She pulled the classic M.G. off the road. She had no choice. There was enough power in the car, even though the engine had stopped for it to glide to the kerb side, it was the only fast reaction she had had all day, and it was now 2.10a.m. and raining constant since early evening. The ivory coloured M.G. sat there as if it was dying, steam coming out from under the bonnet like smoke signals sending out 'help' messages to any other passing cars, but none will pass. This was not a good part of town to have a break down at any time of the day or night, let alone in a classic car. You even took a chance stopping at a red light, they were that quick that they could have your wheels striped off before the lights turned to green. She made a wrong turn, panicked and lost her way, driving around trying to find some bearings that she could drive her way out of this maze and the confusion in her mind, of course the five martini's with their green olive and no ice, didn't help any. It was OK when she was sitting at the bar trying to kill the pain of missing Mike. Not just missing him but feeling her life and all of life-kind had ended, full stop, and it ended six months ago with him.
Mandy Gilroy sat behind the steering wheel not knowing what to do and started to cry and not for the first time today. She was breaking down and she knew it, but she didn't care. She didn't care anymore about anything, Mike Gorman had died, the only man she saw herself with in her life. He die, up and died. She could not accept it. Life was not without Mike. She was going down, down in health and down in mind. She wanted Mike back. She wanted him back, no matter what. She pleaded with the Devil to take her soul for in exchange to have Mike back. He was always nearby, like the bad boy standing on the street corner, waiting for opportunities just like this one to come by. She didn't ask God, oh no, He was in her bad books, she was blaming Him big time for taking Mike from her. God had a lot to answer for, and she wanted answers, how and where she didn't care, but answers were due. 'She wanted him back at any cost', is all she could hear in her head. It was all her mind and body energy was saying and sending out, and the Universe Energy heard it too. Non stop re-play, on and on, 24 hours, 7 days a week, 6 months ..... she wanted answers.
Mike and Mandy were the perfect couple. If you were not in their circle you hated them for making life look so good and being the perfect couple and if you were in their circle, you envied them to the point you felt so incapable of having a relationship ... ever, or the one you were in was full of holes, like a sinking boat and you are bailing out water, as fast as it was coming in, but to hell with it you are drowning anyway. They had a nice but small four room apartment in Meadow Grove, facing the old park. A good part of town where you knew your investment was safe and you with it. They met three years ago by an accident on a sky slope, they slided into each others arms literally, trying to avoid the obvious accident on a skying holiday, and have been together since. They shared the same interests, extreme sports, good wine, jazz dancing, and movies of all kind just to escape into other worlds together.
Mike Gorman had it all when it came to looks, he had 'magazine looks', but was humble about it, never used it for his hormone quest. He had a good job in fashion design and a hobby that was becoming more than a hobby. He like to make welded steel sculpture and was getting some attention for his sculptures on the gallery circuit. He and Mandy would toy with the idea of living out their days in a good 'balance' with life. Mandy worked for a top advertising agency in the city. Worked hard and held a good portfolio and liked to write, mostly on travel and would write the odd short story now and again, had some published, and now putting down the 'rough' for a novel she was planning. Mike encouraged her to pursue her writing, but the 'encouragement' was equal from both sides, it help to create the perfect 'balance'. This was the plan. That was the life plan.
Mike Gorman was already six months dead on the same date the M.G. was dying by the roadside, and she could not let go of him, her pain was too much that maybe the M.G. also sensed it and decided to die too. The car was Mike's pride and joy. He personally restored it to prime condition sending away and waiting for months for the parts to arrive like an anxious child waiting for ice cream, and standing in the kitchen throwing a tantrum when it was taking too long to arrive. He was her baby. Mike use to joke about how the things he loved in life were too much of a coincidence and that they all had the same initials like his name, .... his true love, Mandy Gilroy ..... his joy ride, M.G. .... his perfect home in Meadow Grove, and the sculpture that got him some recognition for his work titled, 'Man Grue-some' .... 'To much of a coincidence', he would keep telling her. She would just smile and thought how complete her life was with Mike in it. Life without Mike was just not on the cards.
Mike Gorman took off early that morning. He tried the night before and in the morning at breakfast to see would Mandy change her mind and go bungee jumping with him. He wanted to try out a new jump he heard about but Mandy had a story in her head that was eating away at her and she wanted to see it in words on her laptop or at least the best part of it, that day. They said their 'good byes' over coffee that sunny morning, both understanding that respected 'balance' in their live, they were working towards. She heard the M.G. leaving the car park. It was a Sunday morning and most people were still in bed at that hour, and then heard it no more, nor did she hear it returning that night as promised in time for pizza. They were going out for pizza as was the treat they gave themselves on most Sundays, but not this Sunday. Destiny had other plans for Mike and Mandy.
Mandy put the phone down after spending an hour or so ringing around Mike's friends who would go bungee jumping with him. No .... nobody was with Mike that day. He was out on his own and he died because of it. They say it was a freak accident. He hit his head on an outcrop of rock ..... a freak accident. Nobody could understand how or why. He was an experienced 'jumper' that knew all the rules, but today he broke the rule of 'jumping on his own'. They found his car at first daylight and Mike still hanging on the end of his 'line' at the bottom. Swinging gently from side to side and in little circles with the side of his head open for all to see Mike Gorman's brains, and the crows, making a hell of a noise, lining up and jumping place, looking on in anticipation of free pickings. Not a pretty sight now, poor Mike. The parting was painful for both of them. He, in his pain of dying through out the night, slowly, so slow, in the rain, feeling life as he knew it slipping away, away, far away from Mandy, swinging, just like the dance from the hangman's rope, only it was his own rope, and his last dance. On his own, in the rain, swinging back and forth, like the wind was playing with him.
It was too much for her now to cope with each day and today was a crap day by all means. She did not go to work nor would she answer her phone ... not to nobody. The two M.G.'s were dead in her life. It was just all too much for her as she sat there in the now dead car feeling all alone in the world and panicked. Some kind of life movement was starting to come back to her brain when she opened the car door and stood beside it in the rain, hoping beyond hope that somebody would come along. It was now 3a.m. and not another car in sight, 'what now' she thought as she saw the full on headlights of a 'monster' of a four wheel drive coming towards her at speed, too fast, unless he was running from something or to drunk to care. It was swerving all over the place like a swinging rope by the time it had reached her, and after it had hit her and crushed the side of the M.G. leaving her face down to die slowly on the side of the road in the rain. Mike was calling her to him, she knew it was Mike. She lay there choking in her own blood and 'Last Stop Bar' martini's. Her body now mixing it's own cocktail ... had a funny taste in her mouth, blood and martini. It will be the last 'taste' she will know.
She knew she was not going to get up, she didn't want too, and she couldn't if she tried. She was cold and hot together at the same time. She was slipping into pain and out. She wanted to be with Mike, at any cost..... and this will do just fine now .... no pain .... oh ... pain, like a twisting knife in her side, and that chocking feeling around her neck, now getting a grip on her mentally. No oxygen in the body no oxygen going to the brain. She wants and will go to Mike, to be with him, it's what she wanted all the time, in life or in death. She see's Mike, he is calling to her with that smile of his. She could hear distant music.... 'the car radio cannot be still on, it's not possible'..... she thought.
She... could... hear...Mike...calling.
She...could...smell... rubber... burning.
She... could... sense... Mike... now.
She... could... see... Mike....
It was so easy to do ...... let go. She was getting her answers now in a rush. It's what she wanted, to be with Mike. She could see the banged up M.G. in the distance from 'that' bird's eye view. Mike beside her, warm hand in cold hand. It was so easy to do, let go .... and to let go of that pain too. She was happy now. She was with her Mike. It's what she wanted..... in life or in death .... so easy to let go. They were two victims of pure coincidence. They were in balance now, Mike and Mandy.
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