Marcia Marseille et moi <\/b><\/p>\n
Marcia and I were sitting on the sofa at the end of the world watching Olympique Marseille play Guingamp<\/p>\n
The score was 2-1<\/p>\n
Marseille had opened the scoring after eight minutes but Guingamp had equalised from the spot after thirty-four<\/p>\n
But Marseille had taken the lead again four minutes later from another penalty<\/p>\n
It had been a close game spoilt by inconsistent refereeing<\/p>\n
Do you think both sides will finish with eleven? <\/i><\/p>\n
I have my doubts <\/i><\/p>\n
Do you want me to read my poor poem? <\/i><\/p>\n
At half time Marcia at half time <\/i><\/p>\n
I sensed Marcia\u2019s irritation as she tucked her legs beneath the cushion<\/p>\n
Half time<\/p>\n
Can I read it to you now? <\/i><\/p>\n
Go ahead is it a long poem?<\/i><\/p>\n
It is not really a poem or a story just something in-between<\/i><\/p>\n
I am all yours <\/i><\/p>\n
Marcia pulled a small pad from her woollen bag<\/p>\n
Here goes <\/i><\/p>\n
Marcia was walking in the rain on the decks of the Ocean Queen <\/i><\/p>\n
She was wearing just her white and blue Olympique Marseille<\/i> football shirt<\/p>\n
Come back come back Marcia\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
For your bottom is on show\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
You shouted without reply<\/i><\/p>\n
On the deck above a member of the crew was doing his rounds\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
Madam why are you wearing a Marseille football shirt in the rain?<\/i><\/p>\n
Because I am naked underneath <\/i><\/p>\n
I am Dutch and in my home country it is not considered proper behaviour to frequent the decks of ocean liners wearing the football shirt of any French football club <\/i><\/p>\n
If I was wearing an Ajax shirt would that be considered good behaviour in your country? <\/i><\/p>\n
Very much <\/i><\/p>\n
You came out on to the deck and removed my football shirt and I stood there quite naked<\/p>\n
After straightening the shirt and kissing the collar lightly you handed it back to me<\/p>\n
Throw your football short into the foaming sea <\/i><\/p>\n
And we will swim to Amerika <\/i><\/p>\n
The land of the free <\/i><\/p>\n
This is the place for you and me <\/i><\/p>\n
And with this I threw the football shirt into the sea<\/p>\n
The Dutchman was standing next to me and handed you two football shirts<\/p>\n
Ajax home and away the choice is yours sir we often have passengers throwing French football shirts into to the sea and declaring their love for Amerika <\/i><\/p>\n
Marcia placed the notebook on her lap and looked at me<\/p>\n
Well what do you think?<\/i><\/p>\n
I liked it<\/i><\/p>\n
You do not get it do you?<\/i><\/p>\n
Get what? <\/i><\/p>\n
That I want to go on a cruise and not to fucking Marseille again if I see that fucking stadium again I am going to scream <\/i><\/p>\n
You liked the Unite d\u2019 habitation didn\u2019t you?<\/i><\/p>\n
True I get off on Le Corbusier but I hate fucking Marseille why the fuck he ever considered Marseille is beyond me <\/i><\/p>\n
I have a break planned and no it is not Marseille<\/i><\/p>\n
Where where are we going?\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
That would be telling anyway pipe down as the teams are remerging this is going to be tight match <\/i><\/p>\n
Two months later Marcia and I were sitting next to the first and last cottage in England<\/p>\n
Do you like Land\u2019s End? <\/i><\/p>\n
No<\/em><\/p>\n There is something so wild about this area \u00a0 \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Marcia watched as the droplets of rain water dripped from her hood and shuddered as one ran down her spine<\/p>\n Does it ever stop raining here?<\/i><\/p>\n Sometimes you have to remember that our country has a westerly airflow <\/i><\/p>\n You know that I hate this place so much that I am actually pining for Marseille<\/i><\/p>\n Sandwich?<\/i><\/p>\n Fuck off<\/i><\/p>\n Why fuck off? <\/i><\/p>\n You know I wanted to go on a cruise <\/i><\/p>\n You can see the sea from here and there is plenty of it <\/i><\/p>\n Fuck you again fuck you a thousand times <\/i><\/p>\n That night we were lying in bed in our rented cottage not far from Land\u2019s End<\/p>\n I hate this place<\/i><\/p>\n I thought it was a little quaint<\/i><\/p>\n Fuck quaint <\/i><\/p>\n I thought you liked quaint <\/i><\/p>\n No <\/i><\/p>\n What are you reading?<\/i><\/p>\n What do you think? <\/i><\/p>\n Le Corbusier again?<\/i><\/p>\n Le Corbusier did not do quaint did he?<\/i><\/p>\n No<\/i><\/p>\n Are you mad at me?<\/i><\/p>\n No at myself <\/i><\/p>\n Why?<\/i><\/p>\n Well where shall I start if it is not fucking Marseille then it is fucking Lands End or fucking Dartmoor or anywhere fuckingwhere that interests you<\/i><\/p>\n You still want to go on a cruise don\u2019t you?<\/i><\/p>\n Yes as much as I hate this fucking place<\/i><\/p>\n They take a lot of organising <\/i><\/p>\n Bullshit <\/i><\/p>\n We are not cruise people you will get bored and what about the story? <\/i><\/p>\n What story?<\/i><\/p>\n The one you wrote about wearing a football shirt on deck <\/i><\/p>\n That was for you a hint you know how much you like my bottom <\/i><\/p>\n In a football shirt <\/i><\/p>\n Yes a hint I introduced the Dutchman to make you jealous <\/i><\/p>\n How can I be jealous of abstracts? <\/i><\/p>\n I tell you what lets book a cruise leaving from Marseille GOING ANYWHERE<\/i><\/p>\n Not many leave from Marseille these days it is more of a stopping point <\/i><\/p>\n I will let you take in a match before we go and I will wear that hateful blue and white dress you like without panties so you can touch me in one of the backstreets like a cheap whore you know how much you like that <\/i><\/p>\n Would you want to see the Unite d\u2019 habitation again? <\/i><\/p>\n Maybe I will give it a miss this time <\/i><\/p>\n No Le Corbusier<\/i><\/p>\n No Le Corbusier<\/i><\/p>\n I must say I never liked fucking you on the plate books of his I found\u00a0 them a little uncomfortable <\/i><\/p>\n And I do not like walking around in your fucking Marseille football shirt with my bottom on show <\/i><\/p>\n But I like it <\/i><\/p>\n Then if we go on the cruise you shall have it I will wear both the home and away shirts as well as the third change shirt and if you like you can invite the whole ship to witness me in your teams colours <\/i><\/p>\n That will not be necessary <\/i><\/p>\n Why?<\/i><\/p>\n You story set me thinking <\/i><\/p>\n Explain?<\/i><\/p>\n Well as much as I love Olympique Marseille I thought there is more to life than the football club there are many clubs in many cities in many countries<\/i><\/p>\n Where are you going? <\/i><\/p>\n Well I have booked a cruise but it is not leaving from Marseille but from Rotterdam we are going to cruise the North Sea and visit Sweden and Norway and I think Finland <\/i><\/p>\n Oh how wonderful how lovely <\/i><\/p>\n There are conditions though<\/i><\/p>\n What?<\/p>\n In the box next to the bed there are three football shirts Ajax home Ajax away and their third choice change shirt I would like you to wear them <\/i><\/p>\n On deck?<\/i><\/p>\n If you like <\/i><\/p>\n In front of the Dutch crew<\/i><\/p>\n No that is where I draw a line it must be a ships officer <\/i><\/p>\n Marcia pulled me towards her and kissed me on the lips she then got out of the bed and walked to the window and removed her Marseille football shirt<\/p>\n May I throw it out?<\/i><\/p>\n Be my guest <\/i><\/p>\n I joined Marcia at the window having picked her Le Corbusier book up <\/i><\/p>\n And this to<\/i><\/p>\n I will need an architect in my life <\/i><\/p>\n Choose a living one there are plenty of those to choose from <\/i><\/p>\n The book followed the football shirt out of the window and as we lay in each other\u2019s arms Marcia suddenly sat up<\/p>\n Are you ok? <\/i><\/p>\n Foster Norman Foster he is my new architect <\/i><\/p>\n Ok<\/i><\/p>\n Ok <\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Harry Worth <\/b><\/p>\n Marcia and I were sitting on the sofa at the end of the world<\/p>\n I was listening to Mozart on my headphones<\/p>\n Marcia was knitting<\/p>\n Every light was on in our cottage<\/p>\n As we wanted to share our contentment<\/p>\n I think you will be able to see our cottage from the moon <\/i><\/p>\n Marcia said to me<\/p>\n She handed me a ball of magenta wool<\/p>\n Do you remember Harry Worth? <\/i><\/p>\n No who was he?<\/i><\/p>\n A British comedian <\/i><\/p>\n Does he appear on television?<\/i><\/p>\n No he no longer appears on television <\/i><\/p>\n The local authorities have changed the street lamps<\/i><\/p>\n They are much brighter <\/i><\/p>\n Do you realise that many shops do not have plate glass windows unhindered by supports they are fast disappearing from our towns and cities <\/i><\/p>\n I have never really thought about it <\/i><\/p>\n Harry Worth once created a memorable comedy moment on television using a shop doorway and a plate glass window<\/i><\/p>\n Why do you think that they changed the street lamps?<\/i><\/p>\n I suppose the moon was bored <\/i><\/p>\n I rather like them<\/i><\/p>\n May I share your headphones?<\/i><\/p>\n Please do I am listening to Mozart \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Butterfly <\/b><\/p>\n Marcia and I were sitting on the sofa at the end of the world<\/p>\n As it was summer the television was not on and we were both reading<\/p>\n It was raining outside as it had been for most of the summer<\/p>\n Marcia looked up from her book<\/p>\n May I interrupt you? <\/i><\/p>\n I was not reading but watching the rain come down <\/i><\/p>\n I have decided to get a tattoo <\/i><\/p>\n That\u2019s nice what type of tattoo?<\/i><\/p>\n A butterfly<\/i><\/p>\n Where are you going to have this tattoo?<\/i><\/p>\n On my arse<\/i><\/p>\n On your arse?<\/i><\/p>\n Yes on my arse it is a gentle place for a gentle creature <\/i><\/p>\n How big is this butterfly going to be life size?<\/i><\/p>\n No bigger<\/i><\/p>\n Well how big?<\/i><\/p>\n About a third of the size of one of my cheeks<\/i><\/p>\n Oh<\/i><\/p>\n Don\u2019t you approve?<\/i><\/p>\n It is your body<\/i><\/p>\n You have a tattoo<\/i><\/p>\n I know <\/i><\/p>\n A Maltese Cross <\/i><\/p>\n My dad was Maltese <\/i><\/p>\n I know I have met him <\/i><\/p>\n Then you agree?<\/i><\/p>\n It is your choice but have you thought how you are going to live with it? <\/i><\/p>\n What do you mean?<\/i><\/p>\n Well on the beach for instance<\/i><\/p>\n Women with tattoos visit the beach you know <\/i><\/p>\n Yes I have noticed<\/i><\/p>\n You cousin Susan has a tattoo of a rose on her bum<\/i><\/p>\n How did you know that?<\/i><\/p>\n She showed it to me <\/i><\/p>\n What type of butterfly are you planning to have?<\/i><\/p>\n A Red Admiral <\/i><\/p>\n Marcia lifted a book from the coffee table<\/p>\n See here it is it is such a beautiful creature <\/i><\/p>\n Yes I agree but I will have to get used to it when you parade around the house<\/i><\/p>\n You will like it imagine when you fuck me from behind you will have a friend to talk to <\/i><\/p>\n Where are going to have this tattoo done?<\/i><\/p>\n At the parlour in the town <\/i><\/p>\n It is run by that ginger guy who looks like he is a biker <\/i><\/p>\n Dave <\/i><\/p>\n Do you really want Dave to be fiddling with your beautiful bum?<\/i><\/p>\n He will not be fiddling with my bum at all as Petra is going to do it <\/i><\/p>\n Petra<\/i><\/p>\n His German assistant <\/i><\/p>\n She means nothing to me <\/i><\/p>\n You know the one all vests and tattoos she wears blond dreadlocks <\/i><\/p>\n Oh her <\/i><\/p>\n Is she good?<\/i><\/p>\n I believe so as some of the tattoos she has are her own work <\/i><\/p>\n When I am going to meet the butterfly?<\/i><\/p>\n Saturday I am going on Saturday <\/i><\/p>\n Although it was raining Marcia decided to walk to the tattoo parlour<\/p>\n As she opened the door she was greeted by Dave<\/p>\n Hi Marcia good to see you Petra is in the back room but I think she has some bad news<\/i><\/p>\n Oh dear is she poorly?<\/i><\/p>\n As Marcia finished her sentence Petra entered the front office<\/p>\n She kissed Marcia lightly on both cheeks<\/p>\n I hear you have some news for me <\/i><\/p>\n I saw Marcia before she saw me and opened the door for her<\/p>\n Would you like a cup of tea I will not ask you to sit down<\/i><\/p>\n Cut the jokes <\/i><\/p>\n Why?<\/i><\/p>\n There is no tattoo no butterfly <\/i><\/p>\n Why?<\/i><\/p>\n Look outside what do you see?<\/i><\/p>\n The road the fields and the railway station <\/i><\/p>\n No what do you see above the road the field and the railway station <\/i><\/p>\n The sky <\/i><\/p>\n And what comes from the sky? <\/i><\/p>\n Light <\/i><\/p>\n What else the wet stuff<\/i><\/p>\n Rain <\/i><\/p>\n It was because of the rain that I could not have a tattoo <\/i><\/p>\n You have lost me<\/i><\/p>\n Butterflies are very gentle creatures and have suffered greatly during this shitty summer in short there are none to spare their population has been badly hit by the poor weather <\/i><\/p>\n So Dave could not get one to pose?<\/i><\/p>\n Petra<\/i><\/p>\n So Petra could not get one to pose?<\/i><\/p>\n Yes they were far too busy surviving and could not release even a common moth <\/i><\/p>\n That is sad you will just have to go back when the summer picks up <\/i><\/p>\n I have decided against it I want my bottom to be undecorated <\/i><\/p>\n I thought you liked my cousin\u2019s tattoo<\/i><\/p>\n I did but in a way butI thought she had spoilt herself <\/i><\/p>\n Do you not like my tattoo?<\/i><\/p>\n I love your tattoo but it is more of a man thing I was looking at Petra and thought of her naked with all her tattoos she looked odd like a wall full of graffiti <\/i><\/p>\n It is your call I was looking forward to meeting the admiral when I fucked you from behind we could have shared stories of the sea<\/i><\/p>\n Fuck off don\u2019t take the piss <\/i><\/p>\n The cup of tea is still on offer <\/i><\/p>\n I\u2019ll make it just get dry <\/i><\/p>\n A short while later Marcia and I were sitting together were sitting on the sofa at the end of the world<\/p>\n She looked warmer in a grey sweat shirt<\/p>\n What were you doing whilst I was away?<\/i><\/p>\n Finishing my book <\/i><\/p>\n Was it good? <\/i><\/p>\n Yes it was very good <\/i><\/p>\n What was it called? \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Papillon<\/i><\/p>\n Papillon?<\/i><\/p>\n Yes Papillon by Henri Charriere <\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Marcia Marseille et moi Marcia and I were sitting on the sofa at the end of the world watching Olympique Marseille play Guingamp The score was 2-1 Marseille had opened the scoring after eight minutes but Guingamp had equalised from the spot after thirty-four But Marseille had taken the lead again four minutes later from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2038"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2038\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}