Tag: james

Review of “The Colony” by Audrey Magee

The author paints a vivid, rich description of life on a fictional wild island off the West Coast of Ireland in the late 1970s set against the backdrop of the Troubles in the North. It begins with an English artist taking a rocky trip on a currach over to it for the summer. We quickly learn that Irish is still the predominant language on it and that only some of the people mostly the younger ones will be able to understand him.

The next chapter gives us the first update on what is happening in the North.

There is another foreigner on the island for the summer, Masson. A French man with some Algerian heritage. He is there to study the Irish language before its expected decline. This turns out to be one of the major themes, the unstoppable decline of the Irish language along with the difficulties and isolation of island life. They do not get along and he resents the Englishman’s presence as it increases the amount of English being used on the island. For those familiar with the language, many of the old arguments raged between them with Masson stressing the language’s cultural importance whereas the Englishman, Lloyd thinks that it is unimportant and shouldn’t stop progress.

The central relationship in the novel is between Lloyd and James (Irish name Seamus). James, who to the horror of Masson doesn’t want to use his Irish name. James gets interested in what Lloyd is doing and becomes his quasi-apprentice for the summer. When he sees what improvement James is making he offers to bring him to London to exhibit his works alongside his own and to send him to art college.

There is an array of other central characters. James’ mother is a widow, his father having drowned with others while fishing, Michael (the money maker), and Francis, Mairead’s brother-in-law.

Mairead enjoys Masson’s bed while he visits the island in secret. This being the 1970s. She also agrees to let Lloyd do some artistic nude paintings of her. It was never her intention but she has become somewhat stuck on the island.

Francis wants her to be his woman but is not interested which is awkward.

Two-thirds of the novel is very good but the ending is disappointing.

James perhaps foolishly accuses his master of copying him, which is laughed off. But Lloyd recognizes then that James is better than him and leaves him on the island. Francis and Mairead’s mother finds out about her naked pictures and admonishes her. And yet the painting still leaves the island. It feels like the start of a story rather than the very end.

Like, are we to believe James will now live out the rest of his life on the island?

And what of his mother?

Therefore, it receives a score of three out of five.

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Lauren and James (Pt 5)

James wasn’t quite sure what kind of movie to download to watch with Lauren. Maybe it should be something romantic but what if he was misreading her signals. It could get cringe worthy. But then again, if it was an action film it might be a golden opportunity missed. Oh, anything for a simple life. If only women would tell you what they wanted rather than being so cryptic.

Eventually, he made a decision. Now, he just had to hope that it was the right one.

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Lauren had everything exactly the she way she had hoped for. Okay, she had no idea why he had selected “Jurassic Park III or whatever” as the film to watch, but she thought it best not to complain. She had decided to wear a low cut top for the occasion and she could instantly tell that the sight of her cleavage was having the desired effect.

Still, it had taken some tenacity to convince him to get out of his wheelchair and sit on the couch beside her, that she had hastily moved into position. He knew that he would struggle to sit straight and would start to lean sideways, exactly as was then happening.

“Maybe, it would be easier if I put my arm around you like this, see.”

His head rested against her bare shoulder. For a few minutes, they watched the movie. A volcano was blowing up in the film, but she cared not a jot. She flicked James’ ear and he turned towards her. For the first time, they peered into each other’s eyes. She leaned towards him and kissed him on the mouth, gently at first but when he responded, more aggressively. She felt his hands on her breasts. She thought about taking off her clothes, but decided that would be for next time. For twenty minutes, they kissed with hands wandering over their bodies before they realized that his father would be back soon.

“So, what happened at the end of the film?” James asked with a wide grin.

“Who cares?” Lauren laughed, “what made you pick that film anyway?”

“Are you kidding me? It’s romantic. See how those Tyrannosaurus were looking at each other.”

Lauren gave him a knowing kiss and told him she would pick the next one.

Lauren and James Pt 4

James wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Lauren seemed to be smiling that bit more at him recently and wearing a heavy scented perfume that drove him wild with arousal, although he tried his best not to show it. Instead of her just watching him playing video games, they would talk for hours. Well, mostly Lauren would talk, which was just as well as James would struggle even without his slight speech impediment. But he was an excellent listener, especially to her and that seemed to compensate.

They would discuss everything together and James now felt like he knew everything about her. She even told him about an ex boyfriend that recently contacted her.

“Yeah, imagine that texting me just as I’m about to go home. For you know what! No, that’s just not me anymore.”

James was somewhat stunned, mostly by the fact that a man would not realize what a gem she truly was.

“Oh, I just don’t know.”

James thought he should say something, anything.

“You deserve more,” he replied.

This raised a smile as she flicked her long, curly red hair.

“Why do you say that?”

James turned crimson and struggled to respond.

“Why don’t we watch a movie when I’m here tomorrow. You could download something off the internet.”

“Yyeah that’d be greatt,” replied James.

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Lauren’s heart was beating ferociously as she got into her car. He definitely likes her, she was sure of it. But just not sure enough to kiss him. Not yet anyway. This film would be the opportunity. She would have to make the move but that was okay, it was the twenty-first century after all.

Every night now, he would enter her dreams and she would tell him how she truly felt. That he brightened her every day. That she loved everything about him.

Yes, it was now the time to do it for real.

Lauren and James Pt 3

James couldn’t quite place the first moment or day it happened, just that it seemed to happen more often now. Looking at the clock to check how much longer it would be till she arrived or that feeling of sadness, even emptiness when she left again. She made him laugh and would cheer him up whenever he felt down. At times, he had to strongly resist asking her to stay. This hadn’t happened with his last Personal Assistant.

The more he thought about it, the more he knew not that something was wrong but different. His last Assistant never made him feel like this. Then one night they kissed. It was only a dream but it made him nervous around her the next day, especially when she leaned over him putting on the sling and some of her hair brushed against his ear. No, he had to put these feelings behind him. Even before his stroke he had never been good with women and now what chance would he have in a chair with slurred speech? Would she be impressed that he had reached a new level in one of his games? No, he didn’t think so, not even if he reached “God” status.

And he didn’t want to lose what he had or to make a fool of himself. Better to keep quiet and keep the status quo. Perhaps, unrequited love was the best he could hope for in any event.

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“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, he’s just been quieter the last few days. A few days ago, I was going to put on his sling and I felt the atmosphere change abruptly. It was really weird.”

Lauren was chatting with her Mum. They talked about everything and she was the one person that she felt she could always depend on. It was late Saturday evening.

“Maybe, he likes you, like fancies you.”

“What?” she replied incredulously.

“Well, he is a man around your age and you are quite pretty. Look darling if you don’t feel the same way go easy on him. He doesn’t get out of that house much and the two of you get on well, he might be content with that.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say in response. Fortunately, she was now running late and had an excuse to leave, which she quickly took.

She was meeting her friends Suzie and Rose. Lauren hadn’t seen them in a while and had been looking forward to meeting them but now found herself restless as she sat down. Instead of concentrating on what they were saying, her mind became fixated on what her mother said.

Could he really be into her?

She loved spending time with him and didn’t want to lose that, not to mind a good paying job. He was handsome, but surely it would be unprofessional for anything to happen between them. This wasn’t something she felt she could chat about on a night out with her friends, so mostly she stayed quiet.

“What’s wrong with ya?” Rose asked abruptly over the loud music, “barely a peep out of ya alnight?”

Lauren responded that she wasn’t feeling the best and that was kind of true. They told her to drink up, as if alcohol was always the best solution.

Then just as she was on her last pint, her phone buzzed telling her that she had received a text message. Her heart missed a beat. It was Stephen, the guy she had being having a “thing” with. She hadn’t heard from him for some time.

“Ah, not him again,” Rose exclaimed sensing her unease, “he’s only after an easy ride when your pissed.”

True, but she hadn’t had sex in a while. What would she do?

Lauren and James Pt 2

By the time Lauren had finally managed to enter the house, she had already learned quite a lot about the man she would be looking after. His father had made sure of that. His name was James and he had been an engineer up till a few years previous when he had a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed down his right side. He now needed assistance with basic things that the average person takes for granted.

But one thing Lauren had not expected was that he would be so handsome, with strong masculine features such as a square jaw with piercing blue eyes and a mop of unbrushed, black hair. He was shabbily dressed though with skin so pale that he must not have seen sunlight in months. The room had a stale, dusty smell.

They quickly exchanged pleasantries but he seemed somewhat shy and they didn’t make eye contact. It was the father who took charge of the conversation telling her what she was and was not expected to do. Some of her tasks were simple household chores whereas others involved James’ personal care. She was just about starting to feel confident when the father abruptly told her that he was now on the way out and would be back in a few hours. At least he was finished talking.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

For a moment James was stunned. He had not expected her to be beautiful but she was with long, curly red hair covering her shoulders; a petite body with curves in all the right places. He wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing, but it was definitely going to be different.

James had never been good with women even prior to acquiring a disability. He had always put his studies and work first. This was something that he later regretted.

In truth what he did feel was somewhat intimidated. He tried to look away so that he could compose himself, hoping she wouldn’t notice his palm become sweaty.

His father took the pressure off for some minutes by going through what was expected of her. But all too quickly there was just the two of them.

In fairness, she did try to make conversation but James had no interest in soaps or what was going on in reality television. Fortunately, they found an easy co-existence where James would play his games till he needed her. Though she did seem fixated on opening windows.

He was nervous though the first time they had to get up close and personal. It was about two hours after she had first arrived. He couldn’t stand alone unaided and she had to provide support as he went to sit on a toilet seat. It was the closest that he had been to a woman in some time. Her hair brushed up against his face and he got a strong whiff of her perfume. He just about kept his mind on the job at hand.

After a few hours, his father returned and her time was up. She would be back in two days.