‘The secret of my steak marinade is that all the herbs come from my garden……………yes, even the garlic!’ announced Wil triumphantly as he came out onto the patio where the coals were glowing, ready for the thick rump steaks.
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I pick the parsley, mint,1 mild chilli
and a green pepper when the dew is still on the leaves. I mince them in my blender add Worcester sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. If I don’t have a fresh chilli I add a bit of hot sauce. Then I add it to the meat in a zip lock bag and let it marinade for at least 4 hours.
Vi and Lila grinned at each other as Wil nattered on.
They were being waited on hand and foot and loving it. They had been poured an excellent glass of red wine by Wil who told them all about the vineyard he had visited and bought a dozen bottles. The salad brought by Vi and Lila's faithful malva pud were both in the fridge so they felt at ease having contributed their bit to these ravishingly good looking steaks.
They sizzled as they went on to the grill. ‘8 minutes and they’re ready,’ said Wil hopefully looking at Vi and Lila, willing both of them to like their steak, medium rare.
‘Sounds delicious Wil and I love the view from your patio……………right over town,’ said Lila.
‘Must be fairy land with all the lights at night,’ added Vi.
‘To get on with the discussion we started on why people gather at the scene of accidents that we started over tea at the Blue Whale……………did you girls see our picture in the paper? Quite a nice one of each of us……………….I have a strong opinion but I think Vi should start.’
‘My pleasure thanks Wil. I want to start with Thomas. If it hadn’t been for that young boy creeping down the bank and peeping into that coach and seeing us all in the upside down vehicle, we might still be there! Obviously the road was empty at the time except for him.
Thank goodness for his curiosity, and then his common decency that made him run up to the road screaming for help. I’m so pleased that we have met his foster parents and can make a small contribution and supply his soccer uniform. We are going to have fun watching him play this season.
I’m going to buy his team ice creams after the match.’
‘That’s quite a speech you made there Vi. I agree with you where young Thomas is concerned and I’m sure there must be others who have excellent intentions of saving the survivors, but’ as he turned the steaks he added,’ only turn the steak once after 4 minutes and NO prodding and squeezing all the juices out………..
My car was once side swiped by a Ford Cortina in the old days. Before I lost consciousness I had the wits to phone my mate I’d just had coffee with. When he got there 10 minutes later, he had to grab my suitcase, laptop and bags of groceries from the thieving public.
One guy was busy removing my watch from my wrist. Fortunately he’s a big built guy and scared them off like a flock of vultures on a dead carcass.
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I survived even though I needed 15 stitches to my scalp,’ and he lowered his head for us to ‘ooh’ over the scar under his still thick white hair. ‘My mate got it all back, slammed it in the boot of his car AND had to call the police and ambulance!’
‘That’s a terrible story Wil,’ said Lila and Vi nodded her head in agreement. ‘I’ve got another bit to add to this puzzle called life. A lot of people love to watch Reality TV. Look at Big Brother! People even watched them sleeping, snoring!
I think many people love watching other people’s reactions; how they cope, what sort of pain they can stand and how much mental pressure can be applied before they snap.
When there’s an accident of any sort, suddenly this is the REAL DEAL….. no acting, it’s happening and they find it fascinating. Not for me actually, I’m sick of TV shows in general and I nearly fainted in that coach with your blood Wil running down your face and pooling on your car seat,’ she shuddered as though she was seeing it in technicolour in her mind’s eye.
Vi spoke up after she had fetched the salad and they set the table around fresh rolls that looked as though Wil had made them himself. ‘The chilling truth is that any one of us could have died in that upside down coach with the diesel dripping down. By the way I heard from someone that it was probably a short in the engine that caused the fire………diesel doesn’t combust apparently?’
‘Wouldn’t know,’ said Wil as he deftly removed the steaks, ‘ these beauties have to rest while I fry up some onions in this pan on the coals. I have also been thinking in the after shock of having survived and have experienced some strange emotions.
I want to live my life to the full and enjoy every day, not only when I’m away on holiday. AND I think the 3 of us have a purpose. What it is I haven't a clue, but I’d like to suggest that as the 3 of us get to know each other better, I think we already agree that that is on the cards, we find a ‘mission’ as it were,’
‘I’ve had similar thoughts,’ said Vi enthusiastically. Perhaps we could combine my love of music, your love of travel and people Wil,’ and she turned to Lila, shrugged and with her hands turned palm upwards, looked at Lila for her contribution.
‘Ah no!’ she exclaimed, ‘just when I was busy looking for a deep hole so I could hide myself in it and give myself up to a dark depression that would hopefully finish me off, I have to meet a couple of ‘do gooders’ who want to save the planet ..........and me!’
While Wil and Vi nodded vigorously Lila began to laugh.
‘Good on you, good on us you two gorgeous dinosaurs,’ she said after they had loaded their plates with richly browned (marinated) steaks and fresh salads and rolls………’another recipe for next time,’ said Wil nodding at the crisp rolls, as he revealed a perfectly cooked steak with one swipe of his sharp steak knife, ‘now who will say grace?’
‘I will,' said Lila, surprising even herself, ' I think I still remember the one my dad used to say for me when I was tiny, before the real grace and that’s “rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.’ After they had laughed at the childlike irreverence of it, Lila said simply, ‘thank you Lord for our survival, our friendship and Wil’s fabulous steaks.”
‘Amen,’ the 3 of them said together.
Another recipe next time and some plan is discussed. Will it ever come to fruition or is it one of those pipe dreams? Read Part 4 to find out.