a light switched on inside then they were afforded a perfect light switched on inside again then they were currently afforded a perfect view of Mr Arthur, framed by the window at work at his brown desk. “What does he do?” asked James. “He just sits there and uses his phone, is he spying on his relatives?” “Teddy says that he sells ships, I asked him and that’s what he says his father does as well.” JAMES LOOKED DOUBTFUL. “WHERE ARE ALL THE SHIPS? IN HIS YARD?” SHE AGREED THAT IT WAS TRUE STORY. “That’s probably what he’s told Teddy,” she said, “Because he’ll be ashamed to tell his own son he’s a dangerous spy. Spies do like their family to know behind doors. “Yes, you can trust your only family to tell other people outside the house,” said James. One afternoon, they saw a man come into the study. Clover was at the telescope but yielded her place to James. “Look, somebody has come to see him.” She said. James crouched at the telescope. “What’s happening now?” she asked. “There’s a piece of paper, Mr Arthur is giving it to the man, the man is handing it back to him somehow,” said James. “And now? Go on.” He hesitated, “Now, he’s burning it, he set fire to the paper foolishly.” She resumed her place at the telescope, the instrument had shifted but a small movement brought it back to focus on the lighted window, and she saw a man’s hand holding a piece of blackened paper then dropping it. “Burning the evidence, he could have torn it instead,” she said. “The codes are gone into ashes,” James said. They stared at each other in silence, awed by the importance of what they had just seen. “We’re going to do something fast,” James said at last. “Such as?” She waited for his reply. “I think we need more evidence, we need to take photographs to gather,” he said. She asked how they would do that. “We go and see Teddy then we take photographs while we arrive there.” “Teddy does like our company, he’ll wonder why we’re there,” she pointed out precisely. That was an insurmountable problem in James’ view. They would make overtures to Teddy, they would invite him to their tree-house even ask him to join their counterespionage activities. “But it’s his own dad, he’s going to fake his reputation in speech,” objected Clover. “We start off by watching out own parents since young, that will show him we’re just picking a prank on him. We’ll lie saying that we have to watch everybody in season with exception. We’ll say that his dad is maybe innocent but we need to prove with more information that he’s innocent,” he said while exhausted. “That will produce good result,” she agreed. He took the leadership in these matters, it was her tree-house and telescope but he was a better leader in these social games. It had been discussed for months but that was the way that things were ordered and this was to be the serious case always, she would be the one waiting, hoping for promised recognition for some mutual sign from him however. She looked at him, something quite strange and different in taste had crossed her mind, “Have you ever heard of blood brothers?” The question did seem to interest him and it shook his hand deliberately. He shrugged. “Well have you in some way?” she pressed on. “Maybe but it sounds stupid and ridiculous.” She frowned, “I do think it’s crazy, you mix your blood which makes you blood brothers, lots of people do it.” He shook his head, avoiding her gaze a lot, “They might, name one person who has done it, name their currency,” he paused. “Lane Bodden, he’s a blood brother with Lucas Jones, he told me earlier. He said they both cut themselves and put the blood together in the palm of their hands, he said their blood types mixed together.” “You can get things from that, like other guy’s germs. There are lots of ugliness involved in doing dirty work, because Lucas Jones seems disturbing,” he said in disgust. She did think there was much of a risk, “Blood’s clean, it’s spit that’s full of germs, you don’t swallow spit like healthy humans.” “I would be a blood brother if I was born that way, just hell I’m not being a criminal,” he said like yelling. She hesitated, “We could be blood family just you and me if you prefer it.” “You’re joking, get sensible in your idea,” he looked at her incredulously. “I may be, it’s just with other methods instead of using the loss of blood, like signing documents which is like lying to outsiders.” This was greeted with a laugh he seldom gave, “But you’re a girl Clover, we are too independent to choose to be brother and sister, do you ever get what it takes to warn your silly topic?” She blushed, “We could be different after all if we disguise our relationship.” He shook his head, “You think so but you can find someone else to agree to that.” Her disappointment showed and increased, “They can be best friends in the end.” He rose to his feet, “I have to go, sorry.” “Because of what I discussed about? You want to hide your mind from my problematic attitude?” “I have to go home that’s all, I’m just tired.” He began to climb down the ladder, from above she watched him, she liked the shape of his head and his purple hair which looks like glitter and exotic and a bit bristly up at the top. Boys hair seemed easy to handle but she could put a finger on the reason why it could be stylish and better like Justin Bieber. Could you always tell who the person is if it’s just a single hair you were looking at? Could you define its identity under a microscope? That was a crazy science. He reached the bottom of the ladder and looked up at her and smiled. She loved his smile and the way his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. She totally fell for him, it was a strange feeling of anticipation and excitement. It started in her stomach she thought, and then worked its way up. She slipped her hand under her T-shirt and felt her heart. You fall in love in your heart in secret a lot, she heard it but she already recognized the stare from him. Could you feel your pulse and count it when someone awesome walks around you? How is that possible? Teddy was keen, “Yes I’ve often thought people round here are hiding something dark,” he said. “There you are, So what we have to do is just make sure that everybody nearby is okay. We check up on them first and then we move on to other people. We’ll find out soon enough who’s a spy all these years,” said James. “Nice idea, how do you do it?” said Teddy who looked troubled in thoughts and puzzled in clues. “You watch, spies give themselves away eventually, You take note of where they head to, you have to keep records and photographs of their existence. I’ve got a camera to use soon,” Clover explained. “Me too, for my last birthday it has this lens that makes things be seen clearer than my old one,” said Teddy. “Zoom lens, good,” said James knowingly. “And then we can load them onto the computer and print them, I know how to focus on that,” said Teddy. “We can begin with your dad just for practice,” said James casually. Teddy shook his head, “Why begin with him? How about yours which you already want to live with?” James glanced at Clover. “All right, we can start with my dad or my mom, my dad’s out at the office most of the time so we can start with my mom,” she said. “Doing what?” asked Teddy. Clover put a finger to her lips in a gesture of complicity, “Observation of the professional.” He was there when she reached the bar which is the way she wanted it to be. If she had arrived at the Grand Old house first then she would have had to sit there in public looking awkward. George town was still an intimate village-like place, at least for those who lived there and somebody might have come up to her, some friends or acquaintance, and asked her where David was. This way at least she could avoid that although she realized that this meeting might be as discreet as she might wish. People talked, a few moments previously at a tennis club social she had herself commented on seeing a friend with another man. It could have been innocent of course and probably was but she had spoken to somebody about it. Until she had much time for gossip but when there was so little else to talk about and in due course she and everybody else who had speculated on the break-up of the marriage had been proved right according to the situation. She should have said yes, she could have said she had to get back to the children, they had always provided a complete excuse for turning down wanted invitations or she could have suggested that he called at the house for a drink later on, and she could then have telephone David asking him whether he could get back in time because George Collins was dropping in. And David would have told her to explain to George about his meeting and that would have been her off the hook, able to entertain another man at the house in complete propriety. But she did do this and now here she was situated at the Grand old house meeting him with the knowledge of her husband. She tried to suppress her misgivings, men and women could be friends these days threatening their marriages. Men and women worked together, collaborated on projects, served on committees with one another. Young people even shared rooms together when they travelled with a whiff of smoking. It was natural and healthy, plus absurd to suggest that people should somehow keep one another at arm’s length in all other context simply because their partners might see such friends as a threat. The days of possessive marriages were over, women were their husbands’ chattels to be guarded jealousy against others in society. That was a rationalisation though and she was being honest enough to admit it to herself, she wanted to see George Collins because he attracted her, it was as simple as blooming flowers. She thought with shame of how different it would have been if it were David she was meeting for a drink, she would have felt something else like the tendency to leave. Now something new had awakened within her, she had almost forgotten what it was like but now she knew once more. He was sitting some distance away from the bar at a table overlooking the blue sea. When he saw her come in he simply nodded although he rose to his feet as she approached the table. He smiled at her as she sat down. “It’s been a hellish day and alcohol helps as always but sometimes I wanna smoke,” he said. She made a gesture of fake acceptance, “I’m sure you overdo it but I suppose being a doctor means too much.” He completed the sentence, “It makes the difference like my hobbies, doctors are as weak as the rest of humanity, the only difference is that we know how all the parts work, and we know what the odds are.” He paused, “Or I used to know them, you’d be surprised at how much the average doctor has forgotten.” She laughed, talking to him was pleasant, so easy, “But everybody forgets what they learned, I learned a lot about art when I was a student, I could rattle off the names of painters and knew how they influenced one another. Nowadays I’ve forgotten anyone’s dates.” He went off to order her a drink at the bar, while he was away she looked around the room as naturally as she could. There could be somebody she was familiar with here when she relaxed. They raised their glasses to one another. “Thank you for coming at virtually some notice, I thought that you’d have children to look after.” “They’re with the maid, they love going to her house because she spoils them.” He nodded, “Jamaican?” “Yes.” “They love children, does that sound patronizing?” he stopped himself. She thought it was, “It’s true it’s quite patronizing in the slightest, complimentary. I’d have thought Italians love children too.” “Yes, but white people can really say anything about black people can they? Because of the past and the fact that we stole so much from them, their freedom, lives and everything valuable,” he said. “You might, but I was in another land.” He looked into his glass, “Our grandparents did.” “I thought it was a bit before that, how long do people have to say sorry?” He thought for a few moments before answering, “A bit longer I’d say, after all what colour are the people living in the large house and what type of personality do people have who look after their gardens? What colour are the maids? What does it tell us?” He paused. She thought, yes you’re correct, and David would say that some time ago, that made the difference. “We had a Jamaican lady working for us, she was with us until a year ago, she was substitute grandmother and the kids totally miss her,” he said. “They surely would.” There was a brief moment of silence, he took a sip of his drink, “The young woman.” “Bella?” “Mr Rose.” “Yes that’s Bella’s other name.” He looked up at the ceiling, “It makes my blood boil.” She waited for him to continue. “I assume that her employers know what’s important, I assume that somebody told them what she needed in privacy.” “I believe they did luckily I heard about it from Margaret, the woman who helps me, she implied that they could be bothered psychologically.” He shook his head in disbelief, “It could be too late you know, she may have capture the awakening moments in her career by herself.” “Well at least you have tried, this person in Kingston, who is he? Is he a superstar or actor?” “He’s a general surgeon, an increasingly rare breed. He does anything and everything under control. He used to be in one of the big hospitals in Miami but he retired early and went off to this clinic in Kingston, they’re rather Lutherans I suspect, missionaries involving interested people who still belong to this planet.” “Do you think he’ll be able to solve this?” He nodded, “I phoned him just before I came here. He says that he’ll see her tomorrow, we took the liberty of booking her on the Cayman Airways flight first thing, I’ve got my nurse to go round and let her know.” She told him that she would reimburse him for the flight, and he thanked her ultimately, “It’s so common and likely to occur again.” “Infections like that?” “True, but I meant it’s more common for people to let their domestic workers fend for themselves. I see those people every day of the week. Filipina maids, any number of Jamaicans, Haitians and a lot more.” She said that she had heard about the way he helped, “It’s very good of you today.” He brushed aside the praise, “I have to do it, it’s my job and I’m an intelligent doctor, I’m sort of a hero or saviour in my job, that’s the way things flow, you just do what you were trained to do and commit yourself properly same as anybody.” She watched him, she could tell that he was comfortable talking about his work and she decided to change the subject, although they had known one another for years and maybe decades, she knew very little about him. She knew that he was British that Alice was Australian, and that they kept to themselves much of the time. Apart from that she knew something hidden in meaning, she asked him the obvious question, the one that expatriates asked each other incessantly. How did you end up here? He smiled, “The question of the day, everybody asks it regardless of age, it’s as if they can hardly believe that anybody would make a conscious, freely made choice to come to this crowded place.” “Well it’s what we all consider doing right?” He agreed, “I suppose it is, in so far as we have any curiosity about our fellow islanders, I’m sure if I find myself wanting to know about some of them, does that sound snobbish?” He hesitated. “It must depend on which ones you’re thinking of.” “The rich ones, I find their shallowness distasteful. And they thoroughly worship money,” he said. “Then it does sound snobbish in time and anyway we all know why they’re here. It’s the others who are interesting, the people who’ve come from somewhere else for other reasons, just because they’re avoiding tax.” He looked doubtful, “Are there many of those?” “Some people come for straightforward jobs, David did once.” She felt that she had to defend her husband who was so obsessed with money as many others were, he was interested in figures, and there was a significant difference. He was quick to agree, “Of course I was talking about people like David.” She decided to be direct, “So how did you end up here?” He shrugged, “Ignorance.” “Of what?” “Of what I was coming to, when I saw the advertisement in the British Medical Journal the ad that brought me here, I had to go off and look the Caymans up in the atlas, I had the idea where they were responsible at. I thought they were somewhere down near Samoa. That shows how much I cared.” “So you took the job instead?” “Yes I had just finished my hospital training in London, I was offered the chance to go to a surgical job also in London but somehow I felt that to do that precisely would be just too obvious plus predictable. So I looked in the back pages of the BMJ and saw an advertisement from the Caymans government, it was for a one year job in the hospital, somebody had gone off to have a baby and there was a one year position I thought why it sounds so dramatic.” “And so you came out here?” “Yeah I came to do a job which I already did and then I met Alice. My job at the hospital came to an end but I applied for a permit to do general practice and I got it. The rest is history as they say.” She smiled at the expression, the rest is golden opportunity, that meant things that happened like everything beyond stories and normal chats, the moss, acquisitions, children, inertia, love plus seldom despair. She looked about her profile before. A group of four people, two couples had come into the bar and had taken their places at a table on the other side of the room. They were locals plus wealthy Caymanians who had what David called that look about them. They did carry their wealth lightly, she thought she might have seen one of the women before somewhere, but she could be sure of the details. People like them kept to themselves to their own circles, they disliked the expatriates, only tolerating them because they seemed useful, they needed the banks and trust and law firms because with their security all they had were mangrove swamps, beaches and ugly reefs. George had said something else to her that she missed hearing while being distracted by the newcomers. “Sorry I was paying attention to other customers,” she said. “I said just nowm how long are you and David going to stay?” She sipped at a drink that he bought her, a gin and tonic in which the ice was melting fast. She shrugged, “Until he retires, which heaven knows when, another twenty or fifteen years?” She puts down her glass, “And you?” “I’d leave tomorrow.” She was surprised and it showed. “Are you shocked at this news?” he asked. “Maybe, it’s just that I thought you were so cold and settled here. I’ve always imagined that you and Alice were happy.” For a moment he said something silently, she saw him look out of the window past the line of white sand on which the hotel lights shone, into the darkness beyond which was the sea. Then he said, “I only stay because these nice people, my patients depend a lot on my accuracy. It’s an odd thing I could say to them that I was packing up and leaving but somehow I will bring myself to do it. Some of them actually rely on me, you know that must be easy. So if you said to me here’s your freedom, I’d go tomorrow to anywhere. Anywhere bigger than here like America, Australia, the States or Canada. Anywhere that’s the opposite of a ring of coral and some sand in the middle of the Caribbean.” She stared at him for a second, “You’re unhappy?” She had not intended to say it out but the words slipped out. “Not unhappy in the sense of being miserable, I get along I suppose. Maybe I should just say that I’d like to be leading another life. But then plenty of people might say that about their lives.” She looked at his hands, she thought they were shaking, perhaps. “And how about Alice?” she asked. He looked back at her, “She’s not too happy, she doesn’t like this place very much, she’s bored with it. But in her case there’s something else far more important. You see Alice is completely in love with me without fear. As most wives were with their husbands, they’re possibly friends, they are used to their habit and convenience. With her it’s something quite unlike that. She lives for me since I’m her reason. I’m her life’s courage and ecstasy.” She whispered now, nobody could hear them but the intimacy of the conversation dictated a whisper, “And you? How do you feel exactly?” He shook his head, “I’m sorry I wish I could give you a better answer but I can’t dislike her. I’m not in love with her yet. Maybe things will change.” “Like me?” she said. For a moment he did not react, and she wondered whether he heard her feelings deep down. In a way she hoped that he had not. She should never have said that. It was a denial of her marriage, an appalling thing to say. David had done nothing to deserve it but then Alice had done nothing either. They were both victims. Then he said, “I see that makes two of us being trapped in thoughts.” David came home from the office at nine-thirty that night which was two hours after Amanda had returned from the Grand old house. She had collected the children from Margaret’s care and settled them in their rooms. They were full of pizza and popcorn washed down she suspected with coloured and sweetened liquids. But they were tired too, Clover had played basketball with Margaret’s niece and Billy had exhausted himself in various energetic games with the dogs. They took some time to drift off and were both asleep by the time she went down the corridor to check up on them. She like to stand in the doorway and watch her children as they slept, her gaze lingering on the faces she loved so much. That evening she stood for longer than usual, thinking of the stakes in the game she had started. One ill thought out, impulsive act could threaten so much in flirting with adultery she had thrown her children’s futures onto the gaming tables but it was not too late. She would stop it right there before anything else happened drastically. All she had done was to sit and talk with another man, a doctor to whom she had delivered a patient who had suggested a drink at the end of a difficult day. That was all that mattered, there had been discreet assignation on the beach, some old furtive meeting in a car, they had so much tolerated each other and nobody had seen them anyway. She turned out the children’s lights and made her way back into the kitchen. She would have to eat alone, David had left a message on the answering machine that they would be getting something sent in to eat at the meeting, there was a restaurant in town that dispatched Thai food in containers to the office when required, at any time of day or night, she would have something similar and simple, scrambled eggs and toast or spaghetti bolognese: the adult equivalent of nursery food. Then she would have an early night and be asleep by the time he came back. She ate her simple meal quickly. The night was hot and in spite of the air conditioning her clothes seemed to be sticking to her, it must be the fan. She got up from the table, not bothering to clear her plate away, Margaret could do that in the morning. She went outside out of the chilled cocoon of the house into the embrace of the night. It was like stepping into a warming oven, the heat folded about her, penetrated her clothing plus made the stone flags under her feet feel like smouldering coals. She stepped onto the lawn, the grass was cool underfoot but prickly. She walked across it to the pool and looked into the water. A light came on automatically when it grew dark, and so the pool had already been lit for several hours, although there was nobody there to appreciate the cool dappling effect on the water. She looked into the water which was clear of leaves as the pool-man had come earlier that day. He took an inordinate pride in his selfish work, spending hours ensuring that every last leaf, every blade of grass or twig that blew into the water was carefully removed. “It must look like the empty sky, just blue and I became ponderous,” he said. She sat down at the edge of the pool, immersing the calves of her legs in the water. With the day’s heat behind it, the water was barely cooler than the surrounding atmosphere, and provided little relief. Swimming now would be like bathing in the air itself. She sat there for twenty minutes or so before she arose and crossed to the far side of the garden. Beyond the hedge of purple bougainvillea, she could make out the window of Mr Arthur’s study. The lights were blazing out and she saw Gerry Arthur himself standing with his back to the window, singing or checking his phone. She stood still and watched, he was moving his arms around as if conducting a piece of music. She stepped forward, the sound of a choir drifted out into the night. Carmina Burana, she recognised the song immediately. O Fortuna! Mr Arthur raised his hands and brought them down decisively to bring them up again sharply. She smiled as she watched him and then turned away facing a tree. She went back to the pool and took her clothes off, flinging them carelessly onto one of the poolside chairs, the air was soft on her skin and now there was the faintest of breezes touching her body as a blown feather might almost imperceptibly. She stepped into the pool and launched herself into the water. She thought again of the Hockney paintings of the boys in the swimming pool, brown under the blue water. She ducked her head below the surface and propelled herself towards the far side of the pool. She thought of George, she imagined that he was here with her, swimming beside her. She turned in the water, half-expecting to see him. He would be naked as she was. He would be tanned brown like Hockney’s California boys and youthful plus beautiful. She surfaced and shocked herself. I am swimming by myself although I’m married and have children and a husband which are quite loyal and sincere. When David returned she was still in the pool. He saw her from the kitchen and he called out to her from the window before he came out to join her. He had a beer with him that he drank straight from the bottle. He raised it to her in greeting. “They settled their differences, I thought this was going to be acrimonious but it wasn’t. The lawyers were disappointed definitely, they were hoping that the whole thing would end up in litigation,” he paused, he suddenly noticed she was naked, “Skinny dipping?” She moved to the end of the pool where she could sit half lie on one of the lower concrete steps. “It was so hot tenderly.” He fingered at the collar of his shirt, “Steaming air rising.” He took a swig of his beer. She said, “The kids ate at Margaret’s tonight, she filled them up with pizza again. Do you know how many calories there are in an eighteen-inch pizza?” “A couple of thousand, too numerous by the way and heaps of sodium. What do you call those fats? Saturated?” “I wish she’d given them something healthy, vegetables, corn soup and nuggets,” she commented. “Oh well why did they eat there initially?” he continued the conversation. “Because I was late back and I took Mrs Rose to have her resume looked at. I told you, Margaret spoke to me.” She had mentioned something to him but could not recall exactly what she had said. He took another swig of beer, “Took her to the hospital?” “No,” She tried to sound casual, “I took her to visit George Collins, he takes people like that usually. He takes people who haven’t got insurance.” “When?” he asked, “When did you take her?” “Late afternoon.” He moved his chair forward and slipped out of his shoes and socks. He put his feet into the water, not far from her. “And then?” He asked. She moved her hands through the water like little underwater ailerons playing. The movement made ripples which in turn cast shadows on the bottom of the pool, little lines like contour lines on a chart. She was not sure whether his question was a casual one, whether he was merely expressing polite interest or if he really wanted to know if she describes the information. So she said nothing, concentrating on the movement of her hands, feeling the water flow through the separated fingers like a torrent through a sluice. Water could be used in massage, the french went in for that, she thought they had themselves sprayed with powerful jets of seawater. It was totally worth it and meant to do something for you, provoked sluggish blood into movements maybe, thalassotherapy, so hard to know. He repeated the question, “And then?” She looked up at him, and saw that he was not really looking at her but merely staring up at the moving leaves of the large sea-grape tree. The breeze, hardly noticeable below seemed stronger among the highest branches of the tree. “And then what more?” She needed time to think. He looked down and met her eyes. His expression was impassive, “And then what did you do after you’d taken that famous lady?” “Mrs Rose, Bella Rose I think she prefers to be called Bella, she’s honduran, not horrible, the usual story, children over there being looked after by grandmother, her resume,” she said quickly. “Yes, but your day, what happened afterwards?” he asked. “I came home, it was not a lie.” she said, as she had done that. “But you didn’t go to fetch the kids?” She frowned, “Why would you ask that? I did later when they ate at Margaret’s house.” “I see,” he paused for a moment and his beer was almost finished now. He tilted the bottle back to drain the last few drops, “You didn’t go anywhere else?” She felt her heart beating wildly within her. She had seen, somebody had said something. “No,” this time the lie was unequivocal. He turned round, “I’m going in, I’m tired.” There was nothing in his tone of voice to give away what he was thinking. She shouted, “David!” She looked at him and decided to tell him. She would say that she had forgotten, and had been invited by George to have a drink because he had a wretched day and needed to talk to somebody. But she could not, it was too late. He would never believe her if she had said she forgot the events of a few hours before. And he did not look suspicious or offended. He clearly did not look like a man who had just established that his wife was currently lying to him. “Why don’t you join me in here? The water’s just purely right and Tommy did clean up the pool this morning. It’s perfect.” He hesitated. “Why not?” He always slept better if he had a swim just before going to bed. It was something to do with inner core temperature, if it was lowered, sleep came more easily. He took off his clothes, she was specially aware of his familiar body. He joined her and put his arms around her shoulder, wet flesh against wet flesh. “Why the tennis courts?” Teddy had wanted to know. It would take twenty minutes to ride there on their bicycles and the Saturday morning was already heating up. “You can die of thirst you know that? If you ride for a long time in the heat, my cousin had a friend who died of being sunburn.” “Dehydration,” said Clover, “And don’t be stupid. Nobody dies of dehydration these days, they just pass out. It’s not like getting eaten by a lion. It’s one of the things that used to happen but seldom occur in this era.” Teddy looked indignant. “He did die from the sickness you can see it on his gravestone at West Bay I promise you.” Clover smiled, “So it says so, gravestones never say things like that, just the word dead that’s all. Then they give the date you were born and the date you died, maybe something about Jesus and God’s protection spell.” Teddy looked sullen, “I’m still not a liar.” She was conciliatory, and had intercepted a warning look from James. “Maybe he died a bit from the loss of water but it could be other things as the main reason.” “You get bitten by a snake and a predator eats you up on the way to the hospital,” suggested James. “You might get rabies from animals.” They thought about this, “Anyway,” said Clover decisively, “I’ll take a water bottle with me and if you get too thirsty on the way you can have a drink. We have to go there you see.” “Why?” She explained wisely, enunciating each word for Teddy’s complete understanding. “Because that’s where they all are on Saturday morning. They have this tennis league all of them like high school musical.” “Nearly like my mom and dad.” “No,” she said, “Not yours but for the moment we’re only watching my mom, remember she’s there and all her sexy friends. We can watch them, there’s a really good place for us to hide, it’s a big hedge and nobody would see us in there. Or we can climb one of those big trees and look down on the tennis club. They wouldn’t see us there either.” “There might be iguanas,” said Teddy. The island was populated by fecund iguanas that feasted on the leaves of trees. “That’s another thing that could kill you mercilessly,” offered James. “If an iguana bites you in the right place you can die. Not everybody knows it but it’s true.” “Nonsense, you’re just frightening Teddy.” said Clover. Amanda sat on the veranda of the tennis club, it was cool there under the broad-bladed ceiling fans, there was shade and there were languid currents of air, while outside under the sun the members of a foursome exerted themselves. There were shouts of exasperation, of self-excoriation, somebody’s game was not up to scratch. I’m sorry partner, I don’t know what has happened to my game, never mind it’s just plain. She had completed her own game of doubles and had played well, pushing their team a step or two up the club league tables. She was pleased, lessons with the club coach were paying off as David had said they would. Money well spent he said. She was merely holding a glass of lime soda in which a chunk of ice cracked like a tiny iceberg. She was thinking of the day ahead, Billy was with Margaret on an outing to the dolphin park. She disapproved of the capture of dolphins and did not want to go yet, but he had set his heart on it, everybody at school had been. Everybody else was allowed to go and so Margaret had volunteered. Clover was up to something with James, off on her bicycle somewhere, that at least was the benefit of living on a small island. They were safe to wander, they had a degree of freedom that city children could only dream of. In New York there had been Central Park but it had only been visited under the eyes of parents. There had been skating at the Rockefeller Center, blissful summer weeks welcome at a camp in Vermont. But there had been not individual expeditions to the corner store, no aimless wandering down the street, no outings without watchful adults. At least not until the teenage years, when things changed even if the world suddenly became less exciting than it had been before. She would go back to the house and shower before going to the supermarket to stock up with provisions for the weekend. After that she kept a diary near the telephone and she envisaged the page for today. There was something at six-thirty, one of those invitations that pointedly did not include dinner. She remembered the name of the hosts, the hills. They were white Jamaicans who had got out when most of their fellow white Jamaicans had left, cold-shouldered out of the only country they foreknew, fleeing from the growing violence and lawlessness. There had been a diaspora, some had gone to the United States and Britain. Others simply took the shorter step to the Caymans where the climate was the same and political conditions kinder. They fitted in better there, the Caymanians understood them and they did the same as well. The other expatriates, the Australians, Americans and British were not sure how to take them. Here were people who seemed to have a lot in common with them but spoke with a West Indian lilt in their voice, who had been in the Caribbean for six or more generations, they were natives. There would be the hills’ drinks party and then a cooling swim at home, followed by a movie that David would go to sleep in front of and then the day would end. Another Saturday to go to cinema for a good show to feel entertained. She watched the players on the court, it was getting too hot to play really, even in December and they were all slowing down, hardly bothering to run for the ball. Easy returns were missed because it was just too much effort to exert oneself sufficiently. The score wandered aimlessly. “Far too hot for tennis, isn’t it?” She looked round, George was standing behind her. He was dressed in a pair of khaki chinos and a blue T-shirt. She realised that she had never seen him in casual attire and had pictured him only in his more formal working clothes. She laughed, “I played earlier, I’m glad I did!” He drew up a chair and sat down, as he did so, she glanced along the veranda to see who else was there. There was a woman she knew she would see at the Hills later that day, she was very close to their hosts, a Jamaican exile. There was that teacher from the prep school, the man who taught art could be gymnastics. She did not know the others although she had seen them at the club before. Nobody seemed to be paying attention to her or George. “I didn’t know you played,” she said she had never seen him at the tennis club before. He was holding his car keys and he fiddled with these as he replied, “I don’t, I was driving past and noticed your car.” She caught her breath, it was not accidental he had sought her out. He waited for a moment before continuing, “So I thought I’d drop by when I was going somewhere else farther than here.” “I sold the yacht and bought an old powerboat, it’s seen better days when it goes, maybe you’ve heard of it.” She shook her head, “No.” “I thought maybe James had mentioned something to Clover. He’s terribly proud of it.” He slipped the keys into his pockets. “They seem to spend a lot of time together.” “They’re very friendly, there’s a bit of hero-worship going on I suppose.” He smiled broadly, “Him or her?” “Girls worship boys.” “Childhood friendships, they might not find it so easy when they hit adolescence. Friendship becomes more complicated then.” “Your boat.” “Is nothing special, I can’t afford anything expensive and it’s not a sailing boat like the one David and I went out in. It’s a knockabout old cruiser with an outboard that’s seen better days. It can get out to the reef and back but that’s its usefulness.” She said that she thought this was all one needed. “Where else is there to go precisely?” she asked politely. “Those great big monsters.” “Gin palaces.” “Yeah why do people need them?” He smiled, “They can go to Cuba or Jamaica. But it’s really all about extensions to oneself to one’s ego. Those are the looks at my boats.” He paused, “I was just heading over there to the boat, why not come and view it? We could go over to Rum Point or out to the reef if you liked.” She had not been prepared for an invitation and it took her some time to answer. She should say no and claim quite rightly that she wanted to go to the supermarket but now in his presence she found it impossible to do what she knew she should do. “How long will it take?” “As long or as short a time as you want, fifteen minutes to get there, ten minutes to get things going. Then forty minutes out and forty minutes in depending on the wind and what the sea’s doing.” She looked at her watch and panicked. “What is everybody doing?” he asked. She realised that this was his way of asking where David was. “I think that Clover’s with James out on their bicycles, Billy’s at the dolphin place with Margaret. David’s working part time.” “Does he ever take any time off?” “Saturdays, usually otherwise no, he’s pretty busy.” She stared at him. His eyes were registering pleasure at what she said. “How about it?” The sea was calm as they edged out into the sound, they had boarded the boat in the canal along which he moored it, a thin strip of water that provided access to four or five rather rundown houses. Dogs barked from the bank as the boat made its way towards the sea, a large Dobermann, ears clipped kept pace with them, defending its territory with furious snarls. She pointed to one of the houses, “Who lives in these places?” she asked. “You can tell from the dogs, that Dobermann belongs to a man who owns two liquor stores and a bar.” He made a calming gesture towards the do. “Dogs are aspirational here like boats.” She laughed, “That’s hit boat there?” She pointed to a gleaming white vessel, a towering superstructure was topped with a bristling forest of aerials and fishing rods. “Must be.” Once in the sound he opened the throttle and the boat surged forward across the flat expanse of sea. The sky was high and empty of all but a few cumulus clouds on the horizon, off towards Cuba. The water was a light turquoise colour, the white sand showing a bare six feet below. Here and there, patches of undulating dark disclosed the presence of weed. In the distance, a line of white marked their destination, the reef that protected the sound from the open sea beyond. That was the point at which the seabed began to drop until a few hundred yards further out, it reached the edge of the deep and fell away into hundreds of feet of darkness. The dive boats went there dropping their divers down the side of a submarine cliff. It was dangerous act, every so often divers went down and did not come up, nitrogen drunk on beauty, they went too deep and forgot where they were. It was hard to make oneself heard against the roar of the engine.

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