Geronimo

August 2021. New post on the FB page for the ‘development’.

‘200 dogs and cats in Kabul. They will be eaten by the Taliban. Help get them out. Lucy and Zoe are running a cake stall. Every little helps. Think what it would be like if it was your pet.’

Saturday morning. Carnival time. I help to put up bunting. Stunning blue sky, not a cloud. ‘Just imagine all those poor animals in Afghanistan looking up at that same sky’, Zoe says. The cake stall is in full flow. The local newspaper reporter is there. Lucy and Zoe are photographed with their cockapoo (called Amy, after Lucy’s mother who died last year from an aggressive form of brain cancer – details courtesy of the FB page). Radio Alba has turned up. And there’s a rumour that Nick Eardley, the BBC reporter, will put in an appearance later.

Saturday evening. ‘Thanks to everyone for their support. We raised over three hundred pounds. Nick was lovely. Our interview with him will be on the BBC tomorrow.’

Sunday Morning. Just heard. Animals got out safely. Lots of horrible trolls on social media complaining.

No mention of the lovely Nick. His report focused on the Afghans who had been left behind.

Sunday evening. Two police cars driving fast through the development (quite a challenge given all the speed calming measures that had been campaigned for). Sirens blasting. Line of Duty or what.  Amy has been taken. No more information. Lots of people giving likes (not sure if that was sending the right message) and emoji heartsn’hugs. When the police received Lucy’s 999 call they believed a child called Amy had been kidnapped.

Tuesday. Amy has been returned.

Wednesday. We hear that DEFRA are going to do a Geronimo on the Afghan animals. Sign our petition.

By the time I went to bed the petition had over 300 signatures, including mine. Well, you don’t want to look the odd one out.

Fast forward. Too many posts to list, from vegan party Saturday night prizes for best dressed vegetable to from henceforth (there’s a word you don’t often see on FB) we identify as ….sorry, can’t remember what L and Z identified as and that post was deleted a few weeks later.

October. Amy has given birth to five puppies. Free to a good home. Lots of likes. Yes, mine as well. And photos of Lucy. With Amy. And the puppies. No Zoe.

November. Lucy and Zoe are reunited in common cause. Hurrah. We have been told that the parish council plan to house refugees in the social housing next to the park. No consultation. Meeting this Saturday – round the fire pit in our back garden – drinks and nibbles on us (help with nibbles appreciated) – to plan our campaign. Don’t let the council get away with this outrage.

Everyone agreed that things got off to a good start. A crisp November evening. Weather was on their side. They decided not to start the ‘meeting’ until after Strictly. Good timing. Someone had brought fireworks. Ooo. Aah. Party atmosphere.  Then the serious stuff begins. Lucy, then Zoe, then Lucy again, with a bit more from Zoe, describes the purpose of the get together. Getting louder and more passionate as they explain the injustice being metted out to the good people of the development by those fascists on the council. I recognise the reporter from the local newspaper, taking notes.

L and Z, hold Amy between them, taking a selfie for the FB page.

And then it starts. Any questions?

What happened to the three hundred…..are you racist, don’t you want to help Afghan refugees….yeah, where’s our money…..what’s wrong with refugees living with us…..give the money to them…….and on and on…..

I slipped away.

L and Z made the front pages of lots of newspapers and not in a good way. ‘Investigation into Charity Fraud’ was one of the kinder headlines. Along with the photo of them with Amy. It went national. That nice reporter from the BBC did a feature on it.

L and Z have deleted their FB page.

I have not seen them for a while.