The Secret Life of Walter Peregrine Ramsbottom.

He was a dapper little man and somewhat shorter than most,

His age indiscriminate.

He`d lived with and cared for his elderly mother

Who sadly had now past on.

No brothers or sisters, or nieces or nephews

To intrude into his orderly world.

Walter Peregrine Ramsbottom

Presented himself as a man of no consequence,

But then, we all have our secrets!

He was careful with his money.

The house where he lived was old, gloomy and dark.

It`s furniture drab and extinct.

With the exception of one room.

A room which no-one ever entered.

A room where Walter kept his most treasured possessions,

His collection of combs from around the world.

There were combs from India carved out of bone

And crystal combs from Peru.

Magnificent jagged combs of sharks teeth

Which would shred the skin if misused.

Japanese combs decorated with silken lilies

Last used by the concubines of wealthy emperors,

And combs made of wood and feathers

Adorned by Apache warriors.

Colours of gold and flame and lapis lazuli.

Long combs and tiny delicate affairs.

Most were rare, exceptional and quite old.

Collectors items.

Not to be used.

Except,

Walter Peregrine Ramsbottom did use them.

Maybe once, sometimes twice a week

A ceremony would take place.

Walter would prepare himself with cleansing oils and perfumes,

A ritual would follow

With music appropriate to the mood.

Soft lighting reflecting his features,

He`d leave his dreary daytime garb of greys and browns

And Walter Peregrine Ramsbottom would become  –

“Selina  the Voluptuous”

A temptress dressed in robes of finest red silk.

Her lips glossed with scarlet

And her smoky eyes painted a charcoal hue.

With flowing golden locks falling below her waist

She would dance and sway to the gypsy cymbals.

Shaking her tambourine, she`d move in a rhythm of rapture.

Approaching the catalyst of the ceremony,

Selina would bow before her temple of combs

To select the chosen one for that evening.

Tonight, one of peacock feathers.

An exotic creature for an erotic interlude.

Selina the Voluptuous absorbed the beauty rising within her.

She bathed in the reflection of lighted mirrors.

She raised the comb in an Act of worship

Then reverently fixed it into the myriad of soft tresses

Which cascaded and caressed her naked shoulders.

Erotic being and exotic creature that she was,

Selina moved her hips

And swayed to the increasing rhythm of the darkening drumbeat.

She was a princess,

A queen among women

And all beings desired her.

Faster and faster she danced in wild abandon,

Her passions rising with the crescendo of noise.

Her thoughts increasing in intensity and imagination.

Her body hot with emotion

Selina the Voluptuous reached the heavens  —

Then peaked !

She slumped, exhausted, to the floor

And lay there.

Slowly,  slowly a transformation occurred

And Selina the Voluptuous,

Was gone.

Walter Peregrine Ramsbottom returned to his grey world

But to those who looked close enough

Who took the trouble to care,

Or had the courage to dare,

They would see a sly twinkle in his eye

As he perused his “Catalogue of combs to be purchased by the discerning buyer” .

Next time he would try “Vanessa the Soceress”

Or become “Naomi the Mild”

Or even “Tegwyth the Barbarian”

.

THE WORLD WAS HIS OYSTER !

Jan Reed

May 2012