Images of Modern Man

I have been exploring archtypes - male ones as it happens. What do these images make you think of?

in a toy shop

Behind a shopping mall

Pink foam - Really?

Under seige?

Drawing from Life

Chapter 7 continues:

Rhona  kept herself busy right through the weekend, scouring her house inside and out. Gracie complained her mother’s bad case of spring cleaning fever was driving her mental. She was glad to escape to school on Monday and said so. Her comments made Rhona realise she needed to get out and clear her head. She left the house intending to go down to the Orakei Basin, but out on the main road she impulsively waved down the bus to the eastern bays. It was empty apart from the driver, an amiable woman of about sixty.

Rhona took a front seat across from the driver and they sat in companionable silence until the bus stopped in Glen Innes. There an elderly man made to get on with several bags of groceries. The driver leapt down to help him with these parcels. She evidently performed this ritual regularly. He tipped his hat to her. “Thank you Vera, once again.”

“No worries. How are you today love?” She was easing herself back behind the wheel as she asked.

He took the seat opposite Rhona, touching his hat to her as well, as he passed. “Good morning Madam” he said courteously. Rhona smiled and returned the greeting but she turned to gaze out the window as they pulled away.

When they passed through Glendowie the driver looked across at her. “Hey,” she said and jerked her thumb behind her. “Mr Bates here is 94 this year. Pretty good eh?”

Rhona smiled and turned to him. There was nothing wrong with his hearing anyway, she thought as she acknowledged him nodding at her. He was dressed in a suit of dark grey with a white shirt and a tie of narrow blue and green stripes. His blue eyes under his grey hat were amused and attentive as he met her glance.

“Vera keeps track of these things,” he said. Rhona was delighted by the irony of his tone and the self deprecating smile he gave her. His beautifully manicured hand rested on the spare seat beside him and his distinctive gold signet ring intrigued her. It was interlinked snakes with emerald eyes. She introduced herself as Rhona Manners.”

“Delighted- ah- Mrs Manners?”

“Status undefined”, she said smiling, but with a direct glance. He nodded as if he understood. It occurred to her he very likely understood her perfectly.

The driver was humming softly to herself as she swept through the intersection and into St Helier’s Bay Rd. She called over her shoulder that they were on time today. “I hope your helper lady is onto it Mr Bates.”

“No Vera”, he stated firmly. “We have come to a parting of the ways Mrs Lynch and I.”

“True? Blimmin unreliable that woman wasn’t she?”

It seemed to Rhona he was unwilling to elaborate.

There was no further conversation during the ride along the waterfront. Rhona was thinking of the last time she had been driven along Tamaki Drive in a more luxurious vehicle. As the bus swung around the final corner before Mission Bay Rhona leaned forward asking where she could catch the bus to go home later on. She was beginning to regret her crazy impulse.

“Mrs Manners?” Mr Bates had raised his hand. “If you care to accompany me I will show you. I live close by there.”

She was so relieved she offered to return the favour by taking a share of the shopping.”

“I believe we have struck a bargain Madam.” He lifted his hat to salute her.

Rhona decided society had lost much unspoken communication when hats fell from favour. Vera waited patiently at the stop as they organised the shopping and alighted. She gave a wave and a “Cheerio” before closing the doors and accelerating away around the corner.

 Rhona waited for Mr Bates directions. He drew her attention to the homeward bound stop before gesturing down the street towards the real estate agents. “Not far my dear. I’m two doors down from Barfoot’s. You need not…”

“No.” Rhona blushed. “No, I would like to. That is…if you don’t mind.”

“You don’t have an appointment to keep?” He was watching her closely.

“No.” Rhona glanced over at the beach. “I have come to get some fresh air, that’s all.”

He seemed satisfied and said “Take my arm, my pace is very leisurely.”

They each took shopping on their outside arms and set off as partners. He was slow but walked erect and confidently, giving the impression that he chose to walk slowly and was not forced to that pace by any frailty.

 As they went along Rhona decided it was strangely intimate to walk like that. She thought a traditional courtship must have been a lovely thing to experience. Her colour heightened again when he asked her “What are you thinking Mrs Manners?” She realised she hadn’t spoken at all since they set out.

“I’m sorry”, she said, “I’m a bit out of practice at conversation.”

He stopped and turned to her. They were of a height. His clear blue eyes met her green ones. It made her realise how tiny he was for a man. He said “I rather thought it was something else” and stood waiting for her reply.

“It’s hard to express what I was thinking at all coherently.” She shrugged and smiled. He looked searchingly at her a moment then turned in silence and resumed their walk. She wondered if he was offended, he was quiet so long, but just then he said “You are an unusual woman Mrs Manners.” She didn’t reply. There seemed nothing to say to it.

Mr Bates lived in one of several units built in a block.  They were concrete with a stone coloured stucco exterior. By the look of the architecture they were built during the 1930’s or 40’s, about the same age as Bill’s place. Once they reached the gate Mr Bates released her arm and led the way to his door. Rhona placed the shopping near the door mat and stood up, ready to leave as he put the key in the lock. He turned to her. “Won’t you come in?”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? You don’t know me.”

“I’m an excellent judge of character my dear. Are you?” There was amusement and challenge in his look. She bent down again to take up the groceries and stood back before answering deliberately “I’m not sure.”

He held back the door. Rhona followed him down the short hallway to the kitchen and put her bags on the table after his. He leant his knuckles on the table and regarded the groceries ruefully. She realised he was weary.

He said “Would you mind? Some of these are frozen things.”

Rhona was on firmer ground here. She offered to pass for him to stack and agreed to take tea with him without really knowing why she had done so.

She began removing the groceries and placing them on the table. They were mostly gourmet things. She put cold ones nearest the fridge, cans together and sundries separate. He seemed amused by her system and turned to fill the kettle.

“I suppose”, he said to the bench, “you wonder why I don’t have the groceries delivered or get home help in to do it for me.”

“No. I don’t wonder Mr Bates.” Rhona realised her tone was mildly disapproving.

He opened the freezer and turned to take her neat pile of frozen items off the table. She found he was regarding her keenly. “You have firm views I gather.”

Her eyes widened a little. He was so direct. “About independence you mean?”

“About many things.”

“Not as many as I could have,” she said quietly, bending to undo the final bag. It was dry goods and some spices: garam marsala and five spice powder. He cooked. She passed them over and he smiled at her, evidently enjoying her look of approval.

“Yes I relish food, always have.”

He made tea in a stoneware pot, grey with a bamboo handle. He had everything near to hand. Rhona could smell the pungent leaves as he poured on the water – Lapsang Souchon. The smoky aroma was so unexpected. Her “Oh” made him look up.

“I’m sorry would you prefer…”

She spoke hastily. “No. I love it. I just didn’t expect…” It seemed a terrible gaffe-interrupting him so rudely- but he seemed unconcerned as he went back to stowing away his purchases.

“No. I suppose you don’t see these teas often. I came across a great number of varieties when I lived abroad, many years ago now. The selection of teas here now is splendid I must say.”

Rhona told him how her aunt often kept it at home.” He only nodded, as if that explained everything to his satisfaction.

“Have you travelled Mrs Manners?” He was collecting a tray from beside the stove now- a modern kauri version of a butler’s tray. Her negative reply made him smile compassionately at the tray. He hardly needed to say “I thought not.” His conclusions were obvious.

Rhona watched the remainder of his preparations in silence. He took a bamboo mat from a drawer and unrolled it across the tray. Two oriental tea bowls were place symmetrically upon it with the pot between them. Finally he gestured to it. “If you would be so kind as to carry this for me, I shall lead the way.” She followed him through a pair of swing doors into the adjoining sitting room. Through ivory sheer curtains over the street-side windows she saw a glistening sheet of blue on blue.

“Splendid”, she murmured.

“We shall sit here and enjoy it.” He indicated a round teak table by the windows with a rattan bergere chair on either side. It reminded her of an old postcard she had seen once of Raffles Hotel.

Rhona glanced around the room as she sat down. There was a fireplace on the opposite wall, next to the swing doors. Two sofas flanked the fireside and another armchair faced it. They were also rattan-framed with loose cushions. The landscapes either side of the fire would have drawn her over ordinarily, but she didn’t wish to be too intrusive in her study. Mr Bates had seen her glance and his eyes crinkled when they met hers, but neither made any remark.

Tea was taken in a companionable way until Rhona noticed a pale line around his mouth and realised how tired her host was. She felt it best to make a move. As if he had heard her thought he said “I shall have to take the taxi next time I suppose.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Rhona asked gently.

“Not of itself. I enjoy the bus. A taxi is a solitary affair.”

She commented that she was thinking of buying a car herself, as soon as she was able to.

Mr Bates was nodding, watching her. “I understand.”

“Yes I know”, she said matter of factly. “That’s why I’m here, why I came.”

He said quietly “You are most refreshing company Mrs Manners.”

She looked up to his eyes. She saw a fine looking man of strong intellect and integrity, whatever his age. He reached into his jacket pocket and took out a business card. Giving it to her he said “Would you care to get in touch?”

At the door she gave him her hand to shake as she said goodbye, but he turned it gracefully and brushed it with his lips. That mesmerised her and his amused glance told her he knew it would. He remained erect in the doorway, until she had crossed over to the beach.