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Let`s Do It

by swandale 

Posted: 16 January 2004
Word Count: 796


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As she opened the car door, she changed her mind. But it was too late. They'd already seen her. Their cries came simultaneously.

"Kitty! You're here!"

"At last!"

"We thought you weren't going to come!"

Kitty's doubt faded as she was infected by her friends' excitement. She got out of the car and walked across the car park to meet them. "Of course I came! A pledge is a pledge. This year, we're really going to do it, I've got a good feeling about it." Once she'd greeted and hugged her three friends, Kitty took a notebook out of her handbag, and started running through a list. "Right, I've got the tickets. Jane, you've got the blankets?" Jane nodded. "Lynne, you should have the wigs, and Jenny, you should have the masks." Lynne and Jenny both nodded agreement.

"Wait till you see the masks," Jenny giggled, "you're going to love them!"

"Good, no excuses then," Kitty said. "This year, we're really going to do it. Let's go." Linking arms with Jenny, Kitty led the way towards the entrance queue.

Once they were in the queue, the friends started to catch up with each other's gossip from the last year. As usual when they got together, the time raced past, and before they knew it they were at the front of the queue and through the gates. "Welcome to Wimbledon," the steward said, handing them each a game schedule and map.

"Where first?" Kitty asked.

"Bar!" came the three replies.

"Right then, this way." Taking charge as usual, Kitty led the way towards the bar.

***

"Four double gin and tonics, please," Kitty said to the barmaid when they reached the bar. "We're going to need all the Dutch courage we can get," she carried on under her breath to her friends. Drinks in hand, the girls settled down at a table to discuss the plan.

"Let's see the masks then," Kitty said to Jenny.

"Sure, here you are. Aren't they great?" Jenny pulled a mask out of her bag and passed it across the table to Kitty. Kitty was impressed. It was a simple white plastic Halloween mask, but Jenny had painted a copy of a Picasso style face on it, so that the wearer would be turned into a walking Picasso masterpiece. "I've done them all the same," Jenny added, "I thought it would give us more team spirit."

"They're perfect," grinned Kitty. "Now, what about the wigs?"

Lynne now reached into her bag, and pulled out an afro style, rainbow coloured wig. "They'll go pretty well with Jenny's masks, don't you think?"

"They'll look fantastic," Kitty agreed.

"Do you really think we'll do it this year?" asked Jane.

"Definitely."

"Absolutely."

"Without a doubt."

***

A few double gin and tonics later, the friends were all getting loud and excited. "Kitty, Kitty, did you bring the oath?" Jenny asked.

"Certainly did!" Kitty responded, drawing out of her bag a folded, dog-eared piece of paper.

"Read it, read it!" Jenny said, giggling.

"Right." Kitty cleared her throat. "We, the undersigned, of St Cuthbert's School, Farnborough, do solemnly swear, that no matter how long it take, we will..."

"Ladies and gentlemen." The PA system in the bar kicked in. "The first match of the season, between Tim Henman and Jonathan Retson, will start in ten minutes on the centre court. Please start to make your way to your seats. I repeat, the first match of the season will start on the centre court in ten minutes."

"Oooh, we'd better find our seats and get ready!" Jane screeched. "Come on, girls!"

***

Ten minutes later, the four friends were sat in their front row seats, masks and wigs on, blankets wrapped around them, ready to go. The two players walked on to the court. The crowed started to cheer. "Come on, girls!" shouted Kitty. "Let's do it!"

So they did.

***

Later that evening, having each received a police caution, the girls gathered round Kitty's telly, waiting for the Wimbledon coverage.

"I can't believe we actually did it!"

"Do you think we'll be on the news?"

"Sssh, sssh, here it comes!"

"The first day of Wimbledon started to a rather unusual sight today. Players and crowd alike were shocked to see four 45 year old women run across the centre court wearing nothing but colourful masks and wigs. The four ladies later commented to reporters that it had been an ambition since their school days to streak at a major sporting event, and that despite making many plans to do so, this was the first time they had actually gone through with it. Well, each to their own, I suppose. Onto today's matches..."

The four girls sat back and smiled. "Finally, we really did it," sighed Kitty, happily.






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Comments by other Members



NaijaChiqa at 22:25 on 16 January 2004  Report this post
it's a nice, cute story.

It was also not predictable as I wasn't sure what the ladies were planning to do or thought they'd be 45.

Even though it was nice, it would have been more interesting if the ladies had planned to do something not as 'acceptable' as streaking. With the middle aged ladies posing for the calendar, and the fact that public nudity seems to be a more accepted part modern day practices, something else would be nice.

Jubbly at 22:50 on 16 January 2004  Report this post
I really liked this, it was very funny and worked for me. Personally I don't think it's ever going to be acceptable for 45 year old women to run about naked in public, Calender girls or not, so I wouldn't worry about an alternative ending, it's find as it is.

swandale at 23:00 on 16 January 2004  Report this post
Thanks for the positive comments, you're the first people to read any of my writing so they've made me feel all bubbly inside!

I'd actually completely forgotton about the Calender Girls when I wrote it, but good point.

Jumbo at 00:13 on 17 January 2004  Report this post
Sam

Welcome to WW. And to the RLG cult!!

This is a nice piece of writing. It captures the excitement and the nervousness of your four characters - and the result of all those gin and tonics. It has a good pace and it holds onto you right to the end. And I liked the final twist - 45 year old streakers, eh!

Are you an ex-St Cuthbert's girl, by any chance?

Good stuff!

Regards

John





Account Closed at 08:34 on 17 January 2004  Report this post
A great story. Just goes to show that line has limitless possibilities. I especially loved the fact that it had taken them 30 years to get up the courage to do it and they’d obviously chickened out in previous years. Very visual, would make a good short film (maybe Julie Walters and Helen Mirram would be interested).
Elspeth


swandale at 11:04 on 17 January 2004  Report this post
Thanks guys. The RLG idea was quite addictive, I didn't really mean to write anything, but I couldn't help thinking about it when I was driving to work.

I made up St Cuthberts, although I imagine it exists somewhere!

Dee at 11:36 on 17 January 2004  Report this post
Very funny. I guessed what they were planning fairly early in the story but I expected them to bottle out at the last minute so I was surprised at the end.

Well done, glad you joined in RLG, and welcome to WW.

Dee.

tinyclanger at 11:59 on 17 January 2004  Report this post
Nice One! Thought you made the characters 'live' very sucessfully.

As with everyone, welcome to WW and the strange, seductive power of the RLG!

tc



TeeFoley at 19:46 on 27 February 2004  Report this post

The concept of the story is fantastic. To me it tells a tale of women in society having a need to make a shocking statement.
Without wanting to offend, this would make a great controversial poem. In poetic terms It could reach many hearts (mainly of the female sex!!) Afterall, we all have a rebel in us.
I understand fully the message that you want to convey to all others. Regardless of grammar and spelling we all have a voice, write your story in poem form and let's see how magnificent it could be.
Tee xxxx

sthorn at 16:13 on 26 February 2005  Report this post
Hi,

I'm a bit sorry to say that I didn't like this story, at least not as much as some of your other stories (Emily is quite good)

It puzzles me: Why should we care?

Richard Brown at 21:09 on 28 February 2005  Report this post
Sthorn,

Welcome to WriteWords.

It’s a pity that your first comment is a negative one. Maybe it might have been preferable to say something positive about ‘Emily’ rather than register disappointment with this (I think charming) story. Most people on the site try to be positive and do their best to make criticism as constructive as possible. A simple ‘I don’t like this’ isn’t much use to a writer as I’m sure you realise. You could have said why you don’t like it and maybe given suggestions for improvements.

Your last remark puzzles me. You ask ‘Why should we care?’ but don’t say about what. If you mean; ‘Why should we care about other people’s writing?’ that’s precisely what we’re here for, a major purpose of the site. If you don’t care about other people there’s no compulsion to join in!

Why not try uploading something and enjoy the benefits of freely-given constructive criticism?

Richard.



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