A Couple of Couples

When Darcy suggested I write something about couples, my thoughts went towards those two Waters brothers who seem not to have completely grown up – Willie and Wally. If they had moved to Mellowdene earlier in their lives and met up with Rowan... well, the potential for havoc doesn't bear thinking about.

I next considered the identical twins that are currently living with their uncle Howard and aunt Marian – Mitchell and Maxwell Brighteyes. They supposedly enjoy causing confusion by changing places at a whim. Their nicknames Mix and Match were well chosen, and their antics deserve investigation.

But no. Darcy was thinking of romantic couples in relation to Valentine's Day. This is another annual event – like Christmas – that originated outside Mellowdene and the reasons are uncertain but are still enjoyed by the population without question. I'm reminded of the occasion last year when cousin Bobbie was confused by a secret admirer. When there was originally a suggestion that Christian Snow-Warren was involved I was shocked. My friend and co-worker is so happily married it seemed unthinkable. And it was.

Reliving that event led to my solution. Chris and Charity are such a well-matched couple, I thought it appropriate that I write something about them.

I’ve known Chris for years. I went to school with his brother Clarence and we went to play at each other’s houses – much as our sons Brendan and Lucky do now. Chris is a couple of years younger than his brother, but he used to join in with our games. Even at that age we got on really well, and still do.

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Cecile and I were sharing a friendly afternoon at Chris and Charity’s house and the conversation came around to how they both met.

“Oh, when we started school we were put into the same class,” said Charity. “so I can’t really remember a time when we didn’t know each other.”

“So how did you get 'together' together?” asked Cecile, miming quotation marks in the air.

“Comics,” said Chris.

“That’s right,” Charity smiled. “Chris liked to write little stories, and I enjoyed drawing and producing pen and wash pictures. One of our teachers put us together for a school project. A particularly boring subject.”

“We got a gold star, I remember,” said Chris.

“I’d forgotten that,” nodded Charity, “but the point was we both thought the project boring so we tried to make it interesting by interpreting the requirements unconventionally. We produced a comic.”

“We did. And enjoyed working together.” Chris pulled a funny face at Charity, joking, “The beginning of a beautiful friendship!”

“Idiot. But true. So much so that we started to meet up after school at his place to spend half an hour or so working on our own comics .”

“That’s lovely,” said Cecile, “and love bloomed.”

“Not really,” Charity said, looking mischievously at Chris. “It was completely innocent. Platonic. We simply became good friends.”

I chipped in. “So when did you get romantically involved?”

“Hmm,” mused Charity. “I suppose it started with Clary and his admirers.”

I cast back my memory to my own schooldays and Clarence. He was quite a handsome young rabbit and was of an age when good looking rabbits drew attention from others. Whilst we weren’t particularly interested in relationships at that time, some of the girls had developed a more mature outlook. Clarence was the object of desire of four or five bunnies, and I remember him remarking at the time how “they’re always in the way. I can’t get on with anything serious with their round eyes following me everywhere. And they’re always talking about trivial things.”

Maybe it was a little unfair, but Clarence found their attention irritating and avoided any extra school activities. Instead, he would grab my arm and we’d go and enjoy our hobbies at his house.

In one corner of the room, working at a small table, Charity and Chris would be working on their latest comics. Their work had gained a small number of fans.

It was one such day when someone else came to join the fun. A white doe rabbit called Lettuce Leaf attended Charity’s art class and she said she wanted to understand the creative process behind producing the comic.

She was pretty and a little flirtatious , and she would listen with rapt attention when Chris explained some of his ideas. Charity would watch, a slight smile upon her lips, when Lettie would react – maybe overreact – with enthusiasm.

When Lettie wondered if some characters would be interesting if they spoke in rhyme, Chris pounced on the idea.

Clarence would watch whenever Lettie laughed with her bell-like voice.

It was interesting to watch all the reactions from my friends. Charity clearly shared my views, and the amusement on her face was plain to see.

“Chris was enamoured,” said Charity.

“I wasn’t.”

“Oh, you were,” laughed Charity. “You would wallow in her complements. And you can’t have forgotten what you eventually asked me.”

Chris remembered, his face showing a touch of embarrassment as Charity continued.

“'Do you think she’s got a thing for me?' you said. And you were serious. It was hard to burst your bubble.”

“Okay, I remember. You were quite tactful, I guess. Finding out that Lettuce was there to try and make Clary jealous - or at least notice her. Thinking about it, it was obvious but a bit of a blow.”

“It was hard to see your little face crumple.”

“It didn’t.”

“It did. I think that’s the moment I realised I really cared for you.”

“And you were so sweet. I didn’t realise it then, but it soon became clear that you were much more than a friendly writing companion.”

Cecile sniffed. “Aw, that’s lovely.”

I stared at Chris. “So Lettuce is the reason you started writing poetry?”

Cecile and Charity turned towards me.

 “Jackson,” tutted Cecile, “THAT’S what you take away from this?” She shook her head. “Men.”

o 0 O 0 o

Despite Cecile’s reaction, Chris later confirmed that was probably a factor in his move towards lyric writing.

Lettuce’s plan worked too. Clarence had started to notice her in a positive manner. Neither thought it would eventually lead to their wedding. And Lettie is probably still unaware how her youthful actions inadvertently brought my best friend and his future wife closer together.

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