Legacy (5 page)

Chapter Nine

During this time Gabrielle met and became engaged to a local Catholic boy. I often wonder how she would have fared if things had worked out. That I will never know. So far advanced were the wedding plans that the venue was booked, the flowers organised and invitations sent. She had even booked the honeymoon.

It transpired two weeks before her big day that this wedding was not meant to be. Gabrielle called at her fiancés home to discuss the seating arrangements at the hotel. She hadn't given any notice because she was so intent on getting this wedding right.

Gabrielle walked into his house and was surprised that he didn't even enquire as to who was there. Flippantly she looked for him downstairs. Not finding him, she sought him upstairs. She barged into his bedroom about to make him work through her crucial seating plan when she instinctively knew that something was amiss. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness her seating plan was no longer relevant; she saw what she had never wanted to see. Her fiancé was not alone; she could see the outline of another body lying next to him, could smell a sweet cloying perfume and saw the discarded clothes strewn around the room. On seeing Gabrielle he was immediately on his feet, his nudity confronting her, yet he had the audacity to claim “It's not what you think”.

Gabrielle rarely gave anyone a second chance and her fiancé was not to be the exception. She turned on her heel and walked out of his room, his house and his life for good.

For the next few months Gabrielle was devastated and didn't set foot outside. She stayed at home and cried, wallowing in her betrayal. Her friends tried everything to rouse her, but nothing would work. She was heartbroken, humiliated and nothing would bring her round. In the aftermath of her failed engagement her life became a cycle of work, work and more work. Work allowed her to escape thinking about the cancelled wedding. It allowed her to escape the stares and the sympathy. A jilted bride was always a good gossip point.

Eventually though her maudlin had to end. She began tentatively taking steps out, even having nights out again, though always careful to avoid men. One of her friends at the time noticed Gabrielle's stalwart avoidance of the opposite sex and decided to set her up on a blind date. Her friend would not take no for an answer, so after much cajoling Gabrielle reluctantly agreed. She was to go to a party at her friend's house and was promised that her ‘perfect man' would be there.

Not expecting much from this mystery man she arrived at the party that night yet she saw nothing outstanding; the same old clones. Northern Ireland never offered much to Gabrielle by way of suitable partners, which was one of the reasons she had expected little from her ‘date'. She took a few drinks and was about to chastise her friend for dragging her to this silly party, when the back door opened and in walked a tall dark handsome creature, of course accompanied by a typical Northern Irish man. Her friend nudged her as if she thought that the new addition to the room had escaped her. Gabrielle simply prayed that the pasty Northern Irish man who accompanied the tall dark stranger was not the man her friend had in mind for the blind date.

Unlike the other excuses for men present, this dark man exuded dapperness; he held himself so proudly and confidently that to her he was the essence of class. He wore a clearly expensive suit and a heavy cashmere overcoat, he was tall and lean and he was completely and utterly gorgeous. This man was by no means classically good looking, yet he was unique and so, so attractive. His skin was a dark brown, almost black and he wore his hair shaved close. On seeing his chocolate brown eyes, Gabrielle didn't know it then, but she was smitten. This man was obviously older than most of her counterparts, too old for her. She imagined he must have been at least 30.

As sure as she had noticed him he had noticed her and it wasn't long until he approached and began making conversation. Gabrielle doesn't remember what they spoke about but she does remember that his accent was strange, guttural, nothing like the sing song feminine accents of the men she was accustomed to. On further investigation she soon established that he came from Nigeria, and his name was Max. He lived in Belfast but had travelled to Derry that night in order to meet his friend who had accompanied him. He had practically been forced to attend this party.

Despite finding Max attractive, Gabrielle was still refusing to entertain any man. When Max asked her out her out she firmly refuted his offer. The party ended later that night and as far as Gabrielle was concerned that was the last she would see of the handsome stranger called Max.

As fate conspired this was not the case, it seemed Max was in love, he was also a man who rarely gave up on what he wanted. Max wanted Gabrielle. For the next few weeks and months Gabrielle received flowers, weekly letters and phone calls. This was a man who would not take no for an answer. She tried to put his stubborn refusal down to a cultural barrier, she even went so far as to learn how to say “no go away” in Nigerian, yet her efforts were wasted. The fact that she had made clear to him after each of his advances that she wasn't interested irritated her. Who did this eejit think he was? His self-assurance and denial of rejection grated on her and she began ignoring all of his offerings concluding that he would give up eventually.

Chapter Ten

By the summer of 1973, Gabrielle had spent five years in Altnagelvin; three as a trainee and two as a qualified nurse. She could never say she was bored, but like most young people she felt the urge to spread her wings and move to pastures new. She considered working in both Belfast and Dublin and was surprised when the first hospital she had applied to offered her an interview. Belfast City Hospital had vacancies and she became set on gaining one.

A major barrier stood in her way, the interview date fell in the middle of the month. This was not the ideal time for her, her salary was long gone. Gabrielle was notorious for spending every penny within a week of payday and living even less than frugally for the remaining days of the month. She barely had enough money to pay the bus fare for the two hour journey to Belfast. Yet she wanted the job, she wanted a change. Maybe it would be worth starving for two weeks until her next payday to travel to Belfast. Always conscious of her figure Gabrielle felt that two weeks on a meagre diet would do wonders. She resigned herself to a fortnight of bread and coffee and made her plans to attend the interview. Her main regret was that she couldn't have made a day of going to Belfast and enjoying a quick shop as well. Gabrielle supposed if she was successful in the interview she would shop in Belfast all the time, so one missed shopping opportunity wouldn't be the end of the world.

With that Gabrielle determined to get the bus and give the best interview she had ever given. Even though the bus journey was long, she wasn't bored for a second of it. She always loved to travel and this was further than she had ever gone. Gabrielle spent most of the journey peering out the window at the many small towns they passed through. Towns that were now littered with sectarian graffiti destroying their otherwise friendly facades.

She arrived in Belfast early as she had no idea where the city hospital was located, she would have to ask for directions and in a city this size, she would no doubt have to ask more than once. Luckily enough she found the hospital without too much difficulty and made it in ample time for her interview. Her youthful ego meant that she was confident and prepared and with the exception of her stomach rumbling, she left the hospital secure in the knowledge that she had done enough to be offered the post.

Gabrielle had been so concerned with preparing for the interview that she had forgotten to bring lunch with her; now that the interview was over she was painfully aware of her growing hunger. She knew she couldn't afford to stop off at any of the cafes and restaurants she passed to eat. It would take at least four hours to get home and she wallowed at the thought of not having food until then. She continued to walk down the Lisburn road towards the bus depot. By now she was so full of self-pity at her self-imposed fast that when she heard her name called it took a while to register. Hunger had her every thought. She supposed meeting someone she knew so far from home was a good reason to distract her even momentarily from the hunger pangs. She stopped and turned around to see who would know her here in Belfast.

It was Max. Gabrielle would later recall being taken aback by his attractiveness. He looked so very exotic standing there in his crisp white shirt, peaking out behind a summer suit. In her mind he belonged more on the streets of a chic city rather than on the streets of Belfast.

Impressed as she was she inwardly groaned, she was not in the mood for small talk especially when she was wasting away. Her hunger was making her feel light headed and her stomach ached. Her mood instantly changed when her ears and stomach extracted from his mundane small talk three magic words that would seal her fate and mine, “There's a nice little restaurant across the road, how about we catch up over lunch?”

Part Two 1973 – 1980

“Belfast Belfast wonderful town doesn't matter if your skin is brown”

Boney M

Chapter Eleven

Gabrielle's prediction was right. She got the job in Belfast. Within six weeks of her interview she was firmly installed in the recovery unit at the City Hospital. She enjoyed the challenges of the job and soaking up the sense of community that this huge hospital encouraged amongst its staff. The only thing she had not considered was where she was going to live. Finding a home was a time consuming pursuit at the best of times, but when working full time and coping with so many changes, the prospect was not one she was eager to embrace. Gabrielle decided against trawling this alien city for a suitable flat and took up residence in the nurse's home.

It offered an opportunity to make friends, avail of cheaper accommodation and reside within walking distance from the hospital. Living in the home would give Gabrielle time to explore the city and gain her bearings. Gabrielle decided that when she was more sure of her surroundings she would begin searching for somewhere of her own. For now, the accommodation on offer was more than comfortable, the rooms were bright and airy and the shared facilities clean and modern. Gone were the curfews and rules of her training. As a qualified nurse the nurse's home was exactly as described; a home. She often looked at the pale and drawn faces of the trainees who lived in the student building next door and couldn't help but feel a little pity for them. She understood their plight. Yet at the same time a little voice inside wanted to gloat. In hospital hierarchy she was their superior and the thought filled her with a wily pride.

Gabrielle's initial excitement at moving to Belfast was blemished slightly by the warnings of her colleagues. Already they had cautioned her on the ‘no go areas', volatile areas where trouble was guaranteed and incessant. She absorbed every shred of advice and began crossing out the areas deemed dangerous on her little map of the city. When she got the chance to explore she would make a point of avoiding every area that had been mentioned. After two or three conversations however; it seemed an altogether easier option to list the areas she could safely go.

Gabrielle could barely find an area on her map that wasn't crossed out. By the time she had heeded every warning her map resembled a distorted treasure map. Any pirate would have been devastated on finding it; for the multitude of crosses on the map did not mark plunder and riches, instead they signified danger. When she finally found areas clear of crosses she was left with two or three ‘mixed' or quiet areas to explore.

Gabrielle was soon to discover that even these ‘safe' places were effected by violence, they too experienced shootings and bombings; on a less frequent level granted, but nevertheless the unrest had infiltrated the entire city. In the end she threw caution to the wind and vanquished her list. If she needed to go somewhere then she would. If an area regardless of having crosses had shops then she would venture there.

In those early days in Belfast it seemed that everywhere she looked there was an armed soldier either on patrol, kneeling between gateposts or fences or standing on street corners. Gabrielle really didn't have any opinion towards them. She was blissfully ambivalent, until one day she was rushing out the door and tripped over one. From that point onwards Gabrielle saw them as health hazards. The colossal bump on her shin that the encounter left her with ensured that she became as watchful of the soldiers as they were of her. Yet all things considered she could endure the bomb warnings, she could turn a blind eye to the intimidating sectarian graffiti and even the growing number of soldiers. For Gabrielle craved city life, if these things were the downside then she would just have to accept them.

On one of her days off a colleague offered to take her ‘into town' luckily for her it was the end of the month so she had money to spend. She gladly availed of the offer. They travelled into town on the bus and were offloaded directly opposite the historical building that was the City Hall. Belfast city centre revolved around one main street that was intersected by a few small streets. With the exception of new shopping centres it still remains like this today. On Gabrielle's first outing to the city centre she wanted to see every little street. She had planned to stock up her wardrobe and couldn't wait to enter the large shops that at home she had only read about. Her friend led her in the direction of the main street, Royal Avenue. On approach Gabrielle was astounded at the sight that met her because before she could even enter the street she would have to go through security.

Barriers large and menacing blocked entry to the entire city centre, the only way in was to pass through an armoured hut. People lined up to gain entrance and one by one in single file they passed through security. Here bags were searched and pockets were emptied. Gabrielle wasn't in the least bit daunted, the only feelings she had were those of frustration. The security hut meant that her much anticipated shopping trip would be delayed; patience was never and never has been one of Gabrielle's virtues. She would have to stand and wait in line for God knows how long. As usual when she was flummoxed she said a quick aspiration to the Holy Virgin Mary. This time she beseeched her to ensure that no one in front of her presented a threat. If they did then her wait would be extended even more and she only had one day off. The Holy Virgin Mary must have heard her because before long they had cleared security and were able to make their way to the first shop.

Gabrielle viewed security as an irritating inconvenience which was to become a stark contrast to her attitude of a few years later.

The searching was repeated in the next shop and the next, until she grew accustomed to it. By shop number four Gabrielle automatically opened her bag on entrance. In future she would plan her shopping trips not by hours or even by her favourite shops, but by which shops had the least security. Her time off was precious and she could see this constant searching becoming an annoyance. She began to wonder if it was worth all this hassle simply to buy a few dresses. But when she looked down Royal Avenue and wondered through Corn Market, she saw shop upon shop lining the streets. Gabrielle determined there and then that a few little searches wouldn't come between her and all this.

In those days it became habit for Gabrielle and no doubt the bulk of women in Northern Ireland to ensure their handbags were tidy and pockets empty before going shopping, an untidy handbag or full pockets only served to cause delays.

Gabrielle never did tour the city as she had planned, she preferred to spend any free time whiling away her days in the relative safety of the Lisburn Road or in the Fort Knox that was the city centre. The minute amount of news she listened to or read reiterated the same pattern day after day bomb, riots or shootings. Remarkably some of the news which she routinely disregarded must have subliminally entered her head, for as time went on and the violence worsened she gained a healthy apprehension and rarely ventured into the unknown. This combined with her dire sense of direction always kept her within close proximity to the hospital.

Staying close to the hospital was never a chore her instincts were right; a change of environment was exactly what she needed. Within walking distance from the hospital was an array of shops, restaurants and bars. These were thronged with students from Queens' University who despite their surroundings, were keen to experience the 1970s. Their colourful clothing, long hair and flares brightened the entire area and lightened the atmosphere in the otherwise guarded and forlorn city. Their proximity to the nurse's home kept the girls surrounded by a charged, vibrant ambience that pulsed with youthful energy, making the city a fun place to be.