Gaby Book 28  Balancing Trick by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2023 Madeline Bell

The flight was unremarkable, the light was just starting to fade when we landed, it will be dark before we get home. Of course you have to turn your Handy off during the flight so we were at the carousel waiting for our bags before I remembered to turn it back on.

"Dad’s picking us up,” I told my companion.
"Great, I wasn’t looking forward to making our own way back.”
"Just need the bags to come through.”
"I’ve just seen the bikes, you get the cases and I’ll get a trolley and fetch the bikes.”
“’kay.”

Do they intentionally take a long time or do I expect too much? I know they have to get them off the plane and into the building but us passengers have to do the same journey on foot and we get to the luggage hall well before the bags! Tonight that meant Mand got back to me with the bikes before the belt finally burst into life.

Of course, whilst our bags started the journey together, by now they had been separated, for a change mine came out almost straight away, it was Manda’s that we had to wait for. My phone pinged with a new message just as the missing bag made its appearance.

‘at p/u point D.’

I quickly rattled off a quick reply.

‘on way, G’

"So?” Mand asked as she heaved her bag onto the trolley.
"He’s outside at the pickup.”
"What’re we waiting for?”
"Have to have a wee on the way.”
 

It’s a bit of a maze to reach the pick up zone so by the time we’d both used the facilities and exited the building, nearly fifteen minutes had passed from the exchange of texts in the luggage hall.

"I thought you’d got lost,” Dad offered in greeting.
"Its a long walk.” I complained.
"We had a stop at the toilets,” Mand mentioned as we reached the team bus.
"Thought you’d be in the car?”
"Bike boxes?” Dad stated.
"Oh right.” okay, I’m blonde.
"So I hear congratulations are in order,” Pater suggested.
"How’d you know?”
"Dieter rang just before I set off to fetch you.”

Well that sort of made sense.

It didn’t take long to get the bags loaded up and we were soon on the autobahn towards Bonn and our destination some twenty five kilometres beyond.
 
Back at Bond Acres Mum had the kettle on and the makings of a cold supper occupied the kitchen table.

"Good weekend?” Mum asked as we sat ourselves around the table.
"Pretty good, we did that RTF thing yesterday and I won today,” I enthused, "Oh Dad?”
"Ot oh, what?” Dad queried.
"Dunno whether Dieter said but I had a puncture coming into the finish so I rode in on a flat.”
"He didn’t, we’ll get it sorted.”
"So when did you guys get back?” Mand asked my parents.
"Just after lunch, we had a leisurely run from the hotel,” Mum advised.
"How’d it go yesterday?” I asked.
"It went,” Mum allowed with a poker face.
"What your mother means to say is,“ Dad started, "You aren’t the only winner this weekend.”
"You won?” I exclaimed.
"Guilty as charged,” Mum admitted.

It was close to midnight by the time races had been relived, news exchanged and supper consumed, there would no doubt be more of the same in the coming days but one of us had college in the morning. I was out like a lamp.
 

I guess its the same for everyone, the feeling of, I dunno, loss maybe, after a trip away, the return to the mundane, the normality of our regular routine. And so it was the following morning that I was feeling a bit down after the weekend not just in Berlin but in Berlin doing stuff with my friends.

"You okay?” Max enquired as I strapped myself in to Olaf’s rear seat for the commute to Koblenz.
"Yeah, just a bit tired,” I lied.
"So a good weekend? How was Berlin? Win your race?”
"Yes, okay and yes.”
"Thought you might’ve rung when you got back.”
"It was late, I pretty much went straight to bed,” another little fib.
"You were in Berlin?” our driver queried.
"It was sort of convenient for our rides.”
"So no sightseeing then?”
"Not really, Saturday we were riding in the Spreewald and Sunday’s race was at Potsdam.”
"Ah, Sansoucci with all the palaces.”
"I think we’ve got some rels from there,” Max put in.
"You’ve got rels everywhere Max,” Freddy noted.
"The race finished in Sansoucci,” I got in, "There was a finishing circuit that went through the town and past some of the palaces.”
"Nice,” Olaf allowed.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, the usual round of lectures, library study and the solitary ride home on the train. I was still feeling a bit low, out of sorts when I got home.

"I’m back!” I called out, someone was in but I wasn’t sure who.
"Lounge,” Mum called back.

I dropped my bags on the stairs and went through to the living room where I found Mum ironing with some inane day time TV playing.

"Thought you’d be out training,” I opined.
"Day off,” she grinned, "Two hours this morning. Anyway, there something you want to tell me?”
"Eh? Don’t think so, nothing I can think of.”
"What about this?” she held up something from one of the piles of ironing, "If I’d known you liked this stuff I’d have bought you some.”
"It was Sonja.”
"Sonja, Greta’s mum? Why would she buy you this?” she waved the accursed garment about a bit.
"I, we didn’t have anything to wear after the ride so she went to the Klick and bought us stuff to go to dinner.”
"She bought stuff for ten year olds?”
"No, well kind of, she got everyone shorts and T’s but that’s all they had in my sort of size okay.”
"You wore this to a restaurant?”
"I said didn’t I? You want tea.”
"Please,” she smirked, clearly the thought of her seventeen year old daughter wearing the childish garment tickled her funny bone.
 

"So you girls got cheerleading tonight?” Mum enquired when I returned with our tea.
"Yeah, we’ve got a display thing up at Adenau on Saturday, that family sports day thing?”
"I thought your father said you were racing both days this weekend?”
"I still have to get the team ready, I am the coach after all.”
"I can’t keep up with all the stuff you do.”
"Ooh! Just had a thought, could you iron my Kostum pretty please, we start with the dinners at the Sebenschuh’s on Thursday.”
"I suppose so, you’d best get Manda’s as well, I take it she’s doing it too?”
"Yeah, she’s anyone’s for a euro.”
"I hope not literally?”
"What do you mean?”

She gave me a look, you know, the one with a raised eyebrow.

Then it clicked, what I’d said. "Er no, you know what I mean though.”
"Get your dresses then you can start on the tea.”
"Its a bit early isn’t it?”
"You two are out and your father and me have to go to a meeting tonight.”
My curiosity was piqued, "Meeting?”
"Just some team stuff. The programme for the next few weeks.”
"So why’s Dad need to go?”
"He is part of the team management. Frocks?”
"Oh right, yeah.”

I fetched the dirndls, in truth they don’t usually get ironed, apart from the aprons but start of a new season, show willing and all that – except I’m crap at ironing so getting Mum to do it is a win. Tea wasn’t going to be a major production, Mum had bought some spargel back from the low countries so we were having schnitzel, spargel and boiled taters with Hollandaise sauce. She’d already defrosted the chicken for the schnitzel so that gave me the fun part to do, knocking seven bells out of it with the mallet!
 

Thump! Thump! Thump!…...Thump! Thump! Thump!

"What are you doing?” Mand asked from the doorway.
"Dinner,” I advised, turning the poor piece of meat over again.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"Which is?”
"Schnitzel,” Thump! "Spargel,” Thump! "And taters,” Thump! Thump! Thump!
"You do know its already dead?”
"Har de ha.”
"Anything I can do?”
"Put the steamer on, oh and fill the kettle please.”
"Think I can manage that.”

I moved the first fillet to one side and prepared to marmalise the next.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"So,” I started, "You coming to cheer?”
"Guess it wouldn’t hurt, I am a bit stiff today.”
"That’ll be that riding stuff.”
"Probably,” she agreed, "You want this kettle on?”
"Please, oh and can you get the griddle from the pantry.”
"Yes oh master.”
"Huh, can’t get the staff these days.”
"I could do crépes for after?”

On the other hand…

"There’s batter in the freezer,” we usually make up a load and freeze it, after all, you never know when you’ll need it for Yorkshire puds or pancakes.
 

"How long’s dinner kiddo?” Dad enquired a few minutes later.
“’bout fifteen now you’re here.”
"You sound like your mother.”

Is that a good thing? Dad disappeared, I guess to wash up, and I turned my attention to the food which was all just waiting to be cooked. Spargel in the steamer, the spuds were already ‘resting’ in a bowl, bit of oil on the gridle, the Hollandaise was, I’ll admit, shop bought but it still needs warming up.

"Ten minutes!” I yelled in the general direction of the lounge.
 

I must be sickening for something, I’ve not had pommes for three days! Anyway, the food must’ve been okay, conversation around the table was minimal, the only sounds appreciative grunts. It’s simple food, difficult to get too wrong but plenty of people would shy off making it from scratch.

"So no pizza tonight?” I suggested as we waited for Mand and her crépes.
"Not sure how long this meeting is gonna take,” Dad pointed out.
"It shouldn’t be that late Dave,” Mum put in.
"Maybe,” Pater allowed.
"Tell you what kiddo,” Mum started, we’ll pick some up on our way back, that place by the station is open on Mondays, the usual?”
"Pepperoni with olives.”
"There are other options,” Dad pointed out.
"And?”
"Just saying.”

Mand returned with the dessert, for someone who can burn water, she makes a fine crépe, thanks to her occasional employment on Eva Foch’s mobile crépe trailer. I slathered mine with chocolate spread and a dollop of cherry consomme, squirty cream on top et voila, Schwarzwald crépe, yum!

With no parent taxi to get up to Altenahr we had a choice of bikes or Mofa and given it looked like rain, the Mofas won out. Okay, we could’ve ridden up quicker, but its nice to arrive somewhere without being all sweaty plus its easier to carry our stuff. At least we weren’t doubling up, Mand has temporary loan of my sister’s machine so it was the sound of two machines that rent the early evening air.

Whilst I’m quite happy riding a bike on the roads, I always feel vulnerable on the Mofa, maybe its the remote power or perhaps something with the balance, anyhow, we can use the bike tracks so that’s what we did. Summer weekends the bike path can be quite busy, evenings in late spring less so, most of the ‘traffic’ we encountered involved dogs and their owners. We probably won’t return this way, well two girls, remote path, I’m not that daft, well usually.

Hannah was just opening up when we pulled into the carpark.

"Well timed ladies.”
"We try,” Mand grinned.
"Glad you’re here Manda, I’ve got something for you.”

Han pushed the door opened and members of the All Star Cheer hurried past us.

"For me?” Mands queried.
"Don’t ask me,” I replied with a shrug before following the others into the Tanzklub.
 

"So, everyone know what they’re doing on Saturday?” Hannah asked.

I might be ‘head’ coach but its Hannah who does pretty much all the organisational stuff for the group, liaising with the committee, transport to events and so on. Its not that I couldn’t but I simply don’t have the time with my other commitments.

There were mumbles of agreement, before she went on, "Over to you Gaby.”
"Oh right.” I’d been thinking about supper rather than cheering, "Sorry I can’t be there on Saturday, just remember, enjoy yourselves and next week we’ll start on the new routine for the regionals.”
"Just before we finish,” Han added, "A quick announcement, Manda, if you can come forward.”

A bemused de Vreen stepped forward to join me and Han.

"As you know, Manda’s been coming along for a while now to help with her fitness for her cycle racing. Well we finally convinced her to join the All Star properly, so Amanda, welcome to the team.”

There was a bit of cheering from the other girls.

Han went on, "And so you can join us in Ahrweiler next week, here’s your uniform!”
"Er thanks,” a slightly bewildered de Vreen allowed.
"Try it on,” Lisse called out.
"Lets see it Mand,” Kristin added.
"Sounds fair to me,” I told her with a grin.
 

"You knew Gaby Bond,” Mand accused.
"I swear, I didn’t, not until she got the bag from the office. You going home like that?”

At this point I should mention she was stood in the All Star Cheer uniform and trainers. Now whilst the uniform isn’t revealing or anything, the skirt is, well short and the body doesn’t leave a great deal to the imagination, you might wear less at the pool but its not exactly street wear. She didn’t even have hose on!

"What do you think?”
"I think you’ll get arrested riding a Mofa like that.”
"And what was the photo for?”
"I dunno, maybe someone in say Stuttgart might be interested?”
"Who’s in Stu….ah.”
"Hmm?”

Its usually me doing the blushing but not this time and I’ll call it quits with regard to the unicorn business on Saturday.

"Say thank you to tante Gaby.”
"Gaby Bond!”
"No need to thank me.”

I was still chortling to myself when Han returned from checking the building.

"Manda?”
"Just getting changed, shouldn’t be long.”
"So what are you chuckling about?”
"Nothing really, just something from the weekend.”
"How was Berlin?”
"Still there.”
"Ha! That’s where I did my teaching degree, at der Künste Berlin.”
"Really?”
"Yep two years in a dingy flat in Charlottenburg.”
"Thats where we stayed, opposite the bahnhof, didn’t think it was that bad.”
"I was near Goethe Straße, it probably wasn’t that bad but give me the Ahrtal any day.”
"Isn’t there like a great nightlife in Berlin?”
"Didn’t think that was your thing?”
"Well it isn’t really, but the media go on about all the clubs and venues.”
"I suppose its okay in small doses but when you live there, to be honest all you want is somewhere quiet, I wish I’d got digs in Spandau or Potsdam, I had friends out there and they had a better time even with the commuting. So where are you thinking of for university?”
"My sister’s at Heidelberg which seems pretty nice.”
"The Student Prince eh?”
"Hmm?”
"Well in your case Prinzessin,” she smirked, "It’s an old film based on a play I think, the Prince goes to Heidelberg university.”
"Ah.”
"So that where you want to go?”
"Its a possibility, my tutor has suggested Freiberg, down in the Schwarzwald, they have a good management school. Anyway, it could all be moot, going to Uni that is.”
"Sounds interesting.”
"Well, I guess I can tell you, but it goes no further right?”

She mimed zipping her lips, "They won’t hear it from me , whoever they are.”
"So, last week, the band had a meeting, you know sort out stuff after the tour, that sort of thing. Anyway, apparently a record label had made an approach, we could be making the big time!”
"You’ll give up college and everything?”
"Might have to.”
"What about your racing, I thought you wanted to follow your mama?”

I was saved from answering by the return of de Vreen.

"That’s better, you ready Bond?”
"Er yeah, best get back in case supper turns up early.”
Hannah laughed, "You and your stomach Gaby.”
 
Maddy Bell © 15.06.2023