Guitar Man

C Taylor Maurice

Description

Set in Ventnor, a quaint seaside town on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England, this bitter-sweet love story describes the lifetime of Chris and Penny from their childhood.As the story unfolds from the early fifties, picturesque scenes from around the island are intertwined in their story of undying love and devotion, and recall features of those early days now long gone.Times change for them as residents of "The Swan" and the heart is warmed by the happy times they share in the social atmosphere of the town pub, and torn by the grief they suffer with the tragedies that beset their lives.Despite tragic circumstances Nancy their daughter grows from a happy child to an attractive successful young woman, through the devotion and determination of those who love her. However, this comes at a price; with terrible guilt for Chris, betrayal of his love for Penny and the unhappiness he brings to Sandra, who is a key to Nancy's happiness and success.Years later reflecting on her parents' lives, Nancy learns just how strong the bond and love between her parents had been. Book reviews online @ www.publishedbestsellers.com

Sujets

• Romance

Informations

• Publié par: Pneuma Springs Publishing
• Date de parution: 05 mai 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781782282099
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Guitar Man

Maurice C Taylor
Copyright
First Published in 2011 by: Pneuma Springs Publishing
The Guitar Man
Copyright © 2011 Maurice C Taylor
Kindle eISBN: 9781782280286 ePub eISBN: 9781782282099 PDF eBook eISBN: 9781782281122 Paperback ISBN: 9781907728112
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, save those clearly in the public domain, is purely coincidental.
Pneuma Springs Publishing E: [e-mail] W: www.pneumasprings.co.uk
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Published in the United Kingdom. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher.
The Novel
One
As the ferry made its way down the estuary from Southampton, Chris leaned on the rail and looked at the familiar view across the water.
The view was unchanged from his memory and hadn’t altered in all these years he thought to himself.
The banks of the estuary still had boats sitting in the soft dirty black mud between the boat yards, where yachts and cruisers in various states of repair stood on supports in dry docks.
Cargo ships anchored in the middle of the estuary awaiting high tide as they always had. Seagulls circled above yachts making their way to the ideal sailing waters of the Solent, weaving between the tugs pulling lines of barges into Southampton.
Chris didn’t doubt for one moment the island would look the same; it hadn’t changed in his lifetime up until his departure. The only change since he left was the closing of the railway in the cutbacks of the early sixties. He caught his breath in horror that day in London when he read the headline in the newspaper. “ISLAND RAILWAY AXED IN CUTS”
He had been shocked by the news of the old railway closing, and it brought back memories of the times when he, Terry, Bobby and Penny were kids in the school summer holidays, and would often buy a ‘Round The Island Ticket’ spending the day visiting various places on the old steam train. Those happy summer days they shared together seemed endless, yet their childhood years had gone by so quickly.
When the ferry passed the oil refinery and made its way out into the Solent Chris walked to the front of the ferry and looked across the water. There beyond the yachts in full sail a few miles from the mainland, he could see the dark familiar shape of the island in the channel.
In anticipation of returning home after ten years, Chris sensed a strange hollow feeling in his stomach looking at the view.
Memories flooded back recalling the night of his eighteenth birthday party at the pub. Terry and Bobby had looked in disbelief when he announced he was leaving the island. “Life is different now, not the carefree life we knew when we were kids, and I want more out of life than just getting by, if I don’t go now I never will!” He said looking at their shocked faces.
Chris remembered feeling terrible seeing Penny so upset when he told her. He and Penny or “Pen” as he called her, grew up together and had always been very close. Speechless she stared at him and broke down crying, when he tried to console her she pushed him aside and left the party with tears streaming down her face.
His three friend’s reaction had surprised Chris that night because they had all talked about leaving and going to the mainland.
In truth it was just talk and they never believed either of them would ever have the nerve to leave. However, in 1960 London was the Mecca for music, and groups from all over the country became famous overnight in the new pop group craze. Chris was lead guitar player in a group called “The Islanders” who were well known with a big following on the island, and having visions of making it big with a recording contract they decided to leave for London.
When the ferry neared the island and Cowes harbour came into sight, he recalled the memory of Penny on the quayside the day he left. She never took her eyes off him and with tears streaming down her face watched the ferry carry him away until he was gone from her sight. The day before he left he visited Penny and was surprised how cold she was towards him. She had always given him a warm smile and been pleased to see him, but he didn’t know the Penny he saw that day.
She had stared at him in silence for a moment then a fury he had never seen in her erupted. “How can you go and leave us Chris? – We have all been close for so long… we are part of each others lives and you have always been special to me you know that! – How can you leave me Chris? – My life just won’t be the same without you… what am I going to do?”
He went to hold her as he always did when she was upset, but Penny struck out hitting him on the chest with her fists and pushed him aside saying, ‘She would have to get by without his comfort from now on so she might as well start now.’ He saw tears in her eyes when she told him to go and said, she wouldn’t see him again but wished him luck in his new life in London. However, she had come with Bobby and Terry the next day in the taxi for the drive to Cowes to see him off.
Chris was ready to leave for London when they arrived, the green and beige Ford Zodiac bought with his earnings from nightly entertaining in the pubs and hotels, was packed and ready to go.
“I’m going to miss you and this old car so much.” Penny said sliding up beside him on the bench seat of the car. On the way to Cowes fighting back her tears she never stopped talking, reminding him of the years they spent together and the good times they had shared.
“My life won’t be the same anymore without you Chris, I am going to miss you so much.” Penny whispered, as she hugged him with tears running down her face. A year after leaving Chris realised how much he missed Penny, and knew then how much she meant to him. He had written to her on three occasions but never received a reply.
*****
Now he, and the car that carried many of their memories were returning to the island, and Chris wondered what sort of reception he would receive when he saw Penny again.
Driving down the ramp from the ferry onto the quayside and into the narrow streets of Cowes, Chris looked up at the old Tudor and Georgian buildings lining the familiar streets, and seeing the old town again he realised what a lovely place the island was in comparison to London.
My god it’s good to be back he thought to himself, as the car headed out onto the Newport road,
When Chris drove into Newport it was lunchtime and he decided to have a pint of local brewed bitter at the “The Wheat Sheaf” pub, where the best ploughman’s lunch on the island had always been served.
Newport had not changed and still had that country town feel about it with some new buildings among the old. The car park was still beside the busy Southern Vectis bus terminal, where old Bristol buses stood waiting to depart to all points on the island. Walking through the streets of Newport to the town square Chris soaked up the atmosphere of the old town before entering the “Wheat Sheaf” to enjoy a lunch in the familiar surroundings and reflect on the last decade.
London had not been as glamorous as he thought it would be and regretted not returning a year ago as he planned. Life had been hard working one night stands in pubs and clubs in the hope of being noticed and to secure a recording contract. The long days and sleepless nights travelling the country on tours, had made him weary of the life and he yearned for the tranquility of the island where life was slow and nothing upset the calm of the day. He had wanted to come home to the island for a long time, now he wished he had done it sooner, at least he would have seen Bobby again.
The letter Terry had written telling him of Bobby’s sudden death had shocked him in disbelief, and saying that Penny insisted he should write thinking he would want to know, made Chris wonder why Penny hadn’t written herself.
Bobby had worked for the local taxi company and was well known by all in Ventnor, when anyone phoned for a cab they always asked for Bobby. Chris recalled with affection that Bobby had never been very bright and laughed at anything. “He’s sixpence short of a shilling” some would say. Bobby had always been a little on the slow side mentally and despite the cruel taunts from the kids at school he was always happy. Chris along with Penny and Terry from an early age had made a friend of Bobby ignoring his simple ways.
As a kid Bobby had a chubby round face with rosy cheeks and curly ginger hair. He had always been a little over weight so they used to call him porker, and with his infectious, hoarse laugh, they couldn’t help but laugh just to hear him.
Bobby hadn’t changed a lot over the years, he was still overweight and always saw the funny side of everything with that infectious laugh, until that night Chris announced he was leaving, that one moment was the only time he ever saw Bobby with a straight face. Remembering those happy days, of all the people to have life cut short it really shouldn’t have been Bobby, Chris thought.
After downing the last of his pint Chris left the “Wheat Sheaf” and walking back to the car was thinking how at home he felt, almost as though he had never left and London seemed a world away.
The garage on the outskirts of Godshill village had not changed apart from a repaint. The owner greeted Chris shaking him by the hand pleased to see him again. ‘I never thought I would see this old Zodiac or you again.’ He said with a smile on his face. Chris vaguely remembered him from the past when he had called at the garage for petrol, and although he had never known him, the garage owner appeared to kn