Now that the long-awaited filming was out of the way there was really no reason for Jason to delay going to Scotland, but he still had a fidgety, uncertain air about him, as though he had a wasps’ nest in his underpants.
“I want to write a book”, he announced one day, to my utter boredom “About everything that’s gone on here. I wondered if you’d collaborate on it with me”.
“Sounds a lot of work“, I said, thinking with dismay of all that on top of everything else I had to do.
“It won’t be til I get back from Scotland”, he began.
“Jason, you’re welcome to use anything we’ve told you about what’s happened round here”, I said “If you think it’ll be of any use, but I don’t want to do a collaboration”.
I could feel I had let him down again. First Scotland, then the filming, and now this. He was beginning to make me feel like a complete wet blanket, and I resented him for it. This has happened far too often. Someone seems like a good friend, and then before you know it they’re wanting you to do everything their way, and getting the hump because you’d rather carry on living your own life, and not just have it as an extension of theirs.
Also, there’s another fundamental difference between us. Jason wants to solve all the mysteries. I don’t. The mysteries, as far as I’m concerned, are an intriguing part of life, and they all help to add colour to the world, but I’m really not that bothered if I find the answers or not. I want to be with Misty, and I want to paint. Those are the two things I really want out of life.
And so he was finally going. He had run out of excuses to stay. He said he didn’t know how long he would be gone for, but hopefully it wouldn’t be for too long, that he would definitely be back, and in the meantime I was to keep an eye on Xanthe for him.
He invited all of us for a farewell drink(s) at ’The Ship’, which was quite an event in itself, as we hadn’t been to The Ship in months (can’t afford it, it’s far cheaper to booze at home, particularly when I know where I can get a large bottle of Polish vodka for only £7). It was a sultry evening, and I have very disjointed memories of it (funny that). I remember Jason getting all earnest at one point about the possibility of us being watched by government officials, which I found completely preposterous.
“What about that weird couple who was watching you at the beginning of the year”, he said.
“I still think that was the DSS”, I said “Chasing a wrong scent. Anyway, they were about as sinister as the Teletubbies. They were more frightened of me than I was of them! Couldn’t get away fast enough”.
“Not exactly the Men in Black”, said Misty.
“You want to watch your back“, said Jason.
“Speaking as a taxpayer”, I said “I would hope the Government wouldn’t waste its money on something so absurd, but I suppose having said that I can see that’s it’s all too plausible!”
My only other clear memory of this evening is of some obscure bit of graffiti in the Gents loo. Someone had written on the wall (in surprisingly neat handwriting) ’YES BUT NOT IN HUMANS’, which conjured up some very unsavoury images in my head, which I could have done without!