An early call

It's early. Just after 9am. The phone rings. It's PD. I wasn't expecting his call until later in the day.

He was in a bit of a state yesterday. When we drew up outside his house to take him to the Pub, we were surprised to see a police car parked just there. Soon we saw PD, Lin his wife & a young policewoman coming up the drive towards us. 

What had happened? He'd said nothing when I'd rung to say we were on our way.

PD got in the car. He said all would be revealed when we got to the Pub. Meanwhile he wanted to be quiet to let the shaking stop.

Apparently, earlier on, he'd got caught up in a road rage incident. Lin was driving them home. At a busy junction she'd taken a while to turn right. The van behind was hooting madly, & to PD rudely.  The van had then appeared to follow them home. Lin dropped PD off at their gate so he could bring the now empty rubbish bin in. As he did so, the van passed him. PD gave a two-fingers up sign. The van screeched to a stop. A man got out, accompanied by his four passengers. They proceeded to harangue PD, then punched him in the face & kicked him in the backside. PD resisted the fight - he's aware he's far too unfit to take on five men by himself these days. He backed away and said he'd be phoning the police. A neighbour going by encouraged him to do just that.

Before he did, PD rang his son, who advised against it. PD didn't know who these people were. It would be his lone voice against 5. What is more he feared if he were to prosecute, he may become subject to vandalism & other revenge tactics. As it turned out the van driver himself dialled 999, hence the appearance of the policewoman.

PD was relieved to hear they were not locals so revenge was unlikely.  He's not going to pursue the case. He wasn't unduly hurt. He has enough flab to cushion the blows. He realises his own actions had to some extent provoked the reaction. Nonetheless I suspect it will be a long time before he sticks his fingers up like that again.

When we took him back home later on, the incident was still playing on his mind. He half-feared finding Lin lying on the ground with a knife in her. He was very relieved to see her pottering around in the garden as usual.

So why this early pone call? He surely wasn't still in a state after yesterday? He had to admit he had had an uneasy night, ears stretched for any unusual sounds - intruders perhaps. But that wasn't the real reason.

No, it wasn't that. An old friend, the Bat, has just died. Although we knew the Bat, I wouldn't call him a close friend of ours. He used to work at the Pub when we first arrived in the area but ceased doing so not long after we located the Pub. He was always friendly whenever we saw him. We've given him frequent lifts home in the car. More of a good acquaintance than a friend. I suspect this is another funeral we will have to attend, more to support PD than to grieve for the Bat. We'll see.

Meanwhile PD is hoping we will take him to the Pub today. He needs to be taken away from his troubles. At least the Bat's death is distracting him a  bit from his fears resulting from yesterday's incident.