The Missing Bicycles of Dorset

Since I have been here I haven’t seen a single bicycle. Perhaps they haven’t been invented here yet. Although I suppose it would be quite reckless to ride a bicycle through all this long grass. There only seems to be one street and that would not be the place for a bicycle. There might not be a car for ages then suddenly one comes along at great speed and if there were a cyclist on the road she wouldn’t stand a chance.

At home, I never go out past the front gate because of the bicycles. I only ever go out through the back fence and even then I have to be on the lookout because they make the same noise as a bird stuck up a tree.

From the top window I can see part of a large building. It’s not a house because there are no windows. It might be that there were once bicycles in Dorset but because of the aforementioned hazards they were stored out of sight in the big buildings. It certainly makes sense to keep bicycles locked away.  There's always the risk of some foolhardy soul riding off with one only to be found the next day in a roadside bush crying and wishing he’d never even seen a bicycle.

The London bicycles have little bells but that wouldn’t be much use here. By the time anyone heard the bell it would already be too late. People seem to hear things a lot slower here.  Even if a bicycle surprised me in the grass a bell would be useless because the bicycle shouldn’t be there in the first place, so it’s very unlikely that a cyclist would dare to use one and risk getting caught. And we can’t be forever having to get out of the way of things.

Yesterday, I followed Walter up the side of a tree but I only got a little way before I had to fall off. I think it’s probably where Walter goes when Dorothy doesn’t know where he is. Poor Walter, he is my brother after all, and this morning I’m not even sure he remembered me.

Now if someone cycled into a tree, that would be something! Especially if Walter was up the tree at the time!

At the top you can see a picture kindly given to me by Dorothy.  It's from one of her books and is, she says, to show you what it’s really like in Dorset for bicycles. However, having no evidence whatsoever for their existence here, I will use this to illustrate the London bicycles. In fact I don’t think the book is about Dorset at all. London ladies can climb trees and struggle out of hedges with the best of them.  Although I dare not think what the poor dears would make of the Dorset cobwebs.

Thanks all the same, Dorothy.

Leaving London

We left London yesterday in the afternoon when everyone was inside watching television. I was in my new travel box and Jenny drove the car. Jenny put my box on the seat beside her so I could see her through the little holes and somehow she put the safety belt around the box so that it didn’t wobble too much.

I must have fallen asleep. I was listening to Jenny talking and the car and the music she plays while she’s driving. Now and then I opened my eyes but I couldn’t keep them open for long. Sometimes the sun came in through the holes and I saw colours I don’t usually see. I think that’s what started me dreaming.

We stopped a few times and Jenny put a collar and lead on me and let me walk in the grass for a bit and gave me some water from her bottle poured into a plastic saucer she had brought along for me. I didn’t feel like walking and wanted to lie down all the time. I remember wondering how Jenny can think of so many things.

When we got to Dorset and Jenny told me we’re almost there I could smell the trees. It had been very hot in the car and the trees moved as we passed.

I heard Dorothy’s voice as she lifted me out of my travel box. I must have gone to sleep again.

Whisper Goes Behind the Veil

Hi, this is Jenny here. Whisper is having a little lie down today. I’m sure you’ll understand.

What with all the excitement about time machines, alien invasions, vanishing ladies, and now flying cities, Whisper hasn’t even been beyond the back garden lately, and you know how she likes to explore.

In fact I have a picture here of Whisper outside exploring the other side of the curtain. Now as far as I’m concerned life can keep the curtains drawn; there are probably things there that no one was meant to see. No one, that is, except our Whisper!

By the way, next weekend I’m going to visit my sister Dorothy in Dorset and Whisper is coming with me. It’s meant to be a surprise, so not a word about it. It’s just what she needs and I know she’ll have a wonderful time. There’ll certainly be plenty of exploring for her to do. But just what she’ll make of the cows is anyone’s guess. I don’t think she’s even got a picture of one in her collection.

Speaking of which… Here’s an old picture of a place very much like the one we’ll be visiting. I think I’ll slip it into Whisper’s picture box and let her find it for herself. I’m sure she’ll be excited.