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

 
"What are you doing Sunday?” I enquired over the put, put, put of the mofas we each sat astride.
"Dunno,” Mand replied with a shrug.
"Glad its not just me,” I told her even as I twisted the control for forward motion to cross the valley road.
"That sounds like there’s something I should be doing,” she called after me, "There’s not a race is there?”
"Nope.”
She putted up alongside, "Go on then, enlighten me.”
"What’s the date?”
"Twenty eighth of April.”

Dur!

"Not today dummy, Sunday.”
"Third, no fourth of May?”
"Which is? And don’t you dare mention Star Wars.”
"Star Wars?”
"As in ‘may the fourth’…”
"Be with you, bit lame but I get it, so what am I supposed to know about Sunday?”
"Two things, the All Stars are doing a thing at Ahrweiler.”
"Guess I could be up for that, you said two things?”
"Its Sophia’s birthday.”
"Already? Bum, I thought it was months away.”
"It was, in February.”
"I’ve not got her a card or anything.”
"That’s easily fixed, more pertinent is our attendance is expected at her do.”
"Oh bugger!”
"Indeed,” I agreed, well they say a trouble shared is a trouble halved.
"Best find out the details when we get back.”
"You think we should go?”
"Course, don’t you?”
"Well yeah, in an ideal world.”
"Come on Gab, she did come to yours,” Mand reminded me.
"I know but…”
"But nothing Bond, unless you’re out of the country you’re going!”
"Yes mum,” I sarced back
"Its only fair Gab.”
I sighed, "Yeah I know.”
"We’ll get the details when we get back then we can sort out how we get there,” I was told.
 

"You two available for Sunday then?” Han enquired as we watched the girls go through our ‘display’ routine again.
"Maybe.”
"As in maybe you are or maybe you aren’t?”
"Probably can’t, there’s a thing that we sort of are expected to go to but I don’t know for sure whether we are yet. If we’re not then yes we’ll be there Sunday.”
"Geez Gab, my head’s spinning just listening to that.”
"Tell me about it. Oh and a heads up, I’m gonna have to go to England in the next couple of weeks, my Oma died yesterday so there’ll be a funeral.”
"Sorry to hear that, you okay?”
"I guess, I mean we weren’t close or anything but she is, was still my Nanna.”
"Well let me know if you can’t get.”
"I will, Dad thinks it’ll be a couple of weeks, I should be okay for Bonn.”
"Cool. Left Sara, not mine, yours!”

I couldn’t help but giggle, Sara is great but sometimes, despite her auburn hair, she’s a total blonde!

"Another thing Han.”
"Uh huh?”
"You know if there’s like an over twenties party?”
"Yeah?”
"Can you get in if you are younger?”
"They usually check ID’s at the door, you thinking of crashing a fogey's disco?”
"Not exactly, the band are playing at an over twenty one thing on Saturday, not sure I can even get in to sing.”
Han snorted, "I’m sure it won’t be a problem Gab, anyway, no one would take you for a schoolgirl when you are in your stage gear.”
"No?”
"Hardly.”
"Is that good or bad?”
"Probably bad for your fathers blood pressure but good for your music career.”
"Great.”
 

"When were you gonna tell me about Saturday?”
"Glad you rang, saved me,” Stefan replied without missing a beat.
His reply broke my planned tirade, "Er yeah well, um hi, so er what’s the crack for Saturday, its not exactly rock ‘n’ roll is it?”
"What can I say?”

I could almost see the shrug.
"It was booked months ago,” he continued, "You get what bookings you can get and these things pay good money.”
"So what’s the set,” I sighed, "Presuming you need me.”
"Course we need you Erd, we wouldn’t be where we are without you would we?”
"If you say so, the set?”
"Nothing too sickly, we do have standards.”
"If you say so.”
"Its all covers, that's what they pay for, that's what they get.”
"What sort of covers?”
"Red Balloons, some Queen, that sort of stuff.”
"I thought it was over twenty ones, that stuff not a bit, er, historic?”
"They seem to like it, there’ll be plenty of more modern canned stuff.”
"So how does it work then, we go in, do the set then leave?”
"Hah! If only Erdbeer, if only. No the organisers want their pound of flesh we get to do two thirty minute sets, one about eight thirty, then a second about ten.”
"Great,” I sighed, "There a dress code?”

Look I’ve seen the posters for these things, they’re often themed and its expected that suitable attire is worn, beach wear at a beach party, seventies style at a seventies themed event – you get the idea.

"Nothing specific but I’d pass on anything too ornate, the lads won’t be dressing up.”
"Where and when?”
"The Kursaal, seven o’clock, doors open at half past, you okay getting there?”
"I’ll manage."
"I’ll send you the set list.”
“’kay, see you on Saturday, tschuss.”
"Yeah,” he replied before ending the call.
 
One down, one to go.
"You get through?” I asked de Vreen when I returned to the lounge.
"Yep, you?”
"All sorted, so?”
"So its her birthday Sunday but the party is in a fortnight.”
"Looks like we get to wave some poms on Sunday then.”
"Woo hoo.”
"Hang on, two weeks, the next National Series race is that weekend isn’t it?”
"Sure is kiddo,” Dad advised from the office, "The Schwarzwald Grand Prix, you putting the kettle on?”
"I’ll give you a hand,” Mand suggested.

"Guess we’re missing Sophia’s party then,” I opined when we reached the kitchen.
"Ut uh, the main do is Saturday afternoon, given we’ll be headed that way anyway your dad says we could go providing we stay off the pop.”
"What about the others, we can hardly go on our own.”
"More the merrier according to Soph.”

And there’s me thinking I had an out.

"So what do you think?” Mand asked.

It wasn’t difficult to see that Mand was keen to attend this shindig, she and Soph had certainly hit it off at New Year.

"Guess we need to pack party frocks then.”
"Cool!” she almost squealed, "I’ll let the others know.”

What have I let myself in for?
 
After all the carrying on on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were comparative non events. The news from England was, well there wasn’t any really, Dad had been on the phone to Somerset a fair bit but there was still no firm timing for the funeral or indeed our trip across to attend the event. With no racing this weekend for the under eighteen’s, something to do with the Labour Day Bank Holiday, even our training was a bit lighter this week.

No, it was Thursday when stuff started happening again.
 

The phone was ringing angrily when I let myself in after another day attending to my education.

"Abend, Bond.”
"Jen?”
"Nein ist Gaby, Willst du Mama sprechen?“
"Gaby luv, its your Aunty Kath, is your dad around?”
I switched to English to reply, "Hi Aunty, sorry not at the moment, he was mumbling about going to see the team boss earlier, how’s Gramps?”
She hesitated a moment before replying, "Your Grandad’s doing as well as can be expected.”
"Give him my love.”
"I will, look, can you give your dad a message for me.”
"Sure.”
"Can you tell him that its arranged, sorry, the service is arranged for two weeks today at Sedgemoor Crem, he said to let him know as soon as. I’m off home now, see the kids, he can ring me there and I’ll give him all the details.”
"Sedgemoor Crematorium, fortnight today, ring you at home,” I repeated back.
"That’s it luv, see you soon.”
"Say hi to the little uns.”
"I will, bye.
"Wiedersehn.”
 

Of course, Thursday is Stube night, another bus load of English tourists after an ‘authentic’ German experience supplied by a bunch of schoolgirls, half of which aren’t actually German, at the Sebenschuh’s vineyard and restaurant. They get a tour of the cellars and a good meal, we get to dress up in Kostum and earn minimum wage. Can’t say that waitress was ever on my list of preferred occupations, there again, neither was singing in a rock band – or any band at all for that matter.

Anyway, I only mention all that because Mand and I were dressed and almost ready to head up to the Stube before Dad got home.

"You’re late.”
"Had a lot to go through with George, he likes to be kept in the loop.”
"We’re just off, there’s Gulaschsuppe in the fridge just needs nuking for three minutes.”
"Thanks kiddo,” he allowed putting the kettle to boil.
"Oh and Aunty Kath called.”
"She leave a message?”
"Uh huh, Sedge something crematorium, two weeks today, she’ll be at home if you want to ring.”
"Hmm, two weeks, about what we thought, she say what time or anything?”
"Nope, that was it.”
"Guess I’ll have to ring her in a bit then, take it you girls are walking up to Rech, you need a ride home?”
"You don’t have to.”
"Maybe not but I’ll feel better. Just give me a bell when you’re ready, no on second thoughts I’ll come up about ten thirty, that okay?”
"Yes Dad.”
"Well go then, scoot.”
"Love you Dad.”
 
Con was just coming around the corner from the crossing when we reached the road so we waited as she hurried along Zaungartenstraße. Here we are, three teenage girls in the twenty first century wearing pretty much the same as our forebears did a thousand years ago, well Cons at least. Oh I know the materials are different, we have the benefits of zips and elastic but whilst the detail may have changed, the style hasn’t to any great degree.

"Sorry I’m late, couldn’t find my apron,” Con advised as she reached us.
"We’ve got plenty of time.”
"And a lift back,” Mand added.
"So what are you grinning at Bond?”
"Nothing.”
"Yes you were, have I got something hanging?” my BFF asked, swishing her skirts to check for anything wayward.
"I was just thinking,”
"Ot oh, danger, danger!” Mand opined.
Con gave a little snigger,” go on.”
"Like I was saying before I was interrupted,” I shot Mand a look, "I was just thinking that things haven’t really changed much, we’re wearing pretty much the same as they did in the Mittelalter.”
"Not all the time,” de Vreen pointed out, "Only for work.”
"But…”
Connie interrupted, "We get it Gab, come on or we will be late.”

Well it still tickled me even if my companions didn’t see the irony.
 

We’re like a well oiled machine with these tourist evenings now, each of us with our own role in the production. The audience changes but the programme is the same, welcome drink, tour of the cellars, dinner, for the staff, apart from the cooks, its not hard work but it can get a bit intense at times. Of course, the Sebenschuh Cellars aren’t the only place doing this sort of thing but its the only one in the Ahrtal.

"Gab thinks its weird that we still wear Kostum,” Con told Pia as we laid the tables.
"I never said weird.”
"If it brought in the punters I’d wear a rubbish sack,” Pia stated.
"I’m sure Gabs could pull that off,” Mand put in.
"Bond really would look good in a bin liner,” Pia sighed, "Look at what she wears on stage.”
"Don’t think it would have the same vibe,” Con admitted.
"Guys, I am here,” I mentioned.
"Sorry Gab, think your stuck with the dirndl.” Mand announced, "At least the rest of us get a chance.”

Whilst it was a different bus crew this week, the ‘customers’ were pretty much an identikit load, I guess these coach tours attract a specific type of holiday maker. Doesn’t hold any appeal for me but on the other hand, I’ve never really thought about what my ideal holiday would be. Until we moved to Germany we’d have a family camping trip, but apart from last summers trip with the girls we’ve not really had a holiday as such, its all been for cycling or like the BlauHase tour, not holidays as such.

The sound of the returning cellar tour ended my idle musing, time to earn my euros.
 

"I’ve had an enquiry,” Helmut told us as we finished our supper, no not leftovers but a strogonoff that Eva had made for the staff. "The tourist office down in Remagen are wanting to offer a Stube party through their office.”
"Don’t leave the girls hanging Hel,” his better half instructed.
"It’d be once a fortnight subject to demand, drinks and snacks in the cellars with some music of course.”
"And you need staff?” Con surmised.
"Its not a certainty but I thought you should have first refusal.”
"When exactly would this be?” Mand asked.
"Either Tuesday or Wednesday, like I say, its aimed at tourists as part of a regular programme of day excursions, walks, boat trips and so on.”
"Count me in,” Con enthused, "Every little helps for the car fund.”
"Me too,” Mand added.

I hesitated a little before replying, I mean I’m already out three nights a week but I suppose it is only once a fortnight and who doesn’t like a party?

"Why not.”
"Excellent, I knew we could count on you, we might need some extra bodies so if you could ask around?”
"I bet Max would be up for it,” Pia suggested.
"I’ll ask.”

Well it would be one way of potentially getting him without an audience.

"A couple of lads would be a good idea,” Eva stated.
"Something for the ladies,” Ingrid smirked.
"You know that’s not what I meant Ing,” her mother admonished.

Any further discussion was truncated by the sound of Dad arriving in the Saab.

"Sounds like our lift,” Mand mentioned.
"Before we go, when would these party things start?”
"The first one will be at the end of the month,” Herr S told us, "I’ll have the actual dates and stuff for you next week.”
“’kay, see you then.”
 
Maddy Bell © 15.06.2023