Llanelli Turk 'Cariad'

Chapter Three . The Walk Through Lone Woods

Main Pic. Lone Woods 'Troserch-Woods'

Chapter Three

The walk through Lone Woods

I awoke the next morning army style, with no need for an alarm clock. I just set my mind on four-forty five... and you know what? My strapless watch near my massive book, said four-fifty.

I looked out of the window to see what else the dark and windy weather had to offer. "Goody, not raining," I said to myself as I freshly made my way to the toilet. After which, I had a quick cold wash and brushed my sparkling – clean – all straight – snow white teeth. I then spoke to the mirror asking..., "Who is the prettiest of them all..." To be honest, I didn't, but I felt in the mood to do so.

While drying myself, I could hear my father's alarm clock going off. It was an old wind-up clock with bells sticking out like ears. It sounded like fire engines leaving the fire station in an emergency. I could hear my father's coughing getting closer as he made his way towards where I was. The door opened with...

"Come on son, I need to use the bathroom."

"Just finished dad."

"What are you doing up so early, son?"

"Going to call Bethan to get to uncles by six."

"By six! - Its pitch black outside, I don't like you going to your uncle's so early."

"Oh Dad! We've already planned it now, and I'm super fresh to go for a long walk... Uncles going to show us the Lone woods."

"Okay son, can't say anything this time of the morning, but you dress warm, you hear? Have a nice day, and for 'Pete's sake' don't get lost."

"Yes, daddy." I won't. I'll do like you once told me. To find a stream. Follow it to a river. Follow that to bridge then walk home. And you said, don't miss the bridges or you'll end up down the beach. See still remember.

Got a pint of milk from the pantry. What was left I drank. Father was on morning shift at Morris Motors Radiator Plant, so I wanted to leave before he got down.

He can be rather grumpy in the mornings. Even more so, when he sees that there's no more milk for his tea. I gulped the lot without realizing. Anyway, I know dad sometimes likes to drink his tea without milk.

I managed to brave the morning cold to Bethan's house.

As I approached, I could see her peeping from her bedroom window. Then she opened the front door, full of smiles, as if we were to make our first-born.

"Let's go then, can't wait to meet your uncle," she said, as we left her house.

My uncle Hugh is an eccentric middle-aged man. His borderline eccentricity stems from him talking to himself a lot, which I suppose is normal, seeing that he lives alone in an old cottage in the woods. The only 'mod-con' he has is the answering machine. When I was very young, there was no electricity at all, only paraffin lamps. He's fifty-seven, for me that's middle aged, because I reckon he'll live to well over a hundred - his type always do.

My uncle's up at five, - four in the summer time.

He typifies our class saying, "early to bed, early to rise, wake up healthy, wealthy, and wise." Well, one could say he's wealthy 'at heart' - for that he is. For breakfast, he likes a banana, apple and orange, all mixed up with oats and warm spring water; for in his large overgrown garden there is a small spring bubbling out from the ground.