Troy and Caroline ~ (an Essex Tale)

  

Troy and Caroline ~ (an Essex Tale)

By Grace Petersson

David Gordon Phipps never discussed his early life with anyone – not even his wife of twenty years.  He was brought up in central Southend in a terraced house with three sisters and working class parents.  Once he was twenty-one, he changed his name, taking the Gordon from his father and the Phipps from his mother.  Pretentious perhaps, but the name opened doors in the financial sector.

David had a fair education and would consider himself a self-made man, although as the only boy, he was afforded rights and privileges not deemed worthy of his three equally intelligent sisters.  If David wished for Oxbridge, the family made sure he got there. But David Gordon Phipps had a secret.  A secret that would decimate his family.

Stockbroker status was afforded to David. By age thirty he was skilled at playing the market.  His considered choice of a wife, Gloria brought up in Thorpe Bay;  a sincere and honest woman who loved David unconditionally.  The couple had just one child, Caroline, who at seventeen was studying for A levels at Southend Boys Sixth form college with an ambition to study at Harvard USA and serve as an environmental lawyer to challenge big corporates as they may endanger flora fauna in their clamour for money and power.

Gary Taylor was also brought up in a small terraced abode just a few streets from David Gordon Phipps although the two never met.  Gary loved and still adores motorbikes.  He started life as a bike mechanic and eventually bought his own shop before he was thirty.  Gary also had a good head for business and within ten years, the down to earth Gaz had seven shops around Essex; all doing excellently with reliable managers and contented staff.  Gary’s wife Marina became a fashion designer inspired by Zandra Rhodes and Vivienne Westwood.  Her creations featuring studs, spikes, and grungy leather jackets were hugely popular in Gary’s shops; elevating Gary and Marina to a rather embarrassing millionaire status given their ‘humble beginnings.’  The couple had a single offspring, Troy; his name was inspired by Marina’s love for Troy Tempest, captain of the submarined Stingray.  Troy was teased all through primary and high school by his mates who constantly reminded him he was named after a puppet.

Troy and Caroline were destined to meet as they were both passionate about saving the earth and studying in the USA; MIT and Harvard respectively.  They were also fated to cause chaos, uncertainty, and ultimately growth in their parents’ lives.  As children, Troy and Caroline knew of each other at Thorpdene Primary; particularly as Gary would bring Troy to school on the back of his Harley Davidson, causing all the kids, including Caroline to utter “wow” in envious union. 

Troy inherited his love of bikes from Gary, who revered Richard Abry, The Dark Knight, riding the Kursaal Wall of Death in the 1960s.  Once he was seventeen and had his licence, Troy’s parents gave him a Farsta Electric motorbike, which he rode to school each day.  He knew about the bad boy image associated with bikers, but didn’t care.  He was safe and always followed the rules.  Boom!  As soon as he laid eyes on Caroline at Southend Boys’ Sixth Form College, he was smitten.  As they conducted science experiments together, they laughed, had fun and made plans for their future together. 

But to Troy, Caroline was ‘posh.’  He had subconsciously picked up from Gary that posh people were snobs and up themselves.  But Caroline was not like this, taking after her mother, Gloria, who would help anyone.  However, Troy believed he would only be acceptable to David, and happy, when he got good exam results, had Caroline out of Rayleigh and off to the US, where they could both pursue their ambitions without David’s judgment.

Later, as Troy, Caroline, and her folks went to the Roslin hotel for afternoon tea, Troy knew immediately he was right;    As soon as Troy uttered the word motorbike, David Gordon Phipps (what kind of phoney name is that,  he thought), had a face like thunder and Troy knew he was whipped. The moment David and Gloria met Troy, Caroline sensed there would be trouble.  Yet she also knew he was anything but a bad boy.  To her, he was kind, respectful, polite and brilliant.

Then, just one week after the Roslin hotel debacle, Caroline’s world as she knew it fell to pieces.  Her mother picked up David from Rayleigh station as usual and as he entered the house in Great Wheatly’s, Caroline knew something was very wrong. 

“I’m so sorry, baby, Harvard just isn’t possible anymore.”  The words gushed out of David’s mouth and Caroline stopped breathing.  “What?” she softly said nonplussed.  “It’s all gone.  I’ve lost everything.”  David said, “The stock market took a bad turn and it’s all gone.”

“What do you mean?” Caroline frantically asked.  “You have lots of savings right?  You told me I could have Harvard.  All my life you told me and I believed you.”

“I’m so sorry Caroline” David now sobbed.  “I had to use it all to pay my debts and even then it wasn’t enough.  I’ve done so many bad things, bad decisions.  I even had to remortgage the house.”

Now Gloria joined the fray.  “David, are you telling me we don’t own the house anymore?”  He nodded at his wife not knowing what else to do.

All Caroline’s plans were torn asunder.  Hers and Troy’s dreams were shattered.  At school the following Monday, Caroline told Troy the ghastly news.  Trying to keep hold of herself she said,  “You go to MIT as planned, but I can’t come with you.  I’ll go to SEEVIC and see you in the holidays.

“No!” Troy shouted, “I thought your dad had pots of money from the way he talked.”  “Well” said Caroline, “That’s all it was, talk.”

At home, Troy told Gary and Marina the dreadful news.  I knew my parents were a bit skeptical about David’s claims of tons of money, but to their credit, they said nothing.

“It’s a big shame, but not a tragedy,” said Mum “But you can still go to MIT and maybe when Caroline’s dad gets himself sorted, she can join you.”

Feeling like screaming aloud, Troy shouted “You don’t understand Mum, David’s lost everything, literally”.  After a long minute, Gary and Marina looked at each other seeming to know what the other would say.

Gary cleared his throat before speaking, “I’d like to put an idea to you son.  I – we, he looked expectantly at his wife, would like to help you and Caroline financially.  Now before you start your tirade Troy, please listen to us.”

Through his frustration and angst, Troy paid attention without comment.

“What we’re proposing is a loan – not a handout – to fund Caroline’s Harvard fees and a flat for you both.  We’re assuming you two will live together, so in a way, the loan will help you as well, Troy.”

What about the “esteemed” David Gordon Phipps?” asked Troy sardonically.  “What’s he going to say?”

“Well” interjected Marina, “That why we insist it’s a loan.  David is honourable and proud of his ability to provide for his family.”

“That’s a joke.  If he’s so’ honourable’ he wouldn’t be a scumbag shark” derided Troy,

“Now, Troy”, said Marina,  Caroline would be aghast to hear you speak of David that way.”

“Well,” said Gary with a long sigh,  All we can do is try.”

With that, Gary invited David and Gloria to dinner the next night, knowing the registration date for Harvard was looming.

Once the quartet were seated with coffee and liqueurs, Gary put forward his proposal regarding the loan. 

“We can’t allow that,” puffed out David.  “I’ve promised Caroline I’ll get her to Harvard somehow, even if it’s next year.”

Now the usually reticent Gloria found her voice.  “David, darling, it could take years for us to have that kind of money again and I’ll be much less worried about Caroline if she’s living with Troy.”

“As Gary says, “she continued, “It’s a loan, not a gift."  David ran his palms over his balding head looking so dejected that even Gary felt sorry for him.

With that, Gloria asked Gary if she and David could have a word together, alone.  After thirty minutes, Caroline’s parents returned with David appearing less purple and apoplectic.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Gary and Marina for your kindness.”  David uttered quietly.

“Just say yes,” Gary simply replied.

 

Epilogue.    As predicted, Troy and Caroline were exemplary students, passing with honours.  Both sets of parents travelled to Massachusetts to see their children graduate and take up their new positions as environmental lawyer and space researcher.  The lovebirds paid off the loan within two years and now live in a beautiful condominium in Fremont, halfway between San Francisco and the NASA HQ in Silicone Valley.

Meanwhile, Gloria gained Qualified Teacher Status in two years; teaching English Literature at Southend High School for Girls.  David surprised her with his unstinting support; a changed man it would appear, as a result of his fall from grace.

David had always loved decorating their home as a means of escape from his pressurised London career, surprising everyone by renovating and decorating homes for a living.  His first commission was Marina and Gary’s sitting room, for which he took no fee.  Troy’s folks were delighted with the result.

Copyright Grace Petersson