An Old Friend: Version B Part 6

Lisa looked over at Michael, wondering what he had in store for them.  'Ah, what does it matter,' she thought to herself.  The important thing was that she was with him and was thoroughly enjoying his company.  She sighed and put her head back.  Wherever they were going, it seemed to be quite a drive, past inns and pubs, cottages, miles of Scottish moors.  Soon they were out on a narrow, one-lane road in the wide open country - quite a desolate place.  She finally let curiosity get the better of her. "Michael," she asked expectantly. "Where is this lovely place you have in mind?" 

"Don't worry, you'll see when we get there," he smiled.  He looked into his rear-view mirror.  His was the only car on the road.  'This is perfect,' he thought to himself, 'at last we can spend some nice time alone together, miles away from any of the Pythons.'
 
After about 3 minutes, however, Michael noticed a fairly familiar-looking car appear on the road behind them and it seemed to be catching up to them, although rather slowly.  He nervously looked into the rear-view mirror every few seconds....yes, the car was still following them.  For some reason, he thought whoever was driving it meant to follow him. 

"Oh dear," he muttered to himself.

"Michael, what's the matter?" Lisa asked.  She couldn't understand why he was starting to grow nervous.

He glanced quickly over at her.  "Oh, er, it's nothing.  I was ... just surprised to see that car behind us, that's all."

She turned around, not knowing what he was talking about until she barely made out a blue car following at a distance behind them. "Oh?  Do you recognize it?"

Michael then realized that he was being silly, almost paranoid.  Why shouldn't there be another car on the road?  Perhaps they were just traveling in the same direction.  'You'd better stop acting like this, Michael, or she's going to take you to the loony bin,' he thought to himself.  He sighed. "No.  I...I'm just being silly, that's all." 

About 10 minutes later they reached the edge of the moors.  A short drive up a gentle hill, and at last Michael parked the car on the side of the dusty road. "Well," he said, putting the car into park and shutting off the ignition. "Here we are." 

Over the top of the hill, the land sloped downward after a few feet, and a few hundred yards away was the shoreline.  From this vantage however, it wasn't very easy to see everything.  Michael saw Lisa squinting out at the windshield and started to giggle at his own short-sightedness. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "What was I thinking? Let's get out for a better view." 

He got out of the car, hurried around to the other side and opened the door for her.  After she got out she started walking out in front of the car.  He quickly glanced around, still looking for the car which was following them.  No one else was around.  He put his arm around her and sighed, "Ah, what a marvelous view, don't you think?" 

"Mmm, yes," she replied. 

They walked toward the shoreline, and in the distance the island of Skye loomed into view.  The waves gently crashed against the jagged rocks.  It was a lovely spot, and aside from the cool, damp air it was a beautiful night.  As they reached the edge of the shoreline, Michael spotted a little stone bench.  "Well, looks like we've been fortunate enough to find someplace to sit."

They sat down and he put his arm around her.  She felt so wonderful inside, something she hadn't felt in quite a long time.  It was turning out to be the perfect night for both of them. 

Just then, Michael realized what he had forgotten.  He had something else planned, something he thought she would get a kick out of.  He had to go back to the car to get it.  Would he dare leave her sitting on the bench alone?  If she came with him it would ruin the surprise.  Besides, there was no one else around, and he wouldn't be gone long.  The car was just up the hill. 

He suddenly took his arm off her and leapt up from the bench. "Will you be all right for a few minutes, Lisa?" he asked.

"Hmm? Where are you going?"

"Just up to the car," he smiled. "I shan't be long.  I have a surprise for you."

A surprise??  Lisa couldn't believe her ears.  "Really? Oh, I can't wait!" she exclaimed. "Do hurry back!"

"I will," he winked.  With that, he started running up the hill.  He had gotten about 5 feet away when he stumbled and fell.  Maybe he was running a little too fast.

"Don't knock yourself out," Lisa giggled. 

He rolled his eyes and smiled at her.  "Sorry. It's a bit dark, you know.  The hill didn't seem that steep on the way down." 

He continued over the hill as she laughed to herself.  What a silly guy.

As Michael disappeared over the hill, Lisa sat on the bench, looking out toward the island.  She began thinking seriously about how good it was to see Michael again, and she wished she could see him more often. 

Well, maybe she could.  He had told her that the Pythons had pretty much gone off on their own not too long before making this movie, and that they all had their own individual projects in mind after it was finished.  He seemed to dislike having been single for so long, maybe he would like to settle down, just as she would. 

She tried to clear her head of all this. After all, it was only a date between two old friends.  Apart from the somewhat romantic interplay at the discotheque which was interrupted by Eric Idle, they were just old buddies.  She shivered a bit. 

"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat somewhere alongside her. 

Lisa gasped and whirled around.  There was a tall, thin man with long wavy hair sitting on her right.  At first she couldn't make out who he was, but after she calmed herself she recognized him immediately -- Eric Idle.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, just about scared out of her wits.

"Well, that's a proper how-do-you-do," Eric answered with a wry smile.

"I'm sorry!  I-I didn't hear you sit down," she said timidly.

Eric then realized that he had scared the girl.  He smiled gently at her.  "Ah yes, I'm sorry about that.  I have a tendency to sneak up on girls I tend to like and sit myself down ever so gingerly," he chuckled. 

She smiled at him tentatively.  He was all charm, but still didn't seem quite as sincere as Michael. 

"I don't believe I got your name," he continued.

"Oh....I'm Lisa, Lisa Dobson.  I'm an old friend of Michael's," she said quietly.

"Ah.  I kind of figured that," he answered. 

She looked at him curiously.

"Er, I mean...I saw you at the discotheque with Mike, so I assumed you were a friend of his," he laughed nervously. "By the way, how long have you known him?"

She wondered why he was so interested.  But, then again, Michael had never told any of the Pythons about their friendship, so she decided it was natural of him to ask. "Well, I've known him since my days at Oxford.  He was finishing up his last year when I started there, and we became friends."

A slight look of surprise came over Eric's face.  "That's odd," he mused. "He's never mentioned you before.  Well ... we chaps have always teased Mike about finding a girl.  I suppose he expected we'd torment him if he ever brought it up, silly old boy."

Lisa still couldn't believe that he was sitting here, talking to her about all this.  She realized the car that had been following them had to have been his.  She wondered what was taking Michael so long, and what would ever happen if he caught Eric sitting there with her.  She began to get a bit nervous. "So, how did you know I was here?" she asked.

"Well, after seeing you in the discotheque, I have to admit I thought you were a lovely girl.  I didn't mean to chide Mike like that, but what can I say? I'm a cheeky chap!" he laughed.

She looked at him, still waiting for an answer. 

He stopped laughing and continued.  "Anyway... after you two left the place, I became very curious.  I waited a bit till you left as I didn't want to appear as if I were stalking you.  I followed Mike at a distance and parked on the other side of the road.  In all honesty, I didn't know you were old friends.  I just thought you had just met him there as a...." he trailed off, a bit embarrassed.  "... one-time thing, you know?  Look, I'm sorry about scaring you like that.  I think you're a very lovely girl." 

He kissed her hand, something Michael had not done.  She became very flattered and blushed.  "Oh, Eric..."

He smiled at her.  "So..." he said, looking around. "Where's Mike?"

"He's just over the hill.  He had to go back to the car," she answered.

"Oh.  Probably checking to see if he has enough petrol," he said.  He inched a bit closer to her and held her hand...