twist
03-16-2014, 06:08 PM
“Would you just look at this!” Dennis said to his wife, Vivienne, barely managing to contain himself as as he jabbed his forefinger at the glossy DIY catalogue. They’ve stolen my idea again. How do they do it? Do they steal my thoughts? “ He looked so bewildered that Vivienne put her arms around him. “Well, I suppose you’re not the only genius inventing DIY tools! Anyway, you’re getting late for work, so just forget about it for now.”
Dennis sat in his office, his eyes glazing over at figures on his calculator while his brain was busy inventing another amazing tool. (This one would revolutionize painting and decorating. A folding rail opened up to the required length and a platform would slide along the rail operated by a button on a hand height rail. There would be a tray for paint and brushes. Folded up it would fit into a box the size of a vacuum cleaner.)
Dennis made some sketches over his lunch break, making sure that no-one was peeking over his shoulder. Perhaps one of his colleagues was stealing his ideas as he often had his ideas while at work.
It was a risk he had to take as if he didn’t put his idea down on paper he knew he would forget it. “24th April 1976,” he scribbled at the top of the page with the sketches. He always recorded the date of his inventions.
Dennis didn’t exactly love his accountant’s job. Ever since he was a child he dreamed of being an inventor. He never imagined he’d wind up as an accountant. Frankly, he was bored to death with poring over numbers all day. He was already in his 40’s. If only he could invent something amazing, leave his job and move to somewhere by the sea, possibly abroad.
He was in a good mood when he got home that evening. Vivienne recognised the crazy inventor’s gleam in his eye. Dennis opened his mouth to tell her all about his latest idea.
“It’ll have to wait till after tea. I cooked your favourite today!
After tea, Dennis with childlike enthusiasm explained his new idea. It was such a contrast to yesterday that Vivienne couldn’t help but admire how quickly he’d bounced back.
He sat back and sighed. “Vivienne this is the best one I’ve thought of, yet.” When she just smiled, he asked a little impatiently, “Well, isn’t it the best one I’ve come up with?”
“You’re brilliant, dear. Now would you like egg and cress sandwiches tomorrow?”
Dennis felt a bit deflated at Vivienne’s lack of enthusiasm. However, to be fair, she hadn’t seen anything come of his inventions. This time he was determined not to let anyone pip him to the post.
It was a Bank holiday weekend so time was on his side.
Dennis planned to stay up all night. Vivienne brought him cups of coffee and feigned interest when he showed her a couple of extra features he’d added onto the diagram.
He was sure the DIY catalogue would proudly feature his product. Well, now all the plans were ready…
Vivienne found him asleep at his desk the next morning.
“ I’ve got a terrible headache,” groaned Dennis as she shook him awake.
“Let me help you into bed. You must have fallen asleep there after I went to bed,” she smiled.
Dennis clutched at his precious plans even though his head felt like it was being split open.
“Now, now, just leave your papers there.“ said Vivienne firmly but gently.
This was the worst headache he’d ever had. He groaned and nodded. Vivienne helped him to the bed and he collapsed onto it.
When Dennis awoke the next day he gingerly felt his head. The headache had gone and he almost ran to his study. There were only two pages of diagrams. One was missing……..
“Vivienne, Vivienne!” he called in a panic.
“ I’m a little busy down here, dear,” she replied.
“One of my pages is missing, I’m sure there were three last night.”
“Oh, when you fell asleep at your desk you spilt some coffee all over one page. I’m sorry , dear - but I had to throw it away. “
The colour drained from Dennis’ face.“I didn’t make a copy,” he said almost to himself.
“Don’t worry, love. It’ll come back to you,” Vivienne smiled indulgently as if talking to a young child. “I need to go shopping now. I’ll bring you a nice steak for your supper. That’ll cheer you up!”
Dennis sat with his head in his hands. How could this have happened? His invention ruined by coffee? How unlucky was that!There was no way he could reproduce the diagrams exactly. He was a man who worked on inspiration. You couldn’t conjure up the same masterpiece twice. He didn’t expect Vivienne to understand that. She was so practical! As for the steak he’d completely lost his appetite.
Perhaps if he sat and concentrated for a few hours he could remember. He had just finished drawing from memory when he heard Vivienne return.
He gazed out of the window. The neighbours’ kids were playing out on the street. He could see himself playing out in a similar street with his friends; his head always full of dreams. Now he was almost middle-aged and where did all those dreams go?
Well, now was his chance to make a change. He wrote a letter to the DIY company explaining the invention and finally with a big sigh wrote the address on the envelope, his hand shaking slightly.
He looked out of the window again and felt a pang of regret. Vivienne never wanted kids. Whenever their friends asked why she always said “I already do,” looking over at him. She didn’t realize how hurtful her little comments could be….
Dennis was going to work the next day and he made Vivienne promise she would go to the post office as soon as it opened to post his letter by recorded delivery.
Vivienne took his letter. “See I told you not to worry – and I’m sure they’ll love it!” Now go and wash for dinner.” Vivienne’s favourite programme ‘Mr and Mrs’ was on the telly. He hated the show. She always said that if both of them were contestants on ‘Mr and Mrs’ she’d know everything about him and he’d get all the answers wrong. It would be great to invent a device to switch the telly channels without getting up from the sofa; especially when ‘Mr and Mrs’ was on. That was another great idea!
Over the next few weeks there a lot of people off-sick at work and Dennis had to cover. He didn’t have time to work on the television remote control. As soon as the tummy bug at work stopped claiming victims Dennis tripped over a wire in the shed and badly sprained his ankle. He was allowed to stay home from the office for a few days and one of his colleagues kindly brought some work for him.
It had been a month now and he’d heard nothing from the DIY company. He had asked Vivienne a few times if she remembered to post his letter by recorded delivery. He was the anxious kind. Vivienne seemed to be on the phone a lot these days - new friends no doubt. It had been a month since she cooked his favourite meal. He wondered if he’d done anything to upset her.
Sitting in bed with an ice pack around his ankle his thoughts kept returning to his invention. He’d stopped himself several times from calling the company but couldn’t wait any longer. Surely they would have replied by now.
Dennis picked up the extension on the bedside table to call the DIY company - instead he heard Vivienne’s voice on the line. He was about to replace the phone on the hook when he heard her say ”Is that the manager? I’m glad you liked my latest invention. I apologise for the small coffee stain on one of the pages. Anyway, I wanted to give you a forwarding address for the cheque as I’m shortly moving to the South of France.”
Dennis sat in his office, his eyes glazing over at figures on his calculator while his brain was busy inventing another amazing tool. (This one would revolutionize painting and decorating. A folding rail opened up to the required length and a platform would slide along the rail operated by a button on a hand height rail. There would be a tray for paint and brushes. Folded up it would fit into a box the size of a vacuum cleaner.)
Dennis made some sketches over his lunch break, making sure that no-one was peeking over his shoulder. Perhaps one of his colleagues was stealing his ideas as he often had his ideas while at work.
It was a risk he had to take as if he didn’t put his idea down on paper he knew he would forget it. “24th April 1976,” he scribbled at the top of the page with the sketches. He always recorded the date of his inventions.
Dennis didn’t exactly love his accountant’s job. Ever since he was a child he dreamed of being an inventor. He never imagined he’d wind up as an accountant. Frankly, he was bored to death with poring over numbers all day. He was already in his 40’s. If only he could invent something amazing, leave his job and move to somewhere by the sea, possibly abroad.
He was in a good mood when he got home that evening. Vivienne recognised the crazy inventor’s gleam in his eye. Dennis opened his mouth to tell her all about his latest idea.
“It’ll have to wait till after tea. I cooked your favourite today!
After tea, Dennis with childlike enthusiasm explained his new idea. It was such a contrast to yesterday that Vivienne couldn’t help but admire how quickly he’d bounced back.
He sat back and sighed. “Vivienne this is the best one I’ve thought of, yet.” When she just smiled, he asked a little impatiently, “Well, isn’t it the best one I’ve come up with?”
“You’re brilliant, dear. Now would you like egg and cress sandwiches tomorrow?”
Dennis felt a bit deflated at Vivienne’s lack of enthusiasm. However, to be fair, she hadn’t seen anything come of his inventions. This time he was determined not to let anyone pip him to the post.
It was a Bank holiday weekend so time was on his side.
Dennis planned to stay up all night. Vivienne brought him cups of coffee and feigned interest when he showed her a couple of extra features he’d added onto the diagram.
He was sure the DIY catalogue would proudly feature his product. Well, now all the plans were ready…
Vivienne found him asleep at his desk the next morning.
“ I’ve got a terrible headache,” groaned Dennis as she shook him awake.
“Let me help you into bed. You must have fallen asleep there after I went to bed,” she smiled.
Dennis clutched at his precious plans even though his head felt like it was being split open.
“Now, now, just leave your papers there.“ said Vivienne firmly but gently.
This was the worst headache he’d ever had. He groaned and nodded. Vivienne helped him to the bed and he collapsed onto it.
When Dennis awoke the next day he gingerly felt his head. The headache had gone and he almost ran to his study. There were only two pages of diagrams. One was missing……..
“Vivienne, Vivienne!” he called in a panic.
“ I’m a little busy down here, dear,” she replied.
“One of my pages is missing, I’m sure there were three last night.”
“Oh, when you fell asleep at your desk you spilt some coffee all over one page. I’m sorry , dear - but I had to throw it away. “
The colour drained from Dennis’ face.“I didn’t make a copy,” he said almost to himself.
“Don’t worry, love. It’ll come back to you,” Vivienne smiled indulgently as if talking to a young child. “I need to go shopping now. I’ll bring you a nice steak for your supper. That’ll cheer you up!”
Dennis sat with his head in his hands. How could this have happened? His invention ruined by coffee? How unlucky was that!There was no way he could reproduce the diagrams exactly. He was a man who worked on inspiration. You couldn’t conjure up the same masterpiece twice. He didn’t expect Vivienne to understand that. She was so practical! As for the steak he’d completely lost his appetite.
Perhaps if he sat and concentrated for a few hours he could remember. He had just finished drawing from memory when he heard Vivienne return.
He gazed out of the window. The neighbours’ kids were playing out on the street. He could see himself playing out in a similar street with his friends; his head always full of dreams. Now he was almost middle-aged and where did all those dreams go?
Well, now was his chance to make a change. He wrote a letter to the DIY company explaining the invention and finally with a big sigh wrote the address on the envelope, his hand shaking slightly.
He looked out of the window again and felt a pang of regret. Vivienne never wanted kids. Whenever their friends asked why she always said “I already do,” looking over at him. She didn’t realize how hurtful her little comments could be….
Dennis was going to work the next day and he made Vivienne promise she would go to the post office as soon as it opened to post his letter by recorded delivery.
Vivienne took his letter. “See I told you not to worry – and I’m sure they’ll love it!” Now go and wash for dinner.” Vivienne’s favourite programme ‘Mr and Mrs’ was on the telly. He hated the show. She always said that if both of them were contestants on ‘Mr and Mrs’ she’d know everything about him and he’d get all the answers wrong. It would be great to invent a device to switch the telly channels without getting up from the sofa; especially when ‘Mr and Mrs’ was on. That was another great idea!
Over the next few weeks there a lot of people off-sick at work and Dennis had to cover. He didn’t have time to work on the television remote control. As soon as the tummy bug at work stopped claiming victims Dennis tripped over a wire in the shed and badly sprained his ankle. He was allowed to stay home from the office for a few days and one of his colleagues kindly brought some work for him.
It had been a month now and he’d heard nothing from the DIY company. He had asked Vivienne a few times if she remembered to post his letter by recorded delivery. He was the anxious kind. Vivienne seemed to be on the phone a lot these days - new friends no doubt. It had been a month since she cooked his favourite meal. He wondered if he’d done anything to upset her.
Sitting in bed with an ice pack around his ankle his thoughts kept returning to his invention. He’d stopped himself several times from calling the company but couldn’t wait any longer. Surely they would have replied by now.
Dennis picked up the extension on the bedside table to call the DIY company - instead he heard Vivienne’s voice on the line. He was about to replace the phone on the hook when he heard her say ”Is that the manager? I’m glad you liked my latest invention. I apologise for the small coffee stain on one of the pages. Anyway, I wanted to give you a forwarding address for the cheque as I’m shortly moving to the South of France.”