The Advent Of Smouse - Chapter 14 - The Solution

Join Estelle as she continues her story, The Advent of Smouse. In this chapter, 'The Solution', Smouse and Mentr come up with a solution for rescuing Black Enterprises and blocking Madrogue. This is a story, half-fantasy, half-reality, that uses non-violence as the solution and offers insights into creating a harmonious life.

Transcript

Welcome again to the advent of Smouse,

Chapter 14,

The Solution.

The following morning as arranged,

All four members of the Black family meet Tacko at his shop.

As requested by Smouse,

Martin Black has brought along one of his troublesome new laptop computers.

Smouse is perched on Perry's shoulder and Mentor is closely shadowing Vera Black.

They easily find the shop on the main road which forms part of the Hampton shops and is close to Ex and Perry's school.

Being on the street rather than in a shopping complex means the store has a street access and large windows which provide an excellent insight into the interior.

Tacko greets them at the entrance and welcomes them inside.

Compared with the Black retail stores,

It is very small but light and open.

An informal lounge where free coffee and tea are available for customers separates the checkout counters from the main sales area.

Here the computers are attractively displayed on high tables.

Several customers are already browsing and a handful of sales assistants are available for consultation.

Ever alert,

They busy themselves discreetly in the background,

Smiling and speaking cheerfully to each other and their customers.

Tacko's cheery greeting to each member of staff is warmly reciprocated.

He acknowledges every member of staff by name.

If they are surprised at the strange entourage accompanying their boss,

They don't show it.

The group wanders around while Tacko and one of his staff set up the new Diablo laptop computer.

The computers on display vary in colour and size.

Vera Black is immediately struck by the wonderful array of colours.

More like mobile phones than computers.

She stops to inspect them.

Two of Tacko's staff,

Intrigued by the lady with the pink black spotted dog,

Drift over to talk to her.

They are soon joined by Perry and X.

At another table their father watches anxiously as his laptop is booted up.

Tacko calls him over.

When it's clear that everything is working perfectly,

He relaxes and he and Tacko rejoin his family.

After they've inspected the shop front,

Tacko takes them through to the office and repair centre at the rear.

Just like the shop,

It is open and bright.

Large indoor plants create a divider between the management desks and the repair workstations.

Several computer technicians are already working on repairs to older computers.

One of them is whistling while she works.

She looks up from her machine and gives a wave of welcome.

To one side a door leads into a large shelved storage room.

On the opposite side is a small kitchen centre which opens into an attractive glassed courtyard.

Tacko invites him to take a seat at one of the table settings in the courtyard whilst he makes some drinks.

X offers to help.

Tacko hums a gentle tune as he prepares the coffee.

As with the sales area,

Martin and Vera Black and Perry can sense a different atmosphere,

A feeling of harmony.

They can't pinpoint the cause.

It's very peaceful sitting in the courtyard.

Smouse and Mentor watch the family loosen up as they sip their coffees and enjoy the biscuits provided by Tacko.

Conversation is easy.

For a brief moment Vera Black excuses herself and returns to the sales room.

When she wanders back she is very thoughtful but says nothing.

Finally Perry and X have to leave for school.

They thank Tacko for his hospitality and the chance to see his place in action.

They promise Smouse to think about what they have seen and bring some ideas to the dinner table that evening.

As they leave,

Both teenagers turn back before re-entering the sales department to discover that both Smouse and Mentor have disappeared,

Leaving their parents and Tacko in deep discussion.

Once they determined that the morning meeting was a success,

Smouse and Mentor have quickly transported themselves back to the Shiro house.

They want to catch Sam and Tamari before they leave for school and university.

They are essential to the short-term success of their plan.

Sam is patiently waiting in the driveway for his mother to drive him to school.

He greets Smouse and Mentor with a cheery hello.

He advises them that Tamari has already left but will be home after lunch.

Smouse and Mentor are curious about Sam's music.

Smouse asks him where it comes from,

How he creates it.

Sam tells them that he sits in the garden or down at the beach near the deep rock pool and connects with the earth,

The sky and the sea.

He listens to the sounds of the water and the breeze and the music just seems to flow into him.

Sometimes he sits in the rain,

Sometimes he goes out at night.

He then plays what is in his heart on his clarinet until it feels right before recording it and then he combines it with the sounds of the wind and water.

Then as Sam speaks,

A web of calmness wraps itself around them.

Not even the excited shriek of Smouse as Crystal Shiro arrives with Bubbles and Raz breaks its effect.

Bubbles pushes away from her mother and scampers up to Smouse.

Raz sidles up to Mentor and gives her a gentle nudge.

And it's magic,

Says Crystal,

Giving her son a huge smile before rescuing Smouse from Bubbles' embrace and ushering her into the car.

Sorry,

But we've got to go.

She apologises.

We're running a bit late.

Sensing Smouse wants to talk,

She adds,

You're welcome to join us.

There's plenty of room.

She straps Bubbles into her safety seat in the back and Raz and Mentor squeeze in on the floor.

Smouse perches on the front passenger seat next to Sam.

During the drive to school,

He explains what they're considering and how it requires Sam's magic.

He asks Sam if he'd like to be involved and asks Crystal for her permission.

It will mean he'd miss school next morning.

Both willingly agree.

The day passes very slowly for Peri.

She is impatient to see how her parents fared and what ideas Smouse and Mentor will provide to solve her father's problem.

Several times when she's reflecting on Takushiro's computer store,

She's reprimanded for not paying attention in class.

Instead of flaring up to the surprise of her teachers and classmates,

She apologises and tries to focus.

She wonders what Smouse and Mentor are doing.

Smouse and Mentor are back in Peri's bedroom where they have set up their communication equipment.

They are in deep discussion with Ag and Angelica as Smouse presents their ideas.

They agree that they need a short and a long-term plan to break Madrog's power source and prevent any recurrence.

Short term,

It's not financially viable to consider immediately removing all the Diablo logos in this first launch.

This can be corrected for future production.

Nor is it reasonable to think that all employees throughout the Black Empire who have dominantly negative thoughts can be instantly removed.

They will have to modify their behaviour over a longer period of time with professional development and workplace changes or gradually be replaced.

Leadership will have to come from the top,

Progressively by example.

What they can do immediately is to infuse the Black Enterprise with some of the subtle influences that help Takushiro's business thrive.

This requires the help of Sam and Tamari.

Smouse explains what he wants them to do.

Ag and Angelica fully support his plan.

For the long-term solution,

He and Mentor hope that the Black family will have grasped the essence of the total management and design strategies that they observed during their morning visit to the store.

The meeting ends on a positive note.

Ag and Angelica wish Mentor and Smouse all the best,

Assuring them that they have every confidence in their ability to see it through.

After they terminate the connection,

Smouse and Mentor go their separate ways.

Mentor to spend the afternoon with Vera Black in her art studio and Smouse to consult with Tamari before playing with Bubbles.

Peris first out of the classroom when her last lesson finishes,

She races to the bike enclosure and waits impatiently for five minutes before she remembers that X has football training.

Which means there'll be no chance to share ideas before their dad gets home.

Many thoughts are still chasing around her head as she rides home.

The house is so quiet that she thinks no one is home.

So she's delighted to find Smouse waiting for her in the kitchen.

The peanut butter jar and her father's whiskey already on the table.

She laughs out loud and finds him a glass,

A spoon and a plate before she makes herself some afternoon tea.

Smouse asks her about her day and she admits she's been mulling over everything and despite her eagerness to share her thoughts,

She refrains and instead asks Smouse to tell her all about his home on Imperium.

Worn by the whiskey and the sweet taste of peanut butter,

Smouse graphically describes in full his life at home.

His words are so descriptive that Peri almost feels as if she's there.

As Smouse pauses,

She has a sudden visual memory.

Her eyes open wide as she pictures her mother's beautiful watercolour painting with Smouse and Mentor standing in the wings.

Smouse catches her thoughts.

He smiles and nods.

He finishes his small glass of whiskey and jumps up.

Let's go and see what she's painting today.

He's off in a flash.

Peri needs no persuasion.

She carefully replaces the bottle of whiskey and hurries after him.

The studio door is shut.

Peri taps tentatively on the door but there is no reply.

She quietly turns the handle and they peek in.

Her mother is half hidden behind a large canvas set up on an easel.

Mentor is lying at her feet and Scat is curled up in her favourite chair.

Her mother is so engrossed in painting that she doesn't notice Peri and Smouse as they tiptoe into her studio but Mentor looks up and smiles.

At the sight of Smouse,

Scat momentarily arches her back before sinking sleepily back into the chair.

Peri and Smouse sit quietly on the floor and watch.

Peri can only see the back of the canvas and has no idea what her mother is painting but she is fascinated by her concentration and the flow of emotions that flicker across her face.

At one point her mother acknowledges her presence with a wry lifting of an eyebrow.

This is a first for both of them.

Because her mother doesn't like being watched,

Peri has never seen her paint.

As the light begins to fade,

Vera Black steps back from her canvas and critically studies her work.

Surprised but satisfied with the result,

She wipes her hands and greets her daughter.

Would you like to look?

Yes,

Please.

Peri quickly scrambles to her feet.

This is another first.

Her mother turns the canvas towards her as Smouse and Mentor join her.

From the comfort of her chair,

Scat half opens in an eye and then closes it again.

The painting is so stunning it takes Peri's breath away.

Five children stand beyond a beautiful panoramic collage of leafy forests,

Verdant valleys and rich grasslands.

Rivers,

Streams and waterfalls flow between.

Hidden within the landscape are intricately detailed images of wild flora and fauna.

The longer Peri studies the painting,

The more plants,

Flowers,

Animals,

Birds and insects she discovers.

The children are desperately trying to hold back the relentless march of an army of black,

Grey and white semi-abstract buildings.

Peri can feel its menace.

In a simple script woven through the pathways of the landscape,

She reads the words.

I am you.

You are me.

We are one within the fabric of life.

Love me.

Love you.

Nurture me.

Nurture you.

Destroy me.

Destroy you.

Save me.

Save you.

Abandon me.

Abandon you.

Overcome with emotion,

Peri rushes over to her mother and embraces her.

Oh,

Mum.

Smouse says it for her.

It's brilliant.

For a moment,

Mother and daughter are locked together,

Speechless.

And then quickly,

Suddenly self-conscious and embarrassed by the display of affection,

They break apart.

Vera Black gives an awkward laugh and gently ushers Peri from the studio.

Dinner,

I think.

Your father and ex will be home soon.

Smouse and Mentor discreetly follow.

Left in the room,

Scat stretches languorously before leaping from her chair to stand before the canvas.

She studies it for a moment,

Purrs loudly and then slips silently after them.

And thus we've reached the end of Chapter 14,

Ready for next time with Chapter 15.

Reviews

Wow! This chapter creates such a beautiful atmosphere with so much love. I know the end of the story is coming because everything is falling into place.

Wonderful. Inspiring! So much fun! Yay!