Lights

19: Curtain Call

Hitting the strong and sturdy mallet onto the head of each of the tent pegs in turn.'Or not as every other one was missed.' None could believe the amount of steel and hard plastic spikes required to secure such a simple canvas structure in place.'A tent?'No one was sure of what they were doing, but all hoped the fragile structure would hold.Wanting to cross them attending a music festival off their individual bucket lists; neither of the maturing females had thought to look up.'How to pitch a tent?'Knocking and pushing, forcing each of the smooth pins into the firm and hard ground.'Camping in a field?' With each and every difficult push and shove, those use to their creature comforts were beginning to wonder if the longed for experience was going to be worth the strain.Giggling, smiling and laughing, the friends felt their failure to laugh would result in them having to cry. 'What were they thinking?'The weekend was meant to be about having fun.A girlie break and chance to escape the dreary everyday domestic chores, screaming kids and the forever growing mound of adult responsibility. 'Struggling with what was their first task, all agreed the things they were escaping seemed much easier than what they were trying to do.'Assisting Jinni to fetch what was needed from the car, Lucy asked her friend to fetch a vanity case larger than any of the small suitcases into which each female had placed nothing but essentials.

"What have you got in that?"Jinni commented on the weight of what she attempted to lift with one hand.

"My make-up."Lucy said.Her reply causing Lynn to begin reciting a list of items to include plaster, poly filler and cement mix.

"Feels like it must have set in transit."Jinni mocked as others noticing her struggle suggested the suitcases and any large bags should remain in the boot of the car until needed.

"The make-up bag too."All insisted as Lucy attempted to stop Jinni returning what she called her enforcement survival bag, informing her she needed her make-up close at hand

"It shows."Pamela laughed.

"Stop."Jinni attempted to prevent the inevitable bickering before it began.'Even if her friends bickering was all part of the fun.'"We will manage."She pointed out that the car boot wasn't a million miles away.'Their appointed pitch was on the fridge of the centrally located car parking area & in front of the car.'"We're lucky."While some had seen the allocated position as being a long way from the main stages and actual event, Jinni pointed out how them having the car close by made sense.'That & the fact they were by the only brick built facilities with proper toilets & running water.'

Still the most practical, more logical and most sensible in the group, Jinni was quite often heard to be the voice of reason, taking on the role of negotiator and protector with ease.'A born mother.'To Jinni it was second nature to organise, advise and help out.

"Clean underwear is all we'll be needing.The tent is hardly Buckingham palace, so I doubt we'll have any Kings or Princes visiting."She pointed out what was to be their sleeping confinement and limited space.

"Mores the pity."Kimi sighed.

"A girl likes to be prepared."Lucy followed her returning make-up bag while being informed her own ears were what she needed when listening to the music and she insisted her ears required earrings.

"This is a festival and festivals mean fun."Jinni kept from Lucy the bag she said she couldn't survive without.

"Fun in the sun, music and men."Lynn smiled. "Though a couple of boys would do me."She sighed.

"She's perverted."Kimi accused her sister of being over sexed, causing all to laugh and Lynn to blush.

Despite their lives being barely recognisable, the five neighbours had remained good friends.Jinni was no longer married to her childhood sweetheart, Lucy had added twins to her illegitimate brood and both Pamela and Lynn were engaged to brothers, both busy planning a large double wedding, while Kimi was a wife expecting her first child.How the moving time had changed things'Or had it?'Five women still arguing and bitching about one another like they were back in the school yard, giggling and joking around like children in the playground, being older meant they were all aware that what they said was innocent and never meant to cause offence.Lynn, Kimi and Pamela were calling the two night festival their final fling, Lucy was there because she could never bare to miss out on anything and Jinni was doing something she'd always wanted to do.'Festival virgins.'Those who wanted to cross the weekend of entertainment off their things to do before I die list; hoped the excitement would out weigh what they saw to be the discomfort.A four-man tent would be a squeeze.'Snug.'It would only be for a few hours.'Should they manage to get any sleep?'Music festivals weren't renowned for being peaceful and relaxing, especially after dark.