Alice's bungalow and Amnesty International ...

Sunday 20th July

It's a while now since I blogged - a little buzz of activity in our social life! Still no sign of action on the building site - I may have caused more upheaval to the developers than I first thought - yippeee! Time for more history I think ...

When we first moved here (26 years ago) Alice's bungalow was occupied by a couple that looked in their early thirties and two dogs (or so we thought). They kept themselves to themselves, venturing out daily to walk the dogs. It didn't seem as if either went out to work, but no-one in the village really knew because they always avoided eye contact and thus the need for neighbourly courtesies like conversation. Thinking back, they did seem quite sinister at times. I can remember inventing little life scenarios for them, but actually I didn't even know if they were partners or brother and sister. They were about the same height, slim, both wore glasses and they looked like their dogs (you know that weird thing when owners start to look like their pets). They were both also very pale, which we attributed to the fact that they hardly ever came outside. Other than the daily dog walks, their only notable outing was an annual tour of the village to leave collection envelopes for amnesty international (there is an irony here that will be revealed). We never saw them make the "drop" and the collection was always quick and business-like, so no opportunity for chit-chat!

I can't remember how long they were here, never knew their names and never properly spoke to them, even though I am by nature quite friendly, more than a little curious (nosey?) and would have tried to engage them on "amnesty day". I will try and find out exactly how long they stayed (someone will know), but it was several years - maybe as many as five or six. Anyway, at some point they must have gone because Alice and family appeared. The ghastly irony then emerged ...

The reason that they didn't go to work was because their work was at home - they were the two paid carers of the elderly gentleman who owned the bungalow (a relative of Alice). No-one had ever seen him and it appears that he had been little more than a prisoner (amnesty international?) in his own home! We were all shocked. Supposition and speculation on the poor old fellow's plight rippled round the village for some time, as did speculation on the whereabouts of the odd couple. All we ever really found out was that, once in, the so-called carers took over the bungalow and consigned the old man to bed, where he eventually died. They then apparantly called emergency services and disappeared! To this day no-one seems to know who they were nor how they managed to hide him away for so long.

By the way, the sun has just come out, but it's not very warm for July, even by British summer standards. Off to make breakfast - feeling hungry. More later ...