Tuesday, 16 March 2021

Snippets of Downshire Life – St Patrick’s Day Parade

 

Twenty five year old Abbie Parkes worked at Hanratty’s Department Store in the Abbottsford Phoenix Shopping Centre, and was a very popular and  hardworking member of staff, unfortunately she was also a very willing worker and seldom said no when she was asked to work late.

Which was why she missed the coach to Sharpington for the St Patrick’s Day Parade, and she was desperately unhappy about it because, Mike Ranson, the love of her life was on the coach and she wasn’t.

Abbie had been after him for months even though they were oposites.

She was a skinny little waif and was only 4’ 11” and was a talkative little livewire with raven black hair, while he was a great bear of a man, who stood 6 feet 6 inches tall, had a barrell chest and hands like shovels, and an abundance of corn coloured hair.

Although she was a chatter box who never shut up she got all tongue tied with him when it came to trying to ask him out.

She thought he was probably looking for someone as quiet as him anyway, but that trip to the parade was make or break time for her.

But she wasn’t going to let a simple thing like missing her coach derail her so she went straight to Abbottsford station where she caught the first train she could.

 

When she reached her destination she wandered around Sharpington for about an hour looking for her group, or more specifically him, she found all the floats parked in the Football Stadium car park but no sign of the Hanratty’s coach party.

To make matters worse she lost her phone at Abbottsford station so she couldn’t even call them.

Eventually she gave up looking and went up to her Aunt’s Caravan up at Whitecliffe Hill. 

 

She had a restless night with images of her gentle giant Mike Ranson in her head so he got up early and made the walk down the hill.

It was the 12th annual St Patricks’ day Parade in Sharpington and it was getting bigger every year and ran the length of the promenade, and it was very busy and very noisy and she didn’t think she had a hope in hell of attracting his attention, even if she spotted him.

 

Her first port of call was a café for a hearty breakfast and then she had to figure out the best place to wait for the Hanratty float to appear.

Her problem wasn’t so much seeing the float as the people on the float seeing her, and that was because it was very crowded and she stood less than 5 foot tall, and on top of that it was a cold day and she was wrapped up against the cold. 

 

As the the first of the floats came into view she began to panic because the crowds swelled and she couldn’t see a thing, but then when she caught the first glimpse of the Hanratty livery she had an idea.

So she shinned up one of the ornamental lampposts to get a better look and to be more visible as the float approached.

She easily spotted Mike Ranson’s giant figure and began shouting.

“Hey Mike, over here”

But she couldn’t make herself heard over the noisy crowd and all she managed to do was to attract the attention of the stewards.

Who made a beeline for her lamppost and one of them was loudly shouting

“Oi you, get down”

And one of them tried to grab her leg so she wriggled higher up to evade his grasp and then she heard the welcome sound of Mike’s booming voice.  

“Abbie! Abbie!”

She looked in the direction of his voice, and he was leaning out from behind the cab with one arm outstrected

“Take my hand” he shouted and she grabbed his great paw without hesitation and he plucked her off the lamppost as if she were a rag doll and pulled her onto the back of the float, and being an oportunist she took the chance to emrace him and so she jumped up and wrapped her skinny limbs around his neck and he enveloped her with his strong arms.

“I’m glad you made it, I was dissapointed when you missed the coach” he said, because in truth he was as mad about her as she was about him, but he always doubted that a beautiful little thing like Abbie could ever be interested in him, but now she was in his arms things might be different.

“Were you really?” she asked

“Yes, I tried ringing but it kept going to answerphone”

“I lost my phone at Abbottsford station, I looked for you when I got here last night but I couldn’t find you” she explained

“You looked for us?”

“No, I looked for you” she said and hugged him tighter

“For me?” he retorted, doubting his own hearing

“Yes, just you, you’re my gentle giant” she said

“I can’t tell you how often I’ve dreamt of hearing you say that to me” he said

“You mean you “do” want me?” she asked lifting her face from his shoulder for the first time to look at him

“Of course”

“Then why haven’t you asked me out?”  

“I was scared” he admitted

“Of me?”

“Yes”

“But you want to go out with me?” she asked

“More than anything”

“Not because I’m hugging you, I mean, you really do like me?” she asked but he hesitated before replying so she lifted her head from his shoulder again

“It’s worse than that I’m afraid” he said “I love you”

Abbie sighed on hearing his declaration and a second later she retorted

“I love you too”

And then they were kissing as the spectators cheered.

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