2019, and the start of my new book...#1

How to live well without Gods
This is a (sort of...) response to a book that my younger brother managed to finish writing, just before he died, of Motor Neurone Disease, back around Easter 2017 (Amazon - How to die well without god (pay special attention to the lower-case 'g'. It's 'god', not 'God')). It is certainly not a critique of his book, as I consider that he was most likely far better read than I am, in many different areas, so if I were to start to get into any psychoanalysis of his book, I would probably do him (and me) an injustice. The points of his book - well, two of them, at least - are (1) that he was dying, and (2) he was a non-believer. From out of nowhere, he went down with MND. What the hell? How...? And then the obvious 'Why?' stuff...
I have to admit that my exposure to MND was limited. Professor Stephen Hawking probably being the best known, there were others - I had heard of Lou Gehrig, some years before, in the USA, but little else. It was one of those things that affected one in a...hundred million? Who knows what the numbers are, when you don't pay attention to it?
Then you get told that your baby brother (the baby of the family!) has somehow contracted this thing? Well, that's a bummer! And then I made an initial assumption that he'd do a Hawking (not knowing any better, at the time), and be cared for, and be around for the next few decades. And then you find out that there are a few different 'types' of this thing (WTF?), and my brother just had to go and get the worst of the lot - the most aggressive. Bum-MER! And then you are told that this 'most aggressive' type may mean he has two years to live! ...WT absolute F...?
Let's step back a little here. Pause for breath...
Over the years, I have done quite a bit of my Family Tree, and got lost many a time down obscure branches that I didn't even know about! We lost our mum back in 1997. She was very nearly 80, so well done, mum! We then lost dad just 5 years ago (2014) at the grand old age of 98. That was after he had remarried - at 82 - and then outlived his second wife! Damn good! We rock! He had a brother and sister (my uncle and aunt) and they both made it into their nineties - pretty damn good (We still rock, but now, even more so!)! My aunt made 95. Their dad before them was 88, and HIS dad was 80, so I was anticipating that all of us were going to be good to get a message from the King, in a few years, congratulating all of us on turning 100. A nice idea, and now one that isn't going to happen. How does the baby of the family (there are older cousins, all in their 70's, and then there is us - the youngest branch of the family) get to be the one who bites the dust first? This literally makes no sense!
And that's it, really. It doesn't make any sense. It's not SUPPOSED to make any sense! There is no 'Grand Plan', some deity-inspired path that each of us is supposed to take, with this same 'deity' watching over us - every minute, of every day (does that sound just more than a little creepy...?). We are all random life-forms, floating on a random globe, in some random, obscure part of a massive Universe. We are not special, we don't belong as a part of any 'Big Picture', and we don't have any hot line to any Deity (whichever one you may choose to follow). Common sense should be telling you this (Common sense and Faith...like pouring petrol on a fire - you'll get burned!).
So I started to put this little tale together, in my own small way, to add to the concept that my brother started with his book. It is fine to be able to describe that you should be able to die well, without a god, but you should also be able to LIVE well without having some deity getting into your hair, on your back, every day, and in every way just messing with you and your life! You should be able to dress as you like, talk to who you like, when you like, you should be able to eat what you like, you should basically be able to live your life as YOU like, not as you are being told to, by some self-appointed religious 'leader', who may well have degrees in this and that, but that does not make them RIGHT!
My brother had been, for some years, a non-believer - in anything and everything of the 'Godly' type. He is quite scathing, at times, in the book, but was always well behaved, and quite happy to know local vicars and priests - it might be that his approach was 'if you have a faith, so be it, but just don't expect me to be lining up to follow you...no, seriously, just do not'! and you'd better be able to put up a very good case for your religious assumptions...
My brother and I had a very similar childhood. He was only some 14 months younger than me, so we were at the same schools, just one year apart. We went to the same church, sang in the same choir, and generally had a great family upbringing. A very solid father and mother, who worked extremely hard at just keeping everything together. You understand this a little better when you grow up and start your own family...the amount of sheer hard work that they managed to do to keep it all together...amazing people. I could probably critique some aspects of the ways that my parents raised us (well, me and Rob) but why? They were as much a victim of circumstance as we were - to try to find (and expose) their faults helps no-one, and they don't deserve the insult. They literally did the best that they could, and I sometimes wish that they were still here, so that we could continue some of those conversations - but no. That will have to wait.
My father, in particular, was a massively under-accomplished musician. He was running the school orchestra when he was 12, playing the violin. He and his brother won music awards for their singing, and all through my growing years I knew that dad was busy with various shows in the town centre. He was performing, singing, conducting (the choir, the orchestra, and assembled cast - depending on the scenario) and yet somehow little of that was passed on to any of the four children. I'm still at a loss to understand that. Given such raw talent, how did the 4 children all pass it by? Mum was a reasonable piano player, and she sang for some years, so how the heck has it skipped us all?
I dunno....
Rob and I have two older sisters, 6 and 7 years older than me, so they were teenagers while Robert and I were still in junior school, and they were out at work while we went to the Secondary Modern School, in Winton, Bournemouth. To say that I didn't enjoy school is too simplistic. There were good times, and there were bad times.
I was not too impressed with most of the teachers, but some just shone, head and shoulders above the rest. Yes, Mister Loosemore, that's you! And Mr Tansey and Mr Reeve.
Going back to our roots, I can see that we followed our parents into their church. At the age that we were, I refuse to even consider that we were making our own mind up! That's just...ridiculous to even consider! So we went to church (Church of England) and joined the choir, around eight years of age (presumably Robert joined a year later, but after all of this time, it's sometimes difficult to be too accurate) and generally enjoyed it. It was a 'good' experience (again, neither of us were in any way involved in the running of the place, or the politics that must have taken place, but generally those years were...'good' ones). We were both in the cubs, and then the Scouts, and then somehow the Youth Club. I enjoyed the camps, and the leaders were exceptionally able.
It clearly took some time, but Robert and I both eventually realised the same conclusion, but by taking, I believe, very different routes. Mine was a more basic route, whereas Robert clearly knew what he was talking about, and could respond to any faith-based discussion points with hard evidence.
I think my path took me some years to even acknowledge - I acknowledge, now, that I have been a non-believer for the last 45-50 years (yes, I am that old). It's one of those things that, when I left school, I moved away from home, and moved away from the home church, but even then I felt no urge to search out my new local congregation. I came to London, and was caught up with a whole new set of things. My new job, trying to find flats and places to live, eventually finding someone and marrying them, starting a family...all of this took my full concentration, and as my religious 'ties' were now increasingly further behind me, I felt no compulsion to pick them up again.
My first wife happened to be from a Jewish family, and there was talk at the start of whether I would convert. It was clear to all that any such conversion would amount to a sham, and I didn't like that, at all. I don't, as a rule, enjoy the idea of lying to people. Everyone knew my non-faith background, and for me to have to say that I wanted this conversion to Judaism was just peer pressure, so I had to put my foot down and refuse - politely, of course.
Before anyone gets on whatever they may hold to be a 'high horse', I have no issues with meeting Jewish people, Christian people, Islamic people...I have even met Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and probably a ton of others. It does not matter! I will judge you for yourself, not what some archaic ideology (that, sadly, you may feel moved to follow) may dictate. I expect the same in return. I do not consider myself a bad person, and yes, I have made mistakes in the past (and please do not start getting on some soap box, drivelling on that YOU haven't...whatever the reason, we have all made mistakes), but it seems to me that there are a great number, around the world, who can only be classed as bad - perhaps monstrous; certainly mad...? I'd like to think otherwise, but the evidence is stacking up against these psychopathic monsters.

What is a non-believer...?

Actually (and I hope to spend some time laying this out) it's not just a black and white (yes/no) kind of question. Seriously, it isn't. There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration - and therein lies problem number 1. So many people won't even accept that THAT is a perfectly viable position! That you are someone who lays claim to be a non-believer is to be applauded, not avoided or assaulted or insulted.
Well, game over, non-non-believers...you fail.
For instance, if you claim to be a non-believer in a country like the UK, then --- so what? Most will just shrug their shoulders and say 'and?' or 'so what'?
This is the correct way to respond...
And yet, if you were in some modern, clued-up country, such as...oh, I don't know, say Pakistan, then it would most likely get you killed. Maybe not today, but tomorrow...? By the end of the week...have you got all your affairs in order? Oh, and your lawyer - does he (most likely a he - you don't seem to have an inkling that a she might actually be a perfectly viable lawyer...) got his own affairs in order?
Your loss.
Anyway - where was I...? Oh yes - your little Shitehole of a country has a (and I don't wish to offend a genuine Neanderthal) Neanderthal-like approach to the world. You seem stuck in a universe of at least 1,000 years ago (if not at least a million), and you have refused to move on, all the while berating everyone else who has! You really, REALLY suck! You are an embarrassment to what passes for the Human Race, and given what is happening in other parts of the world, that should set a few alarm bells ringing - shouldn't it?
What other parts? Of the world? Well, how long do you have...? The USA? A duly-elected Pres, and he is being ceremoniously crucified every single day, by people who literally have no argument, and yet they seem to have some of the loudest voices around. These are the Uni-educated SJWs, cis-gendered (whatever that is), non-binary (or is it binary...I get so confused by this drivel)….
They are fools. Let's sum it up by saying that.
Europe? Well, in case you have been lying under a rock for the last few years, it looks as if Europe is going pear-shaped, at an exponential rate (that means it gets quicker...sheesh!) due a number of factors.
1. Britain. We had a referendum, 2.5 years ago, which, we were told, was (sort of) binding) and yet in the last 2.5 years we have seen the very basics of British Politics (at it's best) being thrown under the cart - we have seen Democracy abandoned by the Politicians that we, the voting plebs, just keep returning. How is this - and why? If something is broken, then you either fix it (by due elections) or you throw it away and start again (that's too close to civil war, which we all know is never civil)
2. Germany. Yep, that's it. Germany. Number one mess is because of Germany. Oh, and their lunatic leaders, but essentially it's Germany...
nuff said...they started it (Yes you did - you should NOT have invaded Poland...)
3. Sweden. The lunatic government (which is still in office - go figure??? how does Sweden just keep electing such a bunch of sociopathic brain-dead idiots back into office? Do you think it'll change, the next time...?)
Really...?
Wow!
4. Watch this space. Hungary, Poland, Italy and a small number have said 'Enough!', and they then get on the receiving end of the EU dictators (what else can you call them?)
5. The United Nations. What a sick joke this bunch is! Just recently, they are trying to push some insane idea that uncontrolled immigration is some form of 'human right', and they are threatening anyone who says otherwise.
Get outta here! Take this mindless drivel, and shove it, where the sun don't shine!
This world is already messed up, and the very idea that we have a legally-empowered, but uncontrolled immigration just sets off every alarm bell. If you don't think that this is so, then you are just part of the problem.
Oh yes. You are...
I have just re-read this, and I have wandered a bit from the original idea of Atheism. Wait for part 2..coming soon, unless I am prohibited from voicing my opinion...well, wait and see... .

October 2018...

Are you paying attention? Yes - you! The idiots that (in the USA) could be called Democrats. The idiots (spread so far around the world...that I begin to wonder...and worry...) spread everywhere else - and that includes so many places that 'promote' themselves as 'modern' (wtf?) or even 'moderate' (well, that's pretty sick...) Indonesia? Moderate? Modern? ...according to what set of rules? Not mine! Ok, so what set of rules do YOU operate with? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3377187/Screaming-agony-woman-caned-crowd-close-proximity-man-not-married-Indonesian-region-s-sharia-law.html Indonesia? Part of the 21st century? GMAFB! According to which calendar! Not the one I'm used to...https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/11/indonesia-gay-men-facing-100-lashes-for-having-sex Where else...Saudi..? Really? I mean - REALLY - ? The Middle East - well, that screws it all up, pretty well across the bored board. Let's see - Jordan? Iran? Iraq? Virtually any Middle East country...? Wait...? What? Israel? What's that - where's that? Oh, come on, it has a tiny population --- what do you mean they totally trounced the neighbours and their aggressive air force, the military, and all that. They won? Huh? How is that even possible...? Wow...now THAT's a people I could get behind.

You heard it here first, folks...

Interviewer: "Good morning to you all, and welcome to Phillip Kingston, the newly elected leader of the British Values party."
Looking as relaxed as I could, and holding a smile on my face (this interview is MINE, I thought!) "Thank you, Steven. Let's see if it a pleasure for me to be here, shall we?"
A slightly confused look on his face: "Um - pardon? I'm not sure I understand..."
Still with a smile on my face "Yes you do, so don't play the patsy with me. That's just insulting - to me, and all of the people who will end up watching this. Did you even watch the Tommy Robinson interview, or did you just hear from someone who said they knew someone who had seen the edited highlights?"
"Mr Kingston, there's no reason to be starting this interview in a hostile manner..."
My smile was a good as always - yes, this is mine... A slightly shocked look on my face "Hostile? Me? I'm not in the least bit hostile, as you full well know!" I laughed - that always annoys them. I giggled, almost to off-camera. "Hostile? Me? That's a joke...So, what is it that you think you want to trip me up on - even though I probably already know...?"
Trying to get control back "Mr Kingston, that's a bit harsh. We invited you here for a discussion on you and the very new party..."
Me, interrupting, but still smiling and chuckling. "No you didn't. You got me here to try desperately to stitch me up. You know it, I know it, and the millions who are watching this already know it. You are already planning to edit this session, and putting the bits together to put me and the party in a bad light. I, on the other hand, decided to turn up anyway, because I need this publicity, and the party will only benefit from it, once they see how this session turns out."
I paused, he paused, and I smiled and said "So, Steven, do you have a first question...?"
By now it was clear to me, and probably a lot of the viewers, that Steven here, a seasoned interviewer (read: good at hatchet jobs) was a little riled, but he shuffled the papers in front of him, and started out with "Mr Kingston, your new party has made some rapid growth in membership, if we can understand the figures, and the recently published manifesto goes into some detail, so I wondered if we could start with you first - who you are - and then go through the main points of the manifesto?"
"Of course. What do you want to know?"
Silence, and then "I thought I just said. I want to know about you."
"Yes. What do you want to know about me?"
More silence, then "Mr Kingston, it's a simple question, surely?"
"Is it? Do you really think that? Hmmm, let me think... OK, you are a man, you are currently interviewing me - so tell me about yourself."
"That's not how this is supposed to work."
"Well, it will work when you can ask me a clear question, one that I can answer within the short time-frame of this interview. You have asked me a nothing question. To describe me and my life will take more than the 25 seconds that you are going to allow me to answer it, so you will have to start by being clear."
Re-shuffling the papers, and getting more riled by the second (a lovely thing to see...) he continued with "Very well, the party. How has that come about, and how do you explain the rapid growth in numbers?"
"I think I can answer the first part, by going back over ground that you know about already, and I am sure that most of the viewers already know about, too. And yes, it concerns a number of factors, and if you only talk about any one of them, in isolation, then you are wasting everyone's time. So, Steven, what's it to be? Shall I try my best to explain properly, or are you just going to hatchet job me, like you have done to all of the others you've interviewed?" I smiled at him - it just kills them when you keep smiling, no matter what you are talking about!

Time to take a look around...

Can we all just hold it for a moment? Take a slow, deep breath, and... relax... Good. Now then - where are we? It's the 1st of May, 2018. Wow, but it's been a busy time for everyone. I mean, look at the USA - solving a long-standing squabble between the Korea's, sorting out tax breaks, upsetting a whole load of lefty-types, but still cementing the position of the President even more...one to watch. Canada has seemingly got an idiot in charge, but hopefully that will change (when are their next elections...?). Europe has seemingly got an idiot in charge of most of the countries - Germany, France, UK, and more. A few country leaders have decided that the EU 'policy' of open borders, lunatic immigration levels, etc, is simply not going to work, so they have, quite rightly, set their line in the sand - Hungary and Austria, mainly, but others are murmuring... Oh yes...immigration. What most people don't seem to understand is that most countries around the world have always had a form of immigration. It's not something new. The USA only exists because of immigration (although the original population would probably call that an invasion...let's not go on about the near-genocide that happened...). What we have seen around the globe (well, around certain parts of the globe...some parts are refusing to join in with this mass-psychosis) is a massive repositioning of huge numbers of people. It started out, just a few years back, as Syrian refugees. The mess that was, and still is, Syria caused insane amounts of people to be forced from their homes. Many went into Turkey (and in spite of their crazy leadership, all credit to them for taking them in). The problem is that a lot of these people then continued from Turkey, and started into mainland Europe. They didn't stop at the first country, but kept going. We now have an impossible situation, where literally hundreds of thousands of people, that we know nothing about, have vanished off everyone's radar. They are untraceable. The problem was originally that terrorist groups were instigating this, and then using it to move into countries, with the sole intention of causing mayhem (the deaths and injuries - well, that's just collateral damage. All part of living in big cities...in the 21st century). And to add to this, we now have an untold number coming over to Europe directly from North Africa. So we have the original Syrian conflict being overshadowed by a completely impossible-to-identify number of people - we don't even know what countries most of them are starting from! They deliberately arrive with no paperwork, and plead refugee status. But a lot seem to have their mobile phones...not sure how they managed that...

Well, that time is upon me.......

Don't panic - I'm not. At some time in ones life, one (me!) is supposed to be able to look forward to that 'old persons' thing called retirement. Well, it's here - I am now officially retired (yeah, baby, I am THAT OLD!) I was working for the last couple of months, trying to cope with the day to day operation, and it proved a little too much (I am only 25 after all...) so we had to agree to part company. And I had to get realistic! I have had some pensions kick in, so financially we are semi-solvent (we'll see...) and it did cross my mind that the salary I had coming in was playing hell with my tax code. So, here I am, at home, trying to think of things to do....apart from Twitter, FB, the music (2 choirs), creating sound files, using SongWriter, the garden, the house, the shopping, the....oh, yes. The wife. She'll cope, apart from thinking that I will be bored! She knows me so...well....little! I am now planning all of those things that I wanted to do, but just couldn't get around to, as I was spending weekends recovering from a hard graft of Mon-Fri, 9-5. I am not going to be bored! I have already designed an Events/Resources calendar, that display a month, and you scroll through, looking at next month, last month, whatever. It works! I will be adding some reporting, and fine-tuning things over the next few weeks, but it's there - the bulk of it. I am now adding a Category filter, for Event types. There is so much that can be packed in to this - oh, yes, it's in VB.Net, using MS SQL, for anyone who cares.

Relationships...

Relationships. Greg Jackson hung up the connection at the end of the call. He looked across the table at his boss, a tall and incredibly attractive Amazonian woman who was a huge success in all the business dealings that she had ever got into. She had made her first million by the age of 25, and now, at her late 30’s (Greg was guessing – he still didn’t know the exact figure) she was worth a lot more. “Greg, my friend, it’s time to break out the champagne!” They were both smiling. It had been a hard hour for them both, but a good phone call, and they knew that they were each now about two million pounds richer than they were at the start of the call. “Josie, that will be my pleasure.” He smiled and moved to the side table and fiddled with the top, popping the cork and filling the glasses. They had been pre-set there, while they both hoped that the deal would go their way. He gave her a glass and they held them up, clinked them and said “Cheers!”. Downing the whole glass wasn’t difficult. “Greg, come on, we’re done. It’s 4pm and it’s Friday. It’s time to go and get drunk.” “Well, I don’t mind if I have a couple, but don’t keep me out late. I have to be back by…oh, what is it? Oh yes, 9 am, Monday morning!” She laughed. “Oh shut up, you silly sod.” She stopped and looked at him. “Greg, we’ve done it. We have cracked one of the biggest banks in the country – they have come to us! We are good for the next five years on this deal alone!” She looked at him, and wondered whether she should, and then decided that she could. She put the champagne glass down and went up close to him. “Greg, you little star you. Come here.” She put her arms around him, leant into him and gave him a kiss. Not a cheek-to-cheek kiss but a full on the mouth kiss. He didn’t resist. He knew her well enough to know that they had fancied each other for the last couple of months, but they had both been so busy lining up this latest deal that they had put everything else aside, including their private life. She came away, and he started to joke “Why Josie, I didn’t…” but she cut him off. “Greg, we have the weekend. Let’s go out and celebrate now. I fancy a few drinks. Then we go back to my place and you make me very happy to have met you.” He actually coughed at that. Spluttered, more like. “Josie, I like you, and I’m pretty sure that you like me, but don’t go surprising me like that. I’m a good bit older than you” he went into joke mood again “and I’m not sure my heart can stand the strain.” She looked at him, wondering if she should slap him for being stupid or kiss him again for being nice. She hadn’t met too many nice men in the past. She had a daughter, now approaching 21, from a short-lived relationship. She was as strong-willed as she was, and it was sometimes painful for them both to be in the same room, or even the same house. That had come from a very stressful relationship, that had not ended well, at all. “Greg, let’s call it a day. We go, now, to the local Chinese, we have a couple of hours there, and then we can go our separate ways if you insist. Let’s see what happens, shall we?” He chuckled. He came up to her, and put his arms around her waist. He noticed that she didn’t resist at all. “Josie, I’m kidding. I’m all yours for the night.” He smiled at her, and she smiled back. This was going to be a good evening, and if they were lucky a good night too. The morning could wait. They cleaned up the office, put their coats on and left. The Chinese restaurant was only five minutes walk away, and they walked in and were seated immediately. There were very few customers at that time. They didn’t feel like rushing, so they sat and looked at the menus and each other for the first few minutes. Josie ordered a very expensive white wine, after checking that Greg liked it, too. They ordered the start of the food, and had their first drink, all the while looking at each other, across the table. “OK, Josie. We have done a good thing today." He grew more expansive. "Hell, we have done a great thing today! I am inclined to sit here for a while, drinking this very fine wine, and looking at you. That will make for a very delightful evening for me. What we do afterwards? Well, let’s wait and see, shall we? I should ask, is your daughter staying with you? I’ve lost track of whether she’s at home or away somewhere.” “She’s at home. She rarely gets in my way, so don’t expect too much from her over the weekend.” She felt her shoulders sag a bit. “We don’t often see eye to eye, so we tend to be avoiding each other, except when we can’t. She has her room, on the floor above, and we rarely bump into each other.” “Fair enough, just so long as I know what to expect, I suppose.” The evening continued, and they talked, and they talked, and Josie did most of the talking. Greg had never seen her this drunk before, and he prided himself on being able to hold some of his own in drinking competitions, but this woman could pack it away! She started on the second bottle, while Greg was only finishing his second glass. He could see that this wasn’t going to be a well-planned evening. Three hours later, and three bottles later, Josie was smashed. Greg was merry, but in control. “Josie, I think we need to get a taxi, and get you home.” She giggled. “Oh, Greg, stop it. That’s get us home.” She giggled again. He had to hold her upright, but they got their gear and their coats, and Greg’s ever-present laptop, and went outside. There was a steady flow of traffic, and it only took a few seconds for a taxi to be flagged down. It was a short journey, which was a perk of being very rich and living in the middle of the city. They fell out of the taxi, Josie still giggling away, and Greg having his work cut out to stop her collapsing. He got the house keys from her and they entered the house. He had to pump her for the alarm key number, which proved quite difficult, but he managed to turn it off before the police turned up. Since Greg had never been there before he didn’t know the layout and he had to keep pumping Josie for where anything was. She was very vocal, and Greg wondered where her off switch was. They made it up the first flight of stairs and he managed to get both of them into her bedroom. Greg could see that she was still well-nigh helplessly drunk and it was as much as he could do to get her to go into the bathroom and get ready for bed. She fell asleep twice while she was sat on the toilet and it took a lot of self control from Greg not to lose his patience with her. She was finally ready for bed, and although she still had her bra and knickers on she was too vocal for her own good. She almost fell into bed with a sleepy “Come on Greg, it’s time to make me …” and then her voice trailed off. She had fallen asleep as her head had made contact with the pillow. Greg looked at her, knowing full well that she was going to wake with a hell of a headache in the morning. He pulled the duvet up to cover her and quietly left the room, already resigned to sleeping downstairs on the settee. He went downstairs, feeling remarkably awake. He worked out that he had actually only drunk around three glasses of a very fine wine, whereas Josie had polished off close to three bottles by the time they had finished at the restaurant. He knew that he was a good few years older than she was – was he actually old enough to be her father? – so he knew that he wasn’t going to be taking advantage of her in any sexual way – at least not tonight. Let her sleep it off, and we’ll see what the morning brings. He was under no illusions that he needed to rush things. At his age he could wait another few hours. He found the settee and arranged the cushions around so that he was as comfortable as he could be. He opened the laptop and looked into some of the paperwork for the day's events. It had been an amazing last few months, where this project got closer and closer to the finishing line, and what had taken place today was just exceptional. He had been there for around an hour, and had decided that it all worked – all the maths, the figures they all added up – when he heard a disturbance from the front door. Since he doubted that Josie was up yet, he wondered if it was her daughter. He had been told very little about her, other than Josie and she clashed quite often – like minds don’t attract. He waited, to see what would happen, and he was more than a little surprised when a naked auburn-haired female walked into the lounge and sat down in the only other piece of furniture. To say that she was attractive was putting it mildly. She was clearly closely related to Josie, and perhaps a little taller. She had an amazing figure, and was obviously happy with walking around what was her home with no clothes on. It was only after she had sat down that she noticed Greg. There was a fleeting couple of seconds between them, where they each sized up the other. Greg was old enough to be her grandfather, and he was determined that he wasn’t going to get flustered by this. She, on the other hand, was surprised to find this handsome man in the lounge, and wasn’t quite sure how to react. “Oh, hi. Who the hell are you?” she demanded, making no attempt at running away or hiding her nakedness. He smiled at her. “Greg. I work with your mother.” She snorted “Good luck with that one. Is she home?” “Yes. We had a very important business meeting today, which we won, and we did a bit of celebrating afterwards. She’s upstairs at the moment, I hope sleeping off the hangover.” He raised an eyebrow “Hang on. She’s drunk?” He nodded. “I am sorry to say, yes, she is. I think she’ll be fine in the morning, but she may need an aspirin or something.” “No, you don’t understand. She never gets drunk – well, that’s not true. She was last drunk when my father left, around 15 years ago. She hasn’t been near the booze ever since." She stopped and looked at this stranger. "She must really like you. She never lets her hair down with anyone.” Greg took that on board and reassessed his position with Josie. “You should know that I like your mother, but what she and I get up to is between her and me.” “So, did you have your wicked way with her yet?” “No, and I have no intention of having my ‘wicked way’ with someone who can’t even stand up straight.” He realised that he’d been cross when he said that last bit, but this daughter was being very rude to him, since they had only met less than 5 minutes ago. “Easy, tiger. She’s met some dogs in the past. I want to know what you are, that’s why I asked.” “What, so you look after your mother?” “Someone has to. And there’s another thing. I’m sat here with nothing on, and you haven’t moved. Are you gay or something? Why haven’t you made a pass at me yet?” Greg was rapidly becoming bored with this conversation. She clearly had other reasons for engaging in this war of words, and Greg wasn’t sure that he wanted to play. “Excuse me a moment.” He took out his mobile phone, and dialled a local taxi firm that he knew. A familiar voice answered. “Hi, Sammy, it’s Greg. I’m at a friend’s house. Can you send someone to pick me up and take me home?” He gave the address. “I will be out of your way in 10 minutes. I suggest that you watch television until I’m gone. After that, I don’t care what you do.” She was genuinely confused “Greg, what are you doing? Why are you leaving? I don’t want you to go, and I’m pretty sure that my mother won’t want to ask me where you’ve gone or why you’ve left before she was awake.” Getting more than a little cross he tersely said “You should have thought of that before you decide to start insulting me. I work very well with your mother. That doesn’t mean that I have to put up with you.” He got up from the settee and put the laptop away. “I’m sure that you can make some excuse to your mother in the morning. It’s a fine evening. I’ll wait outside.” He walked to the front door and let himself out. He made sure that he had put Josie’s keys down first. He went a few steps down towards the road, and decided that he would wait on the low wall. He had been there for 5 minutes when he heard the front door open. He didn’t want to get started in any more conversations with Josie’s daughter so he stood up, intending to walk away from the house. “Greg?” It was Josie. He turned to see her at the front door, with a dressing gown thrown around her. She looked really rough. “Greg, what are you doing?” He was tempted to walk away, but how do you walk away from someone like Josie? He walked slowly towards her, intending to have a short conversation, and hoping that the taxi would turn up soon. “Josie, I made sure that you were as safe as you could be, and tucked up in bed. I went downstairs and went through some of the paperwork from this meeting. I have met your daughter, and I thought it was best that I go home, as I feel that she doesn’t want me in the house. I would have called you in the morning.” She had a confused I’m-still-drunk look on her face. “What happened, after we got back here? Did we..do anything?” He smiled. “I had trouble getting you upstairs, but you went to the bathroom, and I eventually got you into your bed, where you promptly fell asleep. I was expecting you to sleep the night away.” “So we didn’t…?” “No. We didn’t. Why are you up, Josie?” “It’s Frankie, she came to see that I was OK, and she woke me up. She said that you were going to your home. Greg, why, what’s happened? Why are you leaving?” He looked back at the house. “Your daughter can be exceptionally rude, and I was not prepared to put up with it. I’ve told you. If you are awake enough to take it in, then I expected you to sleep the night away. I did not want to get into a fight with your daughter, so I decided to leave.” “Greg, I don’t understand. Come back. Please? Put the coffee on, and let’s talk about this. She likes you, she doesn’t want you to go. Hell, I don’t want you to go. Greg, please come back. My head isn’t screwed on properly yet, so I’ll need a paracetamol or something, but I’ll be OK in a half-hour.” He was wondering what to do when the taxi pulled up. “Taxi for Greg” the driver called out. Should he go or should he stay? He then walked over to the taxi and put a ten pound note in the driver’s hand. “I’m sorry to mess you about, but I think my luck might have changed.” “A tenner? Hang on, I’ll get you some change. I was only a local stop-off.” “Leave it. Thanks for turning up.” “Cheers, mate!” and the taxi drove off. “OK, Josie, let’s see what happens. I’ll put the kettle on, you take the paracetamol.” As they walked back through the front door he asked “Does your daughter always walk around with nothing on?” “Frankie? Oh, hell. Yes. I’m sorry, I should have thought to mention that.” “Yes, maybe you should have. It was a bit of a surprise – not a shock, just a surprise. She is very attractive, your daughter. She takes a lot of that from you, I suppose.” He was relaxing again. The tension had moved away. He sent Josie into the lounge while he went into the kitchen and sorted the kettle out. While it was starting to boil he went into the lounge and saw Frankie in the same armchair, still with nothing on. Josie was on the settee, with the dressing gown still badly draped around her. “Josie, tell me. If Frankie walks around the house with nothing on, what do you do? Are you the same or do you always dress up?” She answered slowly. “I tend to have nothing on, either. It’s just the two of us. What do we have to hide from each other?” “And yet here you are with your dressing gown on, and Frankie with nothing on. What would you rather I do? Keep my clothes on or take them off? If I am staying the night I’d just like to know.” Josie and her daughter looked at each other, and both shrugged. Neither had been in this situation before, so they didn’t really know how to respond. “I have my gown on because of you, and because I went outside! Otherwise…” she trailed off, and Greg filled in some gaps. “Well, I’d appreciate it if someone would tell me. If I take all my clothes off, do I do it here or do I have to wait until I get upstairs with you, Josie?” She was beginning to lose her cool. “Greg, go and make the damned coffee! And find me a paracetamol. They’re in the medicine cabinet. Frankie, go and help him out - please!” They went into the kitchen, and he started to get the instant coffees poured. Frankie knew where the medicines were and found the right pills straightaway. They then brought the drinks back into the lounge. Josie took the pills, and a swig of the coffee. Greg knew how hot it was so he was impressed as she didn’t even flinch. “Greg, come on. This time you are coming to bed with me.” She got up, took Greg’s hand, and walked them up the stairs. “Frankie, do whatever you damn well want!” They got to the bedroom, and she shook the gown off, removed her bra and panties and got into bed. Greg was impressed, and started to undress himself, all the while realising that little was going to happen for a few hours. Sure enough, by the time he was undressed she had gone back to sleep. He sneaked into the bathroom and freshened up. He crept back out and quietly slipped into bed, and was more than a little surprised when Frankie popped her head around the door with “Are you guys OK? Mind if I join you?” Without waiting for an acceptance she went around the bed and slipped in beside Greg, forcing him into the middle. It was a big bed so it could take all three easily. “Mind telling me what you are doing? If your mother wakes up what is she going to say?” he whispered. “Oh, she’ll be fine. She’ll be asleep for a few hours anyway.” With that she put her hand straight onto his private parts which made Greg jump. “You and I have some business to attend to. After me then I think you’ll need to attend to my mother.” She was smiling, and Greg was confused. He reached down and removed her hand. “I don’t think so. I am here to keep your mother company, not you. Go back to your room, or I leave again!” he hissed. She reluctantly slipped out of bed and left the room. Greg breathed a sigh of relief, as he was now quite tired and wanted to sleep. He lay on his back and shut his eyes, and snored quietly within a minute. It had been a long day. They both slept, one the sleep of the drunk and the other the sleep of exhaustion. Greg woke up to see Josie walk into the room with a tray with some breakfast bits on it. Had he been that tired? “Good morning, sleepyhead.” She said. “I’d say rise and shine but it’s raining, so there’s not much to shine about.” She moved towards Greg and put the tray down. “I don’t know what you fancy for brekky so I made a mix of toast and coffee.” She went around to her side of the bed, threw off her gown and slipped in between the sheets. “And a good morning to you, too. It’s been quite an interesting last 24 hours. I need to update you on one or two things.” “Really? Apart from you nearly leaving, what did I miss?” “What sort of relationship do you have with your daughter, for a start. After you’d got back to bed I joined you, but then so did she. That was something I didn’t anticipate. I think she expected me to look after her, sexually, and then look after you. Once you’ve got your head around that, perhaps you’d like to explain it to me?” "Ah. Yes. Sorry about that. What sort of relationship? I don't know how to answer that, as we have not really had much of a relationship at all. She hasn't seen me with another man in years - maybe ten, maybe longer. I don't think she has yet been with a man because I have been such a screwed-up-tight sort of mother. She is genuinely surprised at you being here. Yes, she and I walk around the house, most of the time with nothing on, because we are not trying to impress anyone - there's just the two of us." "I think you are avoiding answering what I'm probably bad at asking. You and I haven't done anything yet except been good business partners for the last few years. It's changed now, in that I am here in bed with you, even though nothing has happened yet. Are you expecting me to go to bed with your daughter, or not? It's a simple enough question, surely?" "Oh, dammit, I don't know! We are both free spirits and neither of us holds ties over the other. Are you saying that you would, if she offered?" "I don't know. I can't say yes and I can't say no. I certainly haven't had my way with you, as you were well and truly hammered last night. You seem to have recovered well, I might add." "Oh, sod it. Come on, you, let's go for a swim!" "Where the hell are we going swimming? I don't know of any pools around here." "Listen, you. I need to walk you around this house, and show you the details. There's one in the basement. Not big but big enough. Come on!" She was out of the bed and walked to the door, opening it and beckoning him. Since everyone had seen everyone else with nothing on he thought 'What the heck.' and followed her out. They went down two flights and he found himself looking at a good-sized pool, considering the overall size of the house. She walked into the pool and he followed. He was able to do a length in six strokes, but it was a good pool, just the right temperature. They swam for a few lengths and then Josie sat on the steps, half in and half out of the water. "Come on, Greg. Join me here." He swam over and sat next to her. She reached over to him and gave him a kiss. "I'm sorry about last night. All that messing about. But, we are here now, and I think we should enjoy the rest of the day." He found it difficult to resist, and he put one arm around her and pulled her close. They sat there for a couple of minutes and kissed each other thoroughly, all over. "I think it's time. We need to go back and we need to have our wicked way with each other." he said. "No, we don't need to go anywhere. Here, now." She slipped a little further into the pool and pulled him with her. She lay loosely on the steps and he positioned himself to be above. Within seconds he was in and they moved as one. They were both ready for this and it didn't last too long, and then a voice piped up "Say, that was interesting. Mind if I join you?" and Frankie slipped into the water and swam up to them. "I thought I'd be quiet. You looked to be busy." she said when she had got to them. They were still together, and Greg slowly withdrew and sat down on the steps. "Hm, it looks like Greg here is still raring to go. Mind if I help you out?" Her mother shrugged, looked at Greg, and said "Anything to shut her up!" She sat on top of Greg and went at it hard. She was obviously enjoying this and managed to go strong for a good five minutes, at which point she shuddered and collapsed on top of Greg, then slid off him into the water. She just floated away, on her back, feeling thoroughly happy. She lifted her head and looked at her mother and Greg. "Oh, Greg. You can visit again, soon. Real soon." She stopped, and stood upright. She looked at Greg, and then across to Josie. There was a definite pause, and then "I think you need to tell him." She then fell back and swam away. Greg looked curiously at Josie. "What the heck does that mean?" Clearly uncertain as to what to say, she volunteered "Greg, it's tricky to say. It's just that my daughter and I are not..." and she ran out of words. "Yes? Not what?" Clearly not wanting to go down this path, she eventually said "We are not from around here." "OK, what does that mean? Are you from the north, the south, the west or the east?" By now the daughter had swum back, and hovered around in their area, listening to this exchange. Greg noticed that she had a huge grin - she is enjoying something that I don't know about. This should be interesting. Biting her lips, obviously nervous, although Greg could not imagine why, she managed "No Greg. It means that we are from a place far away from here." He was getting a bit fed up with the hesitation, and his tone showed it. "Josie, I don't know where you are from, but does it matter? I like you - and I like your daughter, too" He laughed. "What does it matter where you are from?" He turned to her, and in a terse voice asked "So, woman! Where are you from?" With a clear hesitation in her voice, she wondered how to say this, and eventually her daughter cut across with "Dammit, woman, tell him! Eridani, OK? We are from the star system that you call Epsilon Eridani. Happy now?" Greg turned to look at Frankie, and couldn't speak. Did he just hear that correctly? Eridani? But that is... and it dropped away. "Yes, it's just over ten light years away, OK? I'm sure that you have questions and the like, so let us show you what is happening, and then you should arrange your questions. OK?" Without waiting for an answer she continued "We have been travelling to this star system for thousands of years, so to us this is not new. To you I am anticipating that it is unheard of, never mind new. Correct?" Managing to just nod, but feeling that his head was close to exploding, Greg started to take in what had just been said, even though his brain was finding a lot of it hard to accept. "Right. The situation that we have in our star system is that men - the males of the species - are rare, so we go exploring, to try to find some." She came close, and looked very earnest in his face. "We are fussy who we take in. Very fussy. We know that our system can support life, but over the last few generations it has become clear that we are dying out. Mainly this is because our male and female split is now all wrong. We are all in danger of going to bed with our cousin, or in some cases our own brother or sister. That way is the way to extinction, so we are actively supporting this program to explore and diversify the gene pool. It is our survival at stake, here!" She paused for breath, and then continued with "Oh yes. One more thing. What you see here isn't actually real. We are projecting a false image, more in line with what your planet might accept." Boom! And his head just went into a billion pieces. Am I on drugs? What the hell is going on here?