#Beardley returns

[faded-florals]

Michael Balogun, Hadley Fraser and Nigel Lindsay in The Lehman Trilogy

[faline-cat444]

Super Giles:Chapter 7-Unexpected Help

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

The Brave Little Toaster and/or Toy Story 3 have a run for their money.Speaking of money...I had to attempt a currency conversion which I would not consider “accurate” due to time of publication vs payment forms used at present.We get confirmation from beyond the publication date this story is set in the eighties.

The crusher looked terrifying.Giles,who was still on the open truck,on top of the pile of old junk,couldn't take his eyes off it.It was a gigantic monster of steel,calm and sneaky like a reptile waiting for its prey with its mouth wide open.On one hand,there was a kind of platform on which White had just lowered an old decommissioned car using a grapple.

Beardley was near the machine and maneuvered a lever.Immediately the monster began to vibrate dangerously.A heavy arm began to move and pushed the car onto the platform towards the open mouth.

As the car disappeared,a deafening and excruciating moan was heard.Sparks and smoke came out from all sides of the machine.As suddenly as it all started the moans stopped.

“Where did the car go?” Giles wondered fearfully. “Crushed or eaten by that horrible monster.”

The grinder vibrated a little more and burped loudly.A compressed iron block less than a meter high fell from the machine with a rumble and rattle towards the truck.In this little cube,Giles could clearly distinguish certain parts of the car…Apiece of bumper,a crushed headlight,a hubcap…

White now moved the crane near the truck.Giles saw the grapple swinging up and down…

Giles desperately tried to hide behind the wheel of a bicycle,but he did not succeed.The grapple began to descend and put its teeth into the scrap pile.

A fridge,two bikes,and a broken roller skate rose into the air.Giles had escaped death again!But for how long?

“If only I was a little boy again,” Giles thought, “I could run away at full speed.”

In the meantime,the crusher continued its work…It swallowed everything,crushed greedily,and spit out a new block more compressed than the last one. The skate was in a corner on the right,between the spokes of a bicycle.Again,the grapple approached the truck.

“Now there’s no chance of escape,” Giles thought.The grapple approached…Giles was at the top of the pile. He began to cry softly,which misted the glass of his meter. He felt the grappling hook close on him and a moment later he was swinging in the air.

Suddenly,the crane stopped.Just below him,Giles saw the mouth wide open.

“Quick pain and it's all over,” Giles thought for the last time.He waited for the fateful moment when the grappling hook would let go.

But nothing was happening.The machine abruptly stopped and Giles saw White jump out of the cabin and run up to a man who was waiting.

“Where did you get this gas pump?” he asked.

Through his misted glass,Giles could barely recognize the man's face.But he saw the man was carrying a big gas can,the kind that could hold around ten liters…

“It's none of your business!” White replied.

“It’s not?” the man smiled with confidence.”Yesterday this pump was still on the side of the road!”

“Mind your own business,” White shouted.”Leave!You don't have to do anything here!”

“Okay,so I’ll look for the police,” the man bluffed.

But White laughed mockingly,”By the time the police arrive, the pump will have been crushed a long time ago.”

He returned to his grapple,sat behind the levers and started the machine.

“Do something!” Giles yelled to the man with the gas can.But he realized that all this made no sense and he was about to leave.The grapple opened and slowly released its load.Giles disappeared into the depths and landed with a huge noise on the platform,right in front of the open mouth…

Slowly,the arm began to move.Centimeter by centimeter,it pushed Giles towards the thick crushing walls at the bottom of the open mouth.Giles’ head was spinning.Another half meter and then…For the last time,he greedily held his breath and…

“Stop!!Shut down the machine!!” Giles heard suddenly.

Like a madman,Beardley came gesticulating.

“Too late,” thought Giles and in a flash,he felt the first shock against the crusher.He felt his interior creak and suddenly,total silence…Dead silence…

The machine was stopped!

“What do I see?! He heard Beardley scream.” A genuine Staalbush!It must be at least fifty years old!It’s an antique!Let me hold it for a moment!Let me touch it!”

Giles could not see anything, but he understood that Beardley was talking about the gas can the man carried with him.

“Yes,that’s it!” Beardley continued.”Staalbush 1929!Nearly sixty years old.Pure metal.With rounded corners.And a real cast iron spout.They don’t make them like this anymore!This is made to measure!From the solid arch!Tell me the price,I don’t care.Any amount you offer,I’ll buy it!”

“But I absolutely don't want to sell it,” the man protested.

“$1100!” Beardley offered.

“I really like my can.”

“$11000!”

“We spent our whole life together,”the man retorted without acceptance to the offer.

“In exchange for the gas pump?” Beardley proposed.”You wanted to have it,didn't you?”

Without daring to breathe,Giles had followed the conversation.

“Do it!” he thought. “Please!I’m worth a whole lot more than a gas can!I am a complete pump!”

The man pretended to hesitate,”I don't know, this pump doesn't seem to be in very good condition anymore…”

“Oh…But the pump absolutely is not worn out,” Beardley hypocritically stated.”By working a little bit at a time,we can fix it up good as new.”

“Who would have thought my life would depend on a gas can?”Giles thought with a shiver.A silence fell and he felt the man was hesitating.

“Okay…If you fix it up and put it back where you found it,then you will receive my gas can,” was the liberating response.

“Fine,”said Beardley,and Giles heard the two men shake each other's hands.

Then White handed over Giles safe and sound on the ground.

Relieved,Giles began to jingle happily.

“Calm down,”the man whispered to him.”Otherwise,nothing will be left of you.You know,from the start I thought you were a special pump.A smart pump.Besides, you were right about my gas can,it was silly to carry it everywhere. In reality,I was coming to throw it away.Finally,I hope you will be happy.Good luck!”

“Ding-Ding”,said Giles to thank him.

“Well then,”said the man cheerfully.”For me it's the start of a new life.Long live freedom!I think I'll go around the world.”And whistling a cheerful tune,he left the site.Lacking the gas can…