A Right Brain Mind in a Left Brain World Read online

  Tommy always shaves early on Saturday mornings so he will have that five o clock stubble, or is it shadow look, that all the girls go for. But there lay Tommy’s problem, finding the right girl these days is a very difficult task.

  I mean take the last girl he went out with, Terry. She was nice enough and she didn’t seem to mind Tommy going on about his beloved bike. They talked all night about all the rallies he went to, and how he was hoping to do a tour of Europe next summer. They had arranged to meet the following afternoon. There was a local rally being held by a few lads Tommy knew about ten miles out the road.

  Terry had given Tommy directions to the flat where she lived and he was delighted with himself. Maybe he finally found someone who shared an interest in his passion.

  But when Tommy arrived the following afternoon to pick Terry up, he wondered if she had understood that he was actually picking her up on a motorbike. Did she realize her face was a glowing orange colour while her neck, arms and legs were snow white? And if that wasn’t bad enough, there she stood in a pair of black high heels, a skirt that was more like a belt, a sweater that just about covered her midriff and a denim bomber jacket with her hand bag clutched under her arm.

  He had first of all apologised to her, thinking he had forgotten to mention that they would be going on the bike. But, no, she assured him she was delighted to be going on the bike. Then he suggested maybe it might be better if she wore a pair of jeans and put on a pair of sneakers, just for comfort like. But again, she assured him she was fine. It was when he handed her the helmet and she asked him what he wanted her to do with it, that he realized once again it was another disaster.

  When they had arrived at the rally, Tommy had felt like a right plonker with your one on the back, he could see the others bikers looking at the state of your one. So Tommy dropped her at the gateway to the car park as he went to park the bike. He would never live this one down when the other lads saw the state of the slapper he was with. He just wanted to die. But as it turned out he needn’t have worried, when he arrived back to the gate Terry was nowhere to be found. He had seen her at some stage later in the evening chatting up some poor idiot and gladly left her to it.

  Now, as Tommy pulls open the door to the lounge bar at Finnegan’s, he thinks the place is awful quiet. As Tommy’s eyes adjust in the semi darkness, he wonders why the connecting doors, that open up to more seating and the stage, are still closed. Tommy can hear someone behind the bar but can’t see who it is. Someone must be stocking shelves.

  ‘That you down there, Mike,’ Tommy calls out.

  ‘Yeah, just a mo and I’ll be with you,’ the voice says.

  ‘Jaysus Mike, what’s going on? Shouldn’t you have those doors open back by now?’

  ‘No, not tonight Tommy, it’s a private function the boss’ daughter got herself engaged and her Mother and friends are having a bit of a surprise do for her.’

  ‘ Ah, you’re kidding me.’

  ‘ Sorry Tommy, afraid not, so will I get you a beer or not?’

  ‘Go on then.’ But if it stays like this, I’ll just have the one and head home, he thinks.

  Tommy sat at the bar and picked up the local paper someone has left behind. He checks the cinema to see if there is anything new. The only thing Tommy can see that is worth watching is Mama Mia and he has seen it seven times now already. So much so the lads working there had started calling him a wuss, not that Tommy takes any notice.

  The door to the lounge opens, and in arrives a gang of giggling girls. They are carrying a concoction of items; streamers, balloons ,funny hats, some of them were in fancy dress. Well, at least Tommy thinks they are. But behind them waddling through the crowd, Tommy recognises a mate that he knows from the rallies. It is John Somers, Tommy is sure, and waits for John to remove his helmet.

  ‘Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Thank god, I thought I’d be twiddling my thumbs for the night. Give us two pints of whatever this man is having.’ John calls to Mike the barman.

  ‘Well, well, what brings you this far from your neck of the woods?’ Tommy asks John.

  ‘It’s a long story, but my sister has been invited to a party here tonight and she doesn’t know the girl that long. But felt she couldn’t refuse. Partys really aren’t Maria’s thing. So being the kind brother that I am I said I’d come a long and get a taxi home with her.’

  ‘That’s gonna cost a pretty penny, plus you have to come back for the bike,’ Tommy whistled.

  ‘Yeah, tell me about it.’

  ‘Well, if your sister isn’t too fussy, my place is ten minutes down the road,’ Tommy offered. Hoping he has left the house in a reasonable state.

  ‘Jaysus, ta! I’ll mention it to her when she sticks her head out. You know what women are like. That’s if you don’t mind of course, I’ll bunk down anywhere.’

  ‘Not to worry, there are three good beds so we can all have one.’

  Tommy and John get talking about more important things in life, such as motorbikes. And the sleeping arrangements are forgotten for the time being.

  ‘Excuse me, Tommy. I have to make for the little boy’s room.’

  Tommy points John to the two doors far over on the right. As Tommy looks around now he can see some of the usually older crowd have drifted in while he and John were chatting. John really is a sound bloke Tommy thinks now, and then wonders what the sister is like.

  ‘Can I get you something?’ Mike asks someone over Tommy’s shoulder.

  ‘Am, yes could I have a pint of Guinness please? And if you could add a drop of blackcurrant to it, that would be great.’

  Tommy sniggers to himself, women are all the same. For the love of god, if you’re gonna have a Guinness don’t dress it up with something else.

  ‘So, what’s so funny then?’ He hears the voice say from behind.

  Tommy turns around to face whoever it is he has now obviously offended and is quite taken aback. There standing in front of him is a girl, dressed in a one piece leather motorbike suit, probably her costume for the night. But he has to hand it to her, it fits her to perfection.

  ‘So you playing the whole part then,’ Tommy says smiling at her.

  ‘I beg your pardon, but do I know you? And whether I have blackcurrant in my Guinness is frankly none of your business. But I will tell you anyway. I put blackcurrant in because otherwise it gives me heartburn and just so we are clear, I am not playing a part.’

  ‘Oh god, oh god look, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to offend,’ Tommy is now stuttering over his words, how could he have just insulted the nicest looking biker chick he ever has come across. ‘Look let me pay for your drink, Mike that’s on me,’ Tommy shouts to the barman. He can feel his cheeks burning scarlet now, he could kick himself. And Tommy watches now as John makes his way back to his seat. Glad to have the company and change the subject.

  ‘Well, looky here,’ John says as he wraps his arms around the girl Tommy has just insulted. ‘I see you have met my sister then.’

  Now Tommy really wants to die, he is sure you can fry an egg on his cheeks at this stage.

  ‘Well, no, not formally,’ Tommy says looking at the ground.

  ‘Well, Tommy Dunne, meet my sister Maria, surely you saw her Hornet parked outside on your way in.’

  ‘Your bike,’ Tommy has the words out of his mouth before he can take them back, but before anyone can say more he jumps in ‘sure, of course it’s your bike.’

  With that both John and Maria burst out laughing.

  ‘I see you’re not very experienced with chatting up the opposite sex,’ John laughs

  ‘Well, I might as well come clean. I am one of six boys so the only woman in our house is my Ma and you certainly wouldn’t be cheeky with her. She’d box your ears as quick as look at you.’

  At that, both John and Maria sat listening to Tommy telling stories about growing up with five brothers and how his Ma has a handle on them all.

  ‘Are they all married now?’ Maria asks him. />
  ‘The eldest three are, so she is constantly nagging me to bring a girl home.’

  ‘And why don’t you?’ Maria asks with a smile, sending him a challenge.

  ‘Well, you know what, maybe I will. After all, if a girl sleeps over at my place, she should at least come meet my Mother don’t you think John?’

  With that John winks over at Tommy, and it is as good as any blessing.

  But Tommy knows he has to win Maria over yet. But there is going to be plenty time for that, this time he is sure he has finally found the one.

  WHAT A DAY...

  It has been Molly’s dream wedding come true. The sun is shining. The sky has been ocean blue all day. Everything has gone off so much better than Molly had planned. Everyone is enjoying the good weather outside, dancing and generally having a party.

  Molly and Harry will be leaving soon for the airport so they can catch a flight that will take them to their honeymoon destination. Once again, Molly can’t believe how lucky she is to have married a man like Harry. There is just one more surprise Molly wants to give her new husband before they leave. Molly runs up the stairs to her childhood bedroom where she has left the keys to the old classic MG she knows Harry has been drooling over for the last few months. Molly feels a tingle run down her spine at the thought of his face when she hands him the keys to his dream car. Molly made her father hide it in his garage for the last two weeks.

  As Molly rushes into her old bedroom, she comes to a complete stop... She can’t believe what she is seeing. There, lying on her single bed halfnaked, is Harry. The man she has just married and her very best friend, and chief bridesmaid, Maureen. Molly stands there for a full minute before they even realise she is in the room. Molly opens her mouth and just screams and screams. She wants to hurl something at both of them. As Molly moves forward to grab the nearest object from the dressing table something catches her right foot. Now Molly descends into the darkness, al owing it to close in around her. She welcomes it.

  Molly can hear someone calling her name but her head feels heavy and her eyelids are refusing to open.

  ‘Come on love, open your eyes for your old Dad,’ she hears the voice say.

  Molly has to struggle to open her eyes.

  ‘Ah, there you are my love,’ her Mam is holding her hand.

  ‘Where am I?’ Molly asks them trying to keep her eyes open.

  ‘You are at Amare Manor Hospital,’ the nurse, who is checking the monitor Molly is hooked to, replies. ‘How are you feeling?’ The nurse asks as she shines a light into both of Molly’s eyes.

  ‘My head hurts and I feel a bit dizzy,’ Molly says with a croaky voice. ‘So tell me where did Harry go?’

  ‘Harry?’ Both Molly’s parents say in unison and look from her to the nurse.

  ‘Does she know a Harry?’ the nurse asks Molly’s parents.

  Now Molly closes her eyes and waits for her parents to explain the embarrassing situation that led to her visit here at the hospital.

  Molly opens her eyes and looks at both her parents. They seem to be unfazed by the question and the situation.

  ‘The only Harry I can recall,’ Molly’s mother continues, ‘is an old boyfriend Harry O’Conner. They broke up when Molly was seventeen.’

  ‘Yes, I remember him,’ Molly’s Dad smiles, ‘Molly said he loved his old MG more then he loved her, and she wasn’t going to stick around to be second best to his car. Do you remember love?’ He asks Molly now rubbing her hand with the palm of his.

  Molly wondered for a minute if they were just bluffing. But, again, they both seem to be comfortable with the situation. And if Molly had been rushed here, she wondered then why dad isn’t still in his morning suit and where is mums mother of the bride outfit?

  ‘Actually, come to think of it I’m sure I read somewhere that he and one of Molly’s old school friends are getting married... today, if I’m not mistaken. Yes, I’m sure it is…’ Molly’s mother ponders.

  ‘Well love, next time you go running up the stairs, you’d better watch out for your mothers vacuum cleaner lead. You tripped right over it and knocked your head on the bedpost. It gave us quite a fright.’ Molly’s dad said as her mother nodded her head in agreement.

  ‘I guess you can say I had a narrow escape then.’ Molly smiled feeling somewhat better.

  TO KNOW WHO I AM

  Jenny Murphy Stood outside of the large blue stone building that is Ponmain Convent. It is a nice tall blue stone building with window boxes over flowing from every windowsill. Even from the steps leading to the door you can smell the bee’s wax; Jenny wonders what if any information Mother Maria can offer her. It is nearly a week now since she has spoken with Sister Catherine. Today she is to meet Mother Maria, but why or what she might know has puzzled Jenny.

  Jenny had always known she was adopted by her parents, Katie and Ben Murphy. Katie had always told Jenny if she ever decided to look for her Mother, both Ben and herself would do what they could to help. And true to their word, when the letter came from the adoption board giving Jenny an address in France. Her Father had organised her ticket for the ferry and booked a bed and breakfast for her not to far from the village where the Convent is situated. Jenny had been nervous coming to France on her own but once she was off the ferry, and on the motorway driving down this beautiful Country Jenny began to relax.

  Jenny thought that once she would be off the motorway, finding the smaller villages, especially as it was dark would be her biggest problem. But she has to hand it to the French, their roads and road signs are just great, When Jenny arrived in the Village of Desertions’, just after ten pm. She took the directions her father had given her and eventually found the charming cottage belonging to Madam. Franks the owner of the bed and breakfast.

  She took Jenny up to her room and made sure she had everything she needed, before telling her to come and go as she pleases, and to make herself at home while she is here. It made Jenny a little homesick and of course she missed her parents. But the room is delightful a four poster bed with a lace canopy and a beautiful window seat that looks out onto the grounds. And the smell of lavender coming from the window boxes is almost intoxicating.

  Now as Jenny wait’s for someone to come and answer the Convent door, she finds herself feeling a little bit anxious and her tummy is rumbling. This is always a sign Jenny knows that she is nervous, but she is here now and hopefully in a short while she will have some answers regarding her Mother. As the door to the Convent opens and Jenny smiles into the face she is sure has to be Sister Catherine.

  ‘Bonjour Soear Catherine.’

  ‘And welcome to you too Jenny,’ Sister Catherine spoke English fluently and flawlessly and Jenny is envious.

  ‘I hope you had a pleasant Journey here, have you had time to visit our Church.’

  ‘Yes to be honest, I have spend the last hour sitting in there, it is an amazing place you can feel your spirits lift almost the minute you walk in the door. Those stain glass windows are so beautiful, it is magnificent the way they give out that blue glow around the church, you feel you should tip toe so as not to disturb anyone.’ Jenny Smiled, hoping Sister Catherine wouldn’t think her mad.

  ‘I agree, it’s a place that people come to with their problems, and sometimes just sitting in the church seems to give them some sort of peace. Well I’ll just seat you in here and Mother Maria will be with you shortly.’

  ‘Thank you Sister Catherine,’ Jenny says after Sister Catherine has taken her into a small cosy sitting room, covered from wall to wall in books of all kinds.

  ‘Hello you must be Jenny. I’m very pleased to meet you I’m Mother Maria.’

  Jenny noticed right off the Irish accent and wondered for a moment, but decided not to jump to conclusions. This lady or nun Jenny thinks is in her late sixties; somehow she hadn’t thought her mother would be that age. But then again you’d never know.

  ‘What I’m about to tell you is going to be difficult, and I alone have had to decide whether I s
hould be the one to tell you this.’

  Jenny wonders what she means’s by her decision; surely that is her Mothers place. But she didn’t interrupt.

  ‘First of all yes your mother was a young Irish girl with no family, her mother died two months after she was born, from TB, she had no siblings and was reared by her Father on a little farm in the Village of Kildimo, County Limerick, until he died when she was just fourteen. There were no other relatives that anyone knew of. So she was taken in by one of the village family’s and given a good home,’

  Just then there is a slight knock on the door, and Sister Catherine appears with a tray laden down with pastries and tea and coffee, she just leaves them on the coffee table and leaves again without saying a word only a nod to Mother Maria.

  ‘Where was I, oh yes, at sixteen she decided to join a Convent, Mrs. O’Conner and Father Brown had spoke to her at length, to be sure this was what she wanted. The O’Conner family assured her that she was now part of their family and that she was going to be treated like the rest of their children. But she was adamant that she wanted to join the same Convent as had Mrs. O’Conner’s oldest daughter, she was with a French Order. And that is how Jane ended up here.’

  It is the first time Jenny heard Mother Maria, mention a name and it hit her with force; her Mother’s name is Jane. But if Jane joined the convent, how did she become pregnant? Maybe she left again? There is so much running through Jenny’s mind she is not sure what to think.

  ‘I can see this is puzzling you Jenny, but I will explain, Jane came here just after her sixteenth birthday. and stayed here for two years, until she was eighteen; she then decided to do her last year before taking her final vows at the convent in Limerick. She would be near the O’Conner Family who after all had become her only family. She was at the Convent in Limerick for just over a month, and enjoyed baking and cooking anything related to the Kitchen really,’ Mother Maria smiled now, obviously remembering her.