Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
I thought about what Tim had said the whole way back: about his wife, her swimming with dolphins, her singing and dancing, her outlook on life in general, even when things had got really bad, even when she knew she was going to die. I thought about it all and when I stood up to get off the bus, I did something I had never done before.
I reached for the bell (instead of standing up to tell the bus driver that I was getting off at the next stop to avoid touching it). I counted to ten. I thought of the big, bushy broccoli trees and rivers and turquoise lakes with islands and mountains and glaciers. I thought of Roy’s Peak, of Tim’s wife swimming with the dolphins, of her dancing in the aisles with her bald head, of Bunty’s to hell with it , and I pressed the bell.
Then I put my hand back inside my pocket without sanitising and made my way to Irish Eyes Lodge where I collapsed on the bed and slept for the rest of the day.
When I woke up again, it was dark, but I could see Niall’s message flash up on the screen.
How was Roy’s Peak?
Emotional.
Did you get to the top?
Not exactly.
Did you do any of it?
I started to. I got about half an hour up but then I tripped and hurt my ankle and had to come down again.
Oh no, sorry to hear that. Are you OK?
My ankle is a bit sore but I’m OK, thanks. Luckily I had Tim to help me.
Tim?
He’s a guy I met in a taxi to Wanaka. His wife died and he was going up to scatter her ashes – she was in his bag.
You do pick them don’t you … stuffed cat, dead wife in a bag.
She swam with dolphins.
When she was dead?
No, you eejit, when she was alive, and she sang every day.
That’s nice.
I think I might take up singing.
Can you sing?
Yes.
I didn’t know that.
There’s a lot of stuff you don’t know about me too, Niall…