After the Dream

by Stan Mason

  * * *

  There were many things Ahmed needed to settle before he came to England and Diana passed the time leisurely on her return. She spent a day talking to her friends in the Red Cross shop but the opportunity for he to work there again had long gone. She was bemused by the fact that she had once been so important to the institution that they had asked her to represent them in a television programme. Now she was a forgotten entity...a relic from the past. How strange was life that people forgot so quickly...especially about people who had served them so well. Shakespeare was right when he wrote, in Julius Caesar: ‘The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred in their bones!’ It was a betrayal of loyalty but would never be recognised as such.

  One morning, she was relaxing at home reading a book when Duncan Redfearn, the Conservative Chief Whip, called to see her. She was very surprised and invited him inside. He was handed a drink and sat in one of the comfortable armchairs to face her.

  ‘Have you made up your mind finally what you intend to do about your seat in the Commons,’ he asked amiably, although he was burning with anger inside at her reluctant attitude to conform to Party procedure.

  ‘I’m definitely not continuing my role in Parliament,’ she told him adamantly. ‘In my opinion, it’s all a sham. I regard it as pointless in the long run. No one has any intentions of resolving the serious problems in this country. They’re all white-washed.’

  ‘Why should you say that?’ he enquired becoming more angry at her response. She was a loose cannon in his mind.

  ‘I’ve just told you!’ she fired back at him. ‘My presence in the House is simply one of cannon-fodder. You tell me how to vote and I do it. Well I’m not one of your sheep simply following orders. I became a politician to get things corrected in an imperfect Britain. No one in politics seem to be bothered about it. So what are we all doing there?’

  ‘You realise you’re letting down your constituents,’ he went on dramatically. They voted you in. They depend on you for support and guidance.’

  ‘I’ve a friend who uses a term quite often. ‘And pigs have wings!’ What support can I give my constituents? No one’s ready to listen to me in Parliament. It’s a sheer waste of my time and theirs. When I agreed to stand for election, I made a promise to the voters to get Britain back on its feet and protect them. How stupid I was! Do you know who would suffer mostly if my crime laws were put into place. Firstly it would be the criminals themselves with very long harsh sentences. Secondly, would be the lawyers and barristers who make fortunes out of the cases. I would limit every case to a maximum of five days. I’ve just learned of one that’s lasted for nine months at a cost of thirty million pounds to the taxpayer....the man in the street who works hard for that money! No, lawyers and barristers would soon realise the situation. The laws of the country for criminals must change and quickly.’

  ‘You’re talking about matters which take many years to change,’ he challenged incisively. ‘The whole of our legislation grinds very slowly.’

  ‘Far too slowly and very little to benefit the people of Britain,’ she attacked strongly. ‘What you all need, if you’ll pardon my French, is a kick up the arse! Members of Parliament draw huge salaries and a mass of expenses but they do nothing for the public.’

  ‘You need to regard these issues over a period of time,’ he defended. ‘Look at the advances we’ve made since Victorian times. Lif is quite different now than then.’

  ‘Despite the slow grinding nature of Parliament,’ she said sarcastically. ‘I’m going to resign. I understand I can apply for the Chiltern Hundreds which will be accepted as my resignation.’

  He had tried his hardest to persuade Diana to return to the House of Commons but she was not to be moved. After a while, he could see that his visit had been futile so he rose and went to the door turning to make a last plea.

  ‘Diana,’ he began seriously, ‘are you going to come back to the House? I have to know. The Government have a majority of fifty-two. We need every vote we can muster to oppose them in major issues. Your vote will be vital in a Division.’

  ‘My vote!’ she muttered angrily almost under her breath, turning her attention rudely back to the book she had been reading.

  He stared at her solemnly and then without speaking further he left, his body language indicating his annoyance at her refusal.

  Diana was proud of her resolve. The newspapers would probably make a meal of her resignation so soon after the General Election but she imagined that Redfearn would wait a few months to let some time pass. Then, after the bye-election, everyone would have forgotten about her. That was exactly the way she wanted it to happen. And if she lived to the ripe old age of two hundred, everyone alive today would be dead and buried. Her actions would be lost in the multitude of events which had occurred in the past.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jane, Samantha, Dr. Martin and Diana met once again to play bridge at the hospital. The doctor could not take her eyes off Diana’s face waiting patiently for the moment when they could speak again in private. It seemed to cloud her mind for her skill at bidding and playing was seriously impaired that evening.

  ‘Wake up, Valerie?’ snapped Jane, as the doctor made another poor decision in the bidding. ‘What’s the matter with you this evening? Your mind’s clearly on other things.’

  ‘Yes they are,’ reported the doctor uneasily. ‘It’s been a very hard day. We lost two patients on the operating table. That’s two too many. I’m sorry but I don’t think I want to continue playing.’ She pushed away the cards in front of her to the dismay of the other players. ‘I’m just going to freshen up. She left the card table and disappeared from the room.

  ‘It’s not like her,’ commented Samantha as she turned on the electric switch to heat up the kettle. ‘I think there’s more to it than that.’

  ‘Perhaps it’s her time of the month,’ added Jane, pulling a face as she set out the tea cups.

  ‘Maybe,’ continued Samantha, ‘but I still thinks there’s something else that’s troubling her.’

  ‘Well it’s none of out business,’ uttered Jane solemnly. ‘All I’m concerned with is the game. It doesn’t look like she’s in a fit state to continue.’

  ‘It doesn’t seem so,’ intruded Diana.

  Shortly, Dr. Martin returned and drew Diana away to one side as the other two busied themselves with the tea.

  ‘You’ve been to Morocco,’ she said in a low tone to avoid the others hearing what she wanted to say. ‘Did you ask him?’

  ‘I did,’ replied Diana flatly. ‘He’s writing a paper on the subject which he’ll send to all the major medical authorities in the world and then he’ll include you in his experiment. You’ll be one of us.’

  ‘When will this paper be completed,’ she asked tentatively. The question was fired like a bullet from a rifle.

  ‘In about six months time,’ related Diana. ‘You’ll have to be patient.’

  ‘I can’t wait,’ echoed the doctor.

  Diana’s face took on a wry smile at her bridge partner’s anxiety but there was nothing she could do about it. Dr. Mahmoud had agreed to include another guinea pig but was in no hurry to do so at the present time.

  ‘You’ll provide me with details in due course, I hope’

  ‘Naturally, Valerie. You have my promise.’

  Jane moved across with two cups of tea staring at them suspiciously. ‘What’s going on with you two?’ she asked.

  ‘We’re just talking about Morocco,’ lied Diana.

  ‘I’ve given up trying to look as young as you,’ declared Samantha joining them. I’ve had some success with a product called Evangeline but it clearly is not enough.’ She reached for a biscuit waiting for a response.

  ‘Evangeline,’ repeated Jane, staring at Samantha‘s face to determine any improvement. ‘What�
�s it supposed to do?‘ ’

  ‘They say it rejuvenates the skin and makes one look younger. That’s what it’s supposed to do.’ She turned to Diana. ‘Do you use it?’

  ‘No,’ came the reply. ‘I was approached by the company that makes it some time ago. They wanted me to appear on television in one of their commercials. I refused. Those products aren’t really any good and I didn’t want my name associated with it. I think it works when iy’s first applied but the wrinkles come back the next morning.’

  ‘I know exactly what you mean,’ agreed Samantha.

  ‘They tell you how wonderful it is just to make you buy the stuff,’ criticised Jane. ‘Well they’re not going to get my money!’

  Diana rolled her eyes to the ceiling at the remark as though asking for help from a higher authority. At the same time, Dr. Martin became angry at the trend of the conversation, unable to keep her temper under control.

  ‘Why does everyone keep talking about good looks?’ she ranted. ‘Can’t we find something else to talk about?’

  ‘You know that last hand we played,’ cut in Diana, changing the subject quickly, ‘Jane played it in four hearts but it should have been in three no trumps. What went wrong with the bidding there?’

  The atmosphere changed immediately as Jane and Samantha explained in detail what had happened and Dr. Martin sat back in her chair with an irritated expression on her face. It was quite clear to Diana what was on the doctor’s mind. She fervently desired to look young and live a long life but the situation was not going to be offered to her for at least six months....or even longer by the time the medical authorities reviewed Dr. Mahmoud’s findings, if they ever accepted the paper. It would be some considerable time before she was accepted to take part in the experiment.

  * * *

  It was Shakespeare who wrote the immortal line ‘When troubles come they come not single spies but in battalions.’ So it occurred with Diana who sought a peaceful life for herself with no outside interference. The Cosmic Joker was still controlling her destiny and he decided to work his magic again. He shook up the kaleidoscope of her life to produce a picture totally unexpected. She was sitting in her lounge one evening with a glass of s herry in her hand, and nothing of particular importance in mind, when the telephone rang. A new era was about to invade her life as she answered the call after placing the glass down on the coffee-table.

  ’This is Greg,’ announced the caller. ’You remember me. I was at your sister’s house in Los Angeles. We went out to dinner. You know, the film producer who took you for a screen test.’

  A smile appeared on Diana’s face as she heard his voice. ’Greg,’ she echoed cheerfully. ’How could I forget you. You wanted to marry me.’

  ’I still do,’ he retorted openly. ’You’re a beautiful lovely lady and I love you,’ he expressed in amorous tones.

  ’I understand you married again,’ she countered smartly. ’How’s that panning out?’

  ’Yep, I did,’ he admitted, ’but it’s not worked out well at all.’ I’ve filed for divorce. We’ve arranged to go to Las Vegas to do it. You see, I’ve found the right woman but you won’t marry me.’

  Diana shook her head in disbelief. He was certainly a Casanova marrying and divorcing at a rate of knots. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure of this call,’ she demanded tiring quickly of the conversation.

  ‘I’m coming over to your country in a day or so,’ he informed her. ‘I’m making a movie at Pinewood Studios. You don’t live far from there, do you?’

  ‘No....not far at all.’

  ‘Well I know this is an imposition but I wonder if I could stay with you while I make the movie.’ He was really pushing his luck with the request but she could understand his situation.

  ‘How long will the film take to finish?’ She was concerned at having to face the brunt of months of unappreciated amorous approaches.

  ‘About three months,’ he replied. ‘The rest of it will be on location in Switzerland. It’s a remake of ‘I Remember Mama’ the 1948 movie with Irene Dunne and Barbara del Geddes.’

  ‘I recall the film vaguely,’ confirmed Diana thoughtfully lapsing into silence.

  ‘Do I have a yes or a no,’ he asked eventually. His voice sounded more in hope that expectation.

  ‘I’ll think about it,’ she told him wisely. ‘Leave your phone number and I’ll get back to you.’

  ‘There’s just one more thing,’ he went on in an attempt to win her over. ‘There’s a part in the movie for you. It’s a fairly sizeable role’

  After the call had finished, Diana sat back thinking about the request. Did she really want to get into films as an actress again? The ten second shot she had performed in his previous film had been amusing but did she really want to go headlong into another one? He had told her it was a sizeable role so it was certain she would have lines to learn. She recalled her school days when she had been a fairy in a pantomime shortly before the Christmas break with a few lines to relate to the audience. She had come on to the stage in a glittering outfit holding a wand which she waved about wildly. However when it came her turn to speak the words were lost to her. She stood up on the stage and froze. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. The experience was horrifying and she never forgot it. Nonetheless she could hardly deny the accommodation he required. She would be inconvenience for about three months but the time would soon pass albeit she would have to repulse his amorous approaches.

  She rang him back to tell him of her decision and, two days later, he appeared at her front door with a large holdall in his hand.

  ‘Wow!’ he exclaimed staring at her face. ‘You look more beautiful than ever. How do you manage to look so young. It’s amazing” You never seem to age.’

  ‘You can drop the compliments,’ she told him bluntly. ‘Save them for your next wife.’

  ‘It could be you if you agree to marry me,’ he propose causing her to smile. ‘I swear if you do so, I’ll never look at another woman.’

  She ignored his comments admitting him into the lounge and then showing him upstairs to the guest room. He stared at her with a whimsical expression on his face.

  ‘There’s no chance of sleeping in the same bedroom as you, I s’pose,’ he advanced boldly.

  Diana took the comment as a joke even though he seemed to be serious. ‘Not until Hell freezes over,’ she retorted curtly. It was clear that the amorous Greg was not going to miss any opportunity when it came to seducing women.

  ‘I’ll take you to Pinewood Studios in the morning,’ he told her.

  She nodded sombrely. ‘It’s okay. I hope you don’t think I’m going to learn lots of lines.’

  He threw the holdall on the bed. ‘I want you to consider the role of Barbara del Geddes,’ he said point-blank. ‘You can start off as a fifteen year old...don’t worry the make-up people can do wonders...and you progress from there. You mature into an authoress.’

  ‘It’s too big a part for me,’ she responded almost in a panic, becoming fearful at the task.

  ‘Have confidence in yourself. You can do it! I’ll make you a film star. Leave it to me.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Have dinner with me tonight.’

  She accepted the offer without hesitation. There was no hardship in dining with the man as long as his approaches failed to continue. He was a clown with a penchant for women. He obviously never saved any money, living day by day from what he earned from the films he produce, spending it on women. Well it was no skin off her nose if he wanted to be a fool all his life. Her problem was to find a way of opting out of appearing as an actress in his film.

  The following day he drove her to Pinewood Studios. It was a vast place with props of all kinds stacked in different areas. She stared in awe at the great rocks that weighed only a few pounds, large Greek columns, parapets of castles and a variety of other features that clutt
ered the space here and there. To his credit, Greg took control of the situation without delay. Outside the studio, he was a clown chasing every woman in sight. Inside he was monument us, a completely different character, a master of his profession. He counselled one of the staff advising the man of all the props he needed, where the cameras should be installed, how the lighting needed to be arranged, and all the background scenery he required. There was no hesitation as he rolled out his plans for the forthcoming film and everyone became cognisant of what he intended to achieve. Diana met all the actors and actresses that Greg had cast for the main parts, but she was extremely shy at having been given such a large role that he had chosen for her. Now that she was actually in the studio, the idea of acting in the film terrified her. Once again she realised that she was doing it to please someone else and not herself. She recalled the tale by Aesop in one of his fables about the donkey on its way to market with the owner in the saddle. People started to berate the man because his son was walking all the way beside him. To please them, he alighted and put the boy on the donkey’s back. As they went on, other people complained that the boy should give way to his elderly father. Further on, more people grumbled that the donkey shouldn’t have anyone on its back. So the man got off again to please them. Then the donkey fell into a stream and died and no one was satisfied. She felt exactly in the same position. No doubt, Robbie and Karen would be delighted to see her in a film but she had never had any training and she didn’t know how to act. She became determined to satisfy herself regardless of what anyone else wanted her to do.

  Later that evening, as she and Greg dined at a restaurant, he handed her a script of the film.

  ‘You don’t have to learn all the dialogue at one go,’ he advised her. ‘Just one scene at a time. We always start at six-thirty in the morning for make-up. You can read your lines then.’