My Dinosaur Era Chapter 34

 

the van is spotless, like it has just come from the showroom

ginny, no smoking in here, ok, says patrycja

she’s sat in the driver’s seat, checking us all in the driver’s mirror

ginny nods into the mirror at her

I love how clean it is in here, says ginny

patrycja smiles back at her

everyone is a clean freak here, I say

oh yeah, not me, I am as messy as fuck, says gio

is that why you’re not her husband anymore, says ginny

gio throws his head back, laughs hard

no, well, maybe but so much more, hey patrycja, says gio

patrycja sneers into the mirror

gio is sat between me and ginny

petula up front with patrycja

where are you from, I say

buenos aries, my friend, says gio

oh ok, how long have you been here, I say

almost three years now, I came for a holiday, fell in love with the la jefa, then stayed, says gio

sorry, you fell in love with who, says ginny

la jefa, this one, says gio

he flicks his head towards the front to indicate he means patrycja

what does that mean, says ginny

la jefa, it means, like, the boss, says gio

oh, right, it sounds like heifer in english, like a cow, says ginny

no, no, no, you crazy, are you trying to get me killed, says gio

patrycja is viewing us still in the mirror

don’t listen to his nonsense, he is always making up names for people, says patrycja

gio shrugs, he has a big smile, I smile too

so do you live in san sebastian, I say

yeah, yeah but I was in bilbao today to see some friends and la jefa said she would give me a lift back in the van, says gio

what do you do there, I say

it feels exciting to talk to him

surrounded by beautiful female energy has grounded me gently

yet gio, I’m excited by him

I am a tattoo artist, do you have any, says gio

no, no, I have thought about it but no, not yet at least, I say

I have some, says ginny

she pulls up her tee shirt and shows a snake 

gliding across her belly

I’d forgotten it was even there

ah, yes, very nice, say gio

ginny looks pleased with herself, then slightly embarrassed

what is your name, says gio

ginny, she says

ah yeah, patrycja told me about you, says gio

did she, says ginny

reactive, snappy, alert

yeah, she likes you, I mean she likes all of you I think but she talks about you, says gio

he lowers his voice, patrycja scanning us in the mirror still

what did she say, says ginny

oh, only good things, don’t worry, says gio

he ruffles her hair like she is a child

even though he’s about the same age as her

ginny looks down at her snake, still holding her tee shirt up

so, tim, maybe you get a tattoo today, no, says gio

well, I dunno, maybe, I say

something simple, small, ok, maybe like a band you like, says gio

he loves bjork, get a bjork, says ginny

yes, yes, a little bjork somewhere, cool, cool, says gio

I sit in their thrall, letting them plan for me

we are up in the hills, tree tops line the route

strong greens pave the way to the beach

the sun is lifting itself higher

 

I lean forward to the front passenger seat

my head at petula’s ear

hey, I say

she half turns to me

hey, she says

how did you sleep, I say

I can’t remember if I did, we were talking, drinking a bit, I kinda woke up a bit when we got back to the van, she says

do you feel ok, you seem brighter than yesterday, I say

yes, I do, much better, she says

good, I say

I need to tell you everything, tim, she says

sure, whenever you are ready to, I say

no, I need to tell you today, you see, I talked to patrycja about it last night or this morning or sometime, she’s so wise and straight talking, like she’s a friendly therapist, anyway, see, I realised I need to tell you, so it all makes sense, she says

I smile and nod, she reaches up a hand to mine

squeezes one finger

 

ginny is in conversation with gio

he is all arms, laughs, wild eyes

ginny consumes all he has to give

allowing him to lap at her shore

the van slows for a toll booth

we all stop talking, observe the other cars

we pull away again, the beach feels close

I sit back, gio turns back to me

here, this is my card, come and see me later, we can look at designs or just have a beer, ok, he says

I take the card

ok, sure I will, I say

I am almost certain that I will not

 

we pull into san sebastian

patrycja guides the van into what seems like a small alley

it’s ok, this is the back of my studio, says gio

free parking, I say

yes, yes, it is hard to park here, says gio

how far to the beach, I say

ten minutes, says gio

are you coming with us, I say

no, brother, I have things to do, a few appointments, but maybe I see you later, ok, says gio

ok, maybe, I say

gio squeezes past me and is first out of the van

he lurches round to the driver’s window

kisses patrycja

thank you, my love, he says

waves to us all and disappears into a doorway 

 

the rest of us get out, me and ginny stand together

gio seems cool, I say

yeah, says ginny

you seemed to be having a laugh, I say

hmm, once I would have definitely fucked him, like nothing would have stopped me but it’s weird, I really didn’t want to, like that seemed such a silly thing to do, she says

is it silly to fuck somebody, I say

it’s not the fucking, timmy, it’s all the other stuff, she says

petula arrives at my side, still resplendent in that dress

hey, I’m excited, she says

me too, I say

are you excited, ginny, says petula

I will be once I have a beer and the sun on my face, then petula my dear and only then, will I be excited, says ginny