Three to See the King

Michael Hawkins,’ remarked Philip.
    ‘What’s he got to do with it?’
    ‘Well, apparently Simon’s been out there several times now, and feels very strongly influenced by Michael.’
    Straightaway I felt my hackles rising.
    ‘What do you mean out there?’ I demanded.
    ‘Well,’ said Philip with a shrug. ‘Michael lives further out than the rest of us, doesn’t he?’
    ‘No, he doesn’t!’ I said. ‘We all live a long way out, compared with most people!’
    I was aware that my voice had suddenly become louder, and that all three of them were looking at me with startled expressions on their faces. With some effort I spoke more quietly. ‘Anyway, what’s all this about him influencing Simon?’
    ‘It’s the way Michael lives,’ said Steve. ‘He has this sort of perfect existence, very simple, in a house built entirely from tin, and he passes his time doing many interesting things.’
    ‘Such as?’
    ‘For example, he gets up early to watch the sunrise.’
    ‘You can do that here,’ I said.
    ‘I know,’ replied Steve. ‘But according to Simon it’s different out there.’
    ‘He’s thinking of moving house,’ added Philip.
    ‘What, so he can be nearer to this Michael Hawkins person?’
    ‘Apparently, yes.’
    I sighed and shook my head incredulously.
    ‘Well, I think it’s good that Simon’s found some sense of purpose at last,’ said Mary Petrie. ‘There’s nothing for him round here.’
    ‘And what’s wrong with round here exactly?’ I asked.
    ‘There’s no use telling you,’ she answered. ‘You’d never listen.’
    ‘I agree with Mary,’ said Steve. ‘Simon would be much happier if he made a new start. He just needs a bit of a push, that’s all.’
    ‘What sort of push?’
    ‘You know,’ he said. ‘Encouragement. A step in the right direction.’
    I could hardly believe what I was hearing. To my ears, all this talk about ‘influence’ and ‘encouragement’ sounded like nothing short of treason. What had happened, I wondered, to the independent lives we’d all enjoyed until so recently? Hadn’t we been content, living the way we chose here on this bleak and deserted plain? I’d always presumed the answer was yes, but now I wasn’t so certain. Just of late, it seemed, disaffection had arisen amongst us.
    I was also bothered by a fact that I’d only vaguely recognized before today, namely, that each of us was beginning to get closely involved with someone else. Rather too closely for my liking. As the four of us sat around the table I suddenly realized that we were no longer three men and a woman discussing the exploits of a mutual friend. Instead, we were two couples analysing his problems. I looked at the clock, newly secured to the wall above our heads, and saw that our future as individuals was ticking irredeemably away.
    Meanwhile, there were more mundane matters at hand: the weathercock had to be fixed on the roof. A ladder was clearly required to do the job properly, and so Steve offered to go home and collect his. It was arranged that he and Philip would stay overnight with us, then he’d set off alone early in the morning.
    ‘You’ll have to sleep downstairs tonight,’ Mary Petrie told me while we were sorting out the spare sheets and blankets.
    ‘Why’s that?’ I asked.
    ‘Well,’ she replied. ‘What will those two think of me if I just let you jump into my bed?’
    ‘What will they think of me if you don’t?’ I protested, but I knew there was no point in arguing. Her mind was made up, and that was that. I had to spend the night sleeping alongside Steve and Philip. True, we were all in separate beds, but nevertheless we were close enough together to be easily mistaken for three sardines in a tin can.
    Next morning, very early, I rose and made some coffee while Steve got dressed. Then the two of us sat by the stove, listening to the wind howling outside.
    ‘Doesn’t sound as if it’s dying off yet,’ he said, in a quiet voice.
    ‘Well, it never dies altogether,’ I reminded him. ‘It could blow all spring and summer for all we know.’
    ‘Hope not,’ he replied. ‘Philip and I want to get out and about a bit more this year.’
    ‘Out and about where?’
    ‘Well, we thought we might mosey over and see Michael Hawkins for a start.’
    ‘You as well?’
    ‘Yes, why not?’
    ‘No, it’s alright,’ I said. ‘Do as you please.’
    ‘Have you got something against Michael?’
    ‘Of course not.’
    ‘I mean, you ought to