Board Games (Tadeusz, Mariam and Aubrey)

[Silent Hunter UK]

Wednesday, July 5, 1967, 0814 British Summer Time, Chelsea, London SW7, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The post had yet to arrive and the day had yet to really start, but Tadeusz Czerny figured that today might be a busy one. With the summer having already started, there would be more time for chess tournaments among the youngsters and he knew of a couple of local youth tournaments coming up. One player named Jack Winshaw was showing some major promise and was being talked about as the next big thing in British chess. But he was still only 15 and he had to avoid being too distracted by girls if he wanted to become a Grand Master.

His paper revealed that Minister of Transport Barbara Castle was considering banning jaywalkingWhich didn't actually happen - it's legal here. and the legislation of homosexuality for those over 21 had just passed its final Commons vote. Still the Lords and the Queen to go, but those were formalities now. Literally in the latter case.

But otherwise, since the latest Arab-Israeli war had finished, things were actually pretty calm in most of the world.

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Silent Hunter UK (see edit history)

[erter]

Tadeusz was looking forward to the summer. With his company steadily expanding over the last several years, a fair few of his tasks had been delegated. The usual uptick in orders during this time of year was gave him something to do, as did meeting up with his acquaintances during the summer chess tournaments.

While he waited for the post to arrive, which usually signaled the start of his day, Tadeusz sipped his morning coffee and browsed through the morning newspaper. Castle's jaywalking proposal felt rather frivolous to him, especially compared to the legalization of homosexuality. Although it seemed silly that it only applied to those over 21. The age of consent for straight people was 16 years old. Why should that be any different for gay people?

[Silent Hunter UK]

As he was looking through the newspaper, his telephone rang. Once he'd gotten up and walked over to the table to pick up the handset, he heard the voice of Stephanie "Stevie" Blake, the deputy head of the Covert Action Team.

"Hello, Czerny," the posh woman said. "Could we meet up for lunch today at noon? Refreshment room at Victoria Station please. No, I've not developed a hankering for British Rail sandwiches."

[Civit]

Aubrey didn't hear Daniella drive up, her music up too loud and her head under the hood of a Jensen Interceptor. "Buongiorno, I said!"

Aubrey emerges from under the hood. "Buongiorno. Sorry, didn't hear you. Was just double checking the hose connections on the new larger radiator", she replied in her unusual cross of Italian and working Londoner accent.

Pulling a paper bag from her purse, Daniella gives it a shake. "Crumpets, from that bakery you like. Is it ok I go upstairs and get the butter from your fridge?" Then stopping a moment, "Who is this record? Another one from your American friend?"

"Yeah, I sent him the new one from the Kinks and he sent me this, a guy named Jimi Hendricks. I'm luvin it so far. He also sent me the latest from Aretha Franklin, said I'd particularly like her song Respect. Door's unlocked, bring down some milk if you want it in your tea."

[Rosemary of Eldormere]

"Ima*, no! I do not need 12 plates, 12 cups and what not!" Mariam looked at her mother, who was adament that a young lady moving out needed a hope chest filled with the most ridiculous items. "Look, this is the sixties, and I will decide what I buy for my flat. I adore you for looking out for me but 12 cups and everything else is ancient and belongs in the pre-war era. I am very sorry, but no, I won't have it! I want to buy MY own things at a flea market somewhere! I want to go shopping! And have FUN while I am decorating my new house."

"Flea market?" Hadassa, Mariam's mother was about to pass out. No child of hers was going to buy household items at a flea market.

Abraham intervened, the diplomat he was. "Now.... my dear girls, yes both of you, let eachother be. Mariam, if you want to do this, then you go ahead. You are old enough to make your own decisions. And my Dearest Love, you must realise that we are in London and not in some shtetl** where you marry off your children and expect heaps of grandchildren. Enough, both of you"

"See!" Mariam said to her mother and picked up a bag to get out of her childhood home as fast as she could. There were markets waiting for her after all.

"Um.... "Hadassa hesitated "Did you at least make a list of items you need? And can I come with you? The weather is quite nice and I can take you to lunch afterwards?"

"Excellent!" Abraham added, "you 2 make this a fun mother/daughter afternoon. Now, out, GO!" He gently grabbed his wife by the elbow and shoved her out the door, Mariam following with a big smile on her face.

"Where is our first stop?" Hadassa wondered.

"Let's hop on the tube and go to Deptford Market. It's huge! We'll need to change at London Bridge."

 

(*mother in Hebrew)

(** small town)

Edited June 13, 2023 by Rosemary of Eldormere (see edit history)

[Silent Hunter UK]

On 6/11/2023 at 2:11 AM, Civit said:

Aubrey didn't hear Daniella drive up, her music up too loud and her head under the hood of a Jensen Interceptor. "Buongiorno, I said!"

Aubrey emerges from under the hood. "Buongiorno. Sorry, didn't hear you. Was just double checking the hose connections on the new larger radiator", she replied in her unusual cross of Italian and working Londoner accent.

Pulling a paper bag from her purse, Daniella gives it a shake. "Crumpets, from that bakery you like. Is it ok I go upstairs and get the butter from your fridge?" Then stopping a moment, "Who is this record? Another one from your American friend?"

"Yeah, I sent him the new one from the Kinks and he sent me this, a guy named Jimi Hendricks. I'm luvin it so far. He also sent me the latest from Aretha Franklin, said I'd particularly like her song Respect. Door's unlocked, bring down some milk if you want it in your tea."

Before Daniella could reply, the garage telephone rang. It could be a customer - it could be someone from Aubrey's other job.

[Civit]

"Go ahead, I got it", Aubrey said wiping her hands before grabbing the phone. "Good morning, Edward's Garage. How can I help you?"

"Yes we do work on motorcycles, I have a mechanic that owns two of them."

"A triumph Bonnie... she has an opening next week on Tue... yes she is a woman, but I promise you she's the best... wonderful, I'll put you down... " repeating back as she wrote, "Mr. Wilkes 65 Bonnie tune-up and replace drive chain. See you then Mr Wilkes."

Aubrey had barely hung up the phone when it rang again. "Good morning, Edward's Garage.... Ms Blake. What do you have for me?"

[erter]

Czerny reached for the handset to silence the piercing ringing. "Clockworks, Czerny speaking." He answered, cracking a slight smile when he heard Stevie speak. Czerny had been waiting for her call. "It took you long enough to get back to me. I'll be there." His reply was curt and to the point, a habit from his military days.

The next three or so hours Czerny used to get his most pressing tasks for Clockworks done. The less important work could be taken care of by his secretary and colleagues. At exactly eleven thirtyfive he was out on the street, wearing a black fedora to shield him from the prominent midday sun, together with a matching black dress shirt and pants. He slowly began to make his way towards towards the South Kensington tube station. From there it was just a single stop to London Victoria.

[Silent Hunter UK]

On 6/13/2023 at 9:52 PM, Civit said:

"Go ahead, I got it", Aubrey said wiping her hands before grabbing the phone. "Good morning, Edward's Garage. How can I help you?"

"Yes we do work on motorcycles, I have a mechanic that owns two of them."

"A triumph Bonnie... she has an opening next week on Tue... yes she is a woman, but I promise you she's the best... wonderful, I'll put you down... " repeating back as she wrote, "Mr. Wilkes 65 Bonnie tune-up and replace drive chain. See you then Mr Wilkes."

Aubrey had barely hung up the phone when it rang again. "Good morning, Edward's Garage.... Ms Blake. What do you have for me?"

"Need you to come into the office this afternoon," Stevie replied. "But you're going to need to pack for Switzerland. Driving down there, but we could spring for the Motorail from Calais if you want. Shall we say four o'clock?"

[Civit]

"4 is fine. Do I need four seats? Or just bring my car?"

Once she gets the answer Aubrey hangs up. Daniella returns with the butter and marmalade. "I booked a triumph Bonnie for you next Tuesday. I have to head out for a few days. Man in Switzerland needs his Ferrari worked on."

"Why so many jobs for you over there?"

"Rally season is coming. If you can't get Ferrari's race team mechanics, get the next best thing, the daughter of one of the guys who helped design some of the stuff on the car. If I get a trip out of the deal, well bonus for me."

"You better bring me back choclate."

"You got it." Aubrey grabs a crumpet and slathers on the butter and marmalade. After breakfast, she goes about finishing up a few jobs, so as to not leave Daniella with too much to finish up. (OOC: If she is to take her own car, she gives it a fresh oil change, checks all the usuals and makes sure it is in top condition.) Once finished, Aubrey grabs her suitcase. She always keeps one packed in case she needs to go somewhere quickly.

[Silent Hunter UK]

On 6/11/2023 at 11:06 AM, Rosemary of Eldormere said:

"Ima*, no! I do not need 12 plates, 12 cups and what not!" Mariam looked at her mother, who was adament that a young lady moving out needed a hope chest filled with the most ridiculous items. "Look, this is the sixties, and I will decide what I buy for my flat. I adore you for looking out for me but 12 cups and everything else is ancient and belongs in the pre-war era. I am very sorry, but no, I won't have it! I want to buy MY own things at a flea market somewhere! I want to go shopping! And have FUN while I am decorating my new house."

"Flea market?" Hadassa, Mariam's mother was about to pass out. No child of hers was going to buy household items at a flea market.

Abraham intervened, the diplomat he was. "Now.... my dear girls, yes both of you, let eachother be. Mariam, if you want to do this, then you go ahead. You are old enough to make your own decisions. And my Dearest Love, you must realise that we are in London and not in some shtetl** where you marry off your children and expect heaps of grandchildren. Enough, both of you"

"See!" Mariam said to her mother and picked up a bag to get out of her childhood home as fast as she could. There were markets waiting for her after all.

"Um.... "Hadassa hesitated "Did you at least make a list of items you need? And can I come with you? The weather is quite nice and I can take you to lunch afterwards?"

"Excellent!" Abraham added, "you 2 make this a fun mother/daughter afternoon. Now, out, GO!" He gently grabbed his wife by the elbow and shoved her out the door, Mariam following with a big smile on her face.

"Where is our first stop?" Hadassa wondered.

"Let's hop on the tube and go to Deptford Market. It's huge! We'll need to change at London Bridge."

 

(*mother in Hebrew)

(** small town)

It turned out that they needed to actually change at Cannon Street for British Rail, but that was by the by. Soon they found themselves clattering along the District Line, with its large twin-track tunnel originally built by digging up the street, heading east along the line.

It was warm down there, but not unpleasantly so.

[Silent Hunter UK]

On 6/18/2023 at 12:08 AM, erter said:

Czerny reached for the handset to silence the piercing ringing. "Clockworks, Czerny speaking." He answered, cracking a slight smile when he heard Stevie speak. Czerny had been waiting for her call. "It took you long enough to get back to me. I'll be there." His reply was curt and to the point, a habit from his military days.

The next three or so hours Czerny used to get his most pressing tasks for Clockworks done. The less important work could be taken care of by his secretary and colleagues. At exactly eleven thirtyfive he was out on the street, wearing a black fedora to shield him from the prominent midday sun, together with a matching black dress shirt and pants. He slowly began to make his way towards towards the South Kensington tube station. From there it was just a single stop to London Victoria.

Making his way out from the Underground, handing his ticket over at the barrier, Czerny made his way into the vibrant concourse, filled with activity. In the eastern half of the station, blue and green electric trains were getting ready to head to the Kent coast, some of them heading for the Channel ports for ferries to the Continent.

When he reached the refreshment room, he saw Stevie Blake, a dark-haired woman in her 30s, sitting at one of the tables and reading a copy of Time magazine. She was drinking a glass of cola and raised a hand when she noticed him entering.

[Silent Hunter UK]

On 6/19/2023 at 5:42 AM, Civit said:

"You got it." Aubrey grabs a crumpet and slathers on the butter and marmalade. After breakfast, she goes about finishing up a few jobs, so as to not leave Daniella with too much to finish up. (OOC: If she is to take her own car, she gives it a fresh oil change, checks all the usuals and makes sure it is in top condition.) Once finished, Aubrey grabs her suitcase. She always keeps one packed in case she needs to go somewhere quickly.

Stevie advised that she would be OK to bring her own car for this operation.

It was then a case of making her way over to the CAT offices, located in a relatively new concrete office building to the west of Waterloo Station. Once she arrived, it would be a case of finding somewhere to park in a side street - getting her car ticketed or towed would not be good in the slightest - and heading over to the office, where the receptionist knew her by sight, so would be able to let her in.

[erter]

On 7/5/2023 at 10:48 PM, Silent Hunter UK said:

Making his way out from the Underground, handing his ticket over at the barrier, Czerny made his way into the vibrant concourse, filled with activity. In the eastern half of the station, blue and green electric trains were getting ready to head to the Kent coast, some of them heading for the Channel ports for ferries to the Continent.

When he reached the refreshment room, he saw Stevie Blake, a dark-haired woman in her 30s, sitting at one of the tables and reading a copy of Time magazine. She was drinking a glass of cola and raised a hand when she noticed him entering.

Czerny waded through the crowd as quickly as he could without upsetting anyone, and took a seat opposite of the dark haired woman. "Good afternoon, Blake." He greeted her, and then waved over a server. When his order for a sandwhich and a cup of tea had been taken, he turned his attention back to Blake. The cover of the Time magazine she was reading, featuring a picture of the US president and the Premier of the Soviet Union, caught his attention.

"So, what are the yankees writing about Johnson's and Kosygin's little get together in Glassboro?"

[Civit]

Aubrey easily found a space, being able to maneuver into a space that had been deemed too small by the car ahead of her. Aubrey didn't much care for the office building. Post-war rebuilding was such a mix of new and old... she liked the old. But, progress. She was sure this was not a new argument, nor would it ever end. And in 10 years, she probably wouldn't care. It would just be that building over there. Getting out of the car, she flipped the secret ignition kill switch. The problem with convertibles, especially when one tended to keep the top down, was you could not adequately lock the car.

She grabbed her bag from the luggage rack and entered the building. She greeted the receptionist and handed over her bag to be stowed, she knew she would not be permitted to bring it into the office without prior authorization. A smile of thanks and Aubrey took the stairs up to the correct floor. Having been through the early bombings before being sent to the countryside, she had a distrust of elevators. She didn't fear them, but when there was a choice she would always take the stairs.