Llanelli Turk 'Cariad'

Chapter Five . Bohemian Vampire Bats

Chapter Five

Bohemian Vampire Bats

I could see my mum peeping through the kitchen curtain rubbing out the condensation. As I was about to turn the handle on the back door it opened, with my mum standing there looking down at me with reddish eyes, as if she'd been crying.

"Sorry I'm late mummy, I was talking to a dwarf." - Now, that's a fair excuse to make to mum, worrying her guts- out about me being an hour or so late home, I thought.

I got into the kitchen, took off my coat and shoes, and put on my Winnie-the-pooh slippers. My mother squatted down to my height and with a tearful expression on her face said...

"Daddy's home and your uncle Hugh's here. Henry's gone to bed."

"What's wrong, mummy?" I asked, as I opened the living room door.

There, sitting by the dining table was my father and uncle Hugh. They just sat there quietly, as if they had exhausted their conversation about World War II, or Biafra. They looked serious. Something was wrong! There was no TV for a start.

"Hello Daddy. - Hello Uncle.... What's happened?"

"Sit down Leo. There's a good boy," said my father, who continued...

"Leo, it's some sad news about our milkman."

"Mr. Tarpin, the milkman?" I asked.

"Yes son. - He has passed away. - Early this morning."

I just sat there stunned...

I looked at my uncle for a second or two and said, "No! No! - I talked to him yesterday ...didn't I Uncle? Then tell daddy it's not true! ...Ask Bethan! We talked to him, he told us about – about India!"

I felt frightened and began to cry.

"Mummy! - Mummy!"

Mummy picked me up and gave me a cuddle.

"Mummy! Why do they say that! I spoke to him, tell them it isn't true!" - I began to suck my thumb in between short bouts of weeping, and couched up more to my mother's bosom. We sat on the sofa, rocking back and forth. I could hear my uncle say to my mother,

"Barbara, take him up to his room and tuck him in.

I'll come up soon."  / Mother carried me up to my room.

"Mummy, has Mr. Tarpin died?"

"Yes love... He is now at peace."

"Did he hurt himself?"

"No son. Not at all. He died in his sleep... A peaceful sleep."

"Why did he have to die?"

"He died of old age... His heart just stopped beating."

Mum took off my shirt and trousers and put on my pyjamas, then tucked me into bed.

"Don't go mummy, stay with me... Where's Henry?"

"He went to bed early."

"Why?"

"He liked the milkman too, and he's been out on his bike all afternoon... Cariad (Darling), I'm not going to leave you. Shall we say our prayers?"

"Mum, I don't want to say the Hail-Mary-Our-Father one, just the Guardian Angel one."

Mum knelt down by the bed, put my hands up to my forehead, and we said our prayers together.