CHRISTMAS LINDA PART 1 - BRIEF ENCOUNTER

 Snow spattered, unseen, against the steamy glass

As the train rattled out of the station

It was a fairly crowded train, but not full

With weary shoppers, shopping bags bursting

And commuting workers the weeks work done

Journeying homeward at the dark days end

A cheerful crowd though

Pleased with themselves bright faced and hearty

Full of seasonal cheer anticipating the holiday

Seemingly oblivious to the drafty carriage

I sat alone and felt lifted by the quiet jolliness

Contemplating the collective countenance

Of the self satisfied passengers

Then she appeared and I was lifted higher

There she was larger than life vivacious and self assured

Covered with snowflakes and laughing to herself

My snow angel, with snow covering her like sugar on a doughnut

Wrapped up against the cold in a woolen hat and coat

And a long knitted scarf draped about her neck

She shook her head and her light brown hair danced about her shoulders

And the snowflakes melted away from her soft curls

There was a rosy redness on her cheeks

Almost matching the hue of her coat

Either from the cold winter evening or a liberal taste of Christmas spirit

A little of both probably

She made her way down the train between the seats

Leaving wet snowflakes in her wake

Full length coat swishing side to side

She moved almost gracelessly, which suited her well

As she tottered a little in her high boots

Perhaps due to the lurching motion of the train

Or the Christmas punch and eggnog

She was still laughing softly to herself which also suited so well

And then she saw me, and her eyes lit up like beacons

Those wonderful sparking laughing eyes

She stopped and stood momentarily open mouthed

Then her smile illuminated the carriage

My heart soared at the sight of her

I returned her smile and she flushed a little deeper red

It had been almost a year since I last saw her

My lovely lost love, Linda

I had locked all my feelings away but now they were back

Like a door had opened in my heart and they all rushed out

And I missed her so much I didn’t know just how much till that moment

We were never lovers, only ever friends

But very special friends very close friends though no more

We laughed a lot together, shared confidences

Best friends but no more than that,

Though I wanted more, so much more

But I didn’t want to lose what we had so I said nothing

I loved her so much, but she was not free for me to love

And Linda was not free to love me even if she wanted

So I contented myself with our special friendship

My unrequited love remained so

If that was all then better that than nothing

I was happy to love her unconditionally

Then circumstances changed, my father died

I had to move away and I didn’t see her again, until now

Now she was in front of me, my angel, larger than life

Smiling, blushing, laughing and so lovely

I stood up and smiled at her again

She threw herself at me and she hugged me so tight

I smelled her hair as I held her and was intoxicated by her scent

All the old feelings flooded back over whelming me

I had often dreamt of being reunited with her

But never in my wildest dreams had I expect such a reaction

Could it be my love was not unrequited?

We sat down on the lumpy seats in the rattling carriage

And were completely alone

We sat looking at each other not wanting to lose sight of one another

In case the spell were broken

She removed a glove and put her hand on mine

As if testing it was not a dream then she slipped her hand into mine

Her delicate fingers so small in my grasp

For the remainder of the journey we reveled in each other’s company

We caught up with the lost months filling in the gaps

Still oblivious to our companions

It was as if we had never been apart

Then the train shook to a halt as all too soon we had arrived

Our fellow travelers rushed off to their Christmases

Reluctantly we left our seats and disembarked arm in arm

Then hand in hand we walked slowly along the platform

Still talking and laughing and then out onto the street

Where the shops were now closing and the town was relatively quiet

From one pub Noddy Holder screamed “it’s Christmas” to the world

Only the pubs and restaurants seemed to hold any attraction to most

But we joined a small group gathered round the Salvation Army band

And joined in with the carol singing in the town square

Before strolling towards the taxi stand

As the snow again fell onto Linda’s soft curls

We took our place in the queue of travelers eager to be home

I was eager to be nowhere else but with her

I shuffled along for the last few steps like a sulky schoolboy

Smiling, Linda turned to face me and kissed me gently on the lips

Such a warm sensitive and tender kiss

When our lips parted she smiled at me coyly

And flushed a deep shade of pink

Then I kissed a snowflake off her nose

Cupping her flushed cheek in my palm I slid my fingers beneath her hair

Caressing the soft downy hair on her nape

And pulled her sweet lips to mine and returned her kiss

Her arms enveloped me holding me so close, so tightly

Not wanting to let go, not wanting to lose what we had found

Not wanting to lose me again

We stood locked in our embrace as the snow fell softly on the scene

She pulled away for a moment then buried her face in my neck

And spoke “I’ve missed you so much, I’ve missed your love for me”

I had waited so long for this moment waited so long to here those words

To hear my love returned and then we kissed again

Cabs arrived and departed through the slush

The queue around us just kept moving as if unaware of our love

After a while we moved from the queue sat on a bench and talked

My love was not unrequited after all she felt the same for me

She had always done so yet still she was not free

She was torn between the two of us

Torn between the comfortable familiarity for a good man

A loyal and dependable man, safety

And the passion she felt for a soul mate

It wasn’t fair on him he hadn’t done anything wrong

I had been on the receiving end of that kind of pain

And I found myself unable to inflict it onto another 

So our love had to be a forbidden one

Best friends no more, I wanted more, so much more

And could not content myself with a special friendship

Now I knew my love was not unrequited

There was no going back, now Pandora’s Box had been opened

But at least now I knew she loved me

With the same depth as I loved her

We walked back to the taxi rank and kissed again in the snow

All too soon she got into a taxi

And through the winter wonderland departed taking my love with her

With her palm pressed against the glass she craned her neck to keep sight of me

Through the snow spattered window until the very last moment

Till the cab had gone out of sight

She was gone from my arms, gone from my view, gone from my life

But a Christmas happening had changed my life forever

A brief encounter, fleeting, here and then gone

Her scent still in my nostrils, the taste of joy on my lips

My soul mate gone forever, yet forever in my memory, forever in my heart

I would never see her again and moved away in the New Year

Making a life elsewhere but I never forgot her

And when on a winter’s night I hear the “Sally army” play

Or when the snow falls during Christmas time

Or I feel a snowflake on my skin

I feel her small hand in mine and then she is once again in my arms

And I smell her soft brown hair and the taste of her is on my lips

I hear her say “I love you” and she is mine forever

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (032) Long Distance Love

 

The Oakham’s are made up of Upper and Lower Oakham, which are located in the Finchbottom Vale, in the most rural part of the county between Millmoor and Appleby.

The Upper village is so named because it sits on the hill and Lower Oakham nestles in the Valley below and it was in the Lower Village where twenty-five-year-old Clare Todd lived and had done all her life as had her best friend, Samantha Caddick.

Well, she always called her, her best friend, because although she had other friends Sammi never put conditions on their friendship.

They also had a lot in common, both had strong Christian upbringings, they both had unwavering faith, were both only children, were both redheads, were both five feet nothing and they were always there for each other.

Sammi was there for her at every significant moment in Clare’s life, when she was getting married, having a child, and getting divorced while pregnant with their second child, and through all the joy and trauma in her life, Sammi was there.

Sammi had never been married because she had spent the last seven years rebuilding her Narrowboat, The Lily of the Vale, and when she had finished Toddy was on hand on moving day to help, they were going to use both of their cars, but Sammi wasn’t taking everything she owned because she would be a regular visitor to the old family home, to use the washing machine and tumbler.

So, they headed away from the village for barely a mile along narrow lanes until they suddenly turned off into a little car park by the Navigation and came to a halt.

They were only about 50 yards from their destination, so they loaded themselves up with boxes, but because of their diminutive statures they struggled to see where they were going.

Fortunately, a fellow Bargie, or two, came to their aid, in the shape of the Poll’s.

“Can we help?” a voice asked

“Who said that?” Toddy asked and peered around the box she was carrying and added

“Good heavens”

It was at that point that Sammi also looked around her bundle

“I think I’m seeing double” she said

What they were actually seeing were twins, identical twins, around their own age, just shy of six feet tall, pleasant looking with short brown hair.

“Identical twins” Sammi said

“George Poll” the first one said

“Stuart” added the other 

“Samantha Caddick” she said “Sammi”

“Clare Todd” Toddy chimed in “Toddy”

“We’re not quite identical” George said and lifted the hair away from his forehead to reveal a horizontal 4-inch scar

“I got him with a Cricket bat when we were seven” Stuart confessed proudly, Sammi thought the scar was rather fetching.

“We assumed you were headed for the “Lily of the Vale” George said “So we thought you might like some help”

“That’s very kind” Sammi said “Thank you, I’m afraid there’s more in the car”

“No problem, let’s get this aboard first” George suggested “And then we’ll help with the rest”

 

With the first boxes and bundles safely on board the four of them walked back towards the car park.

“So, which one is yours” Sammi asked

“The Witch of Oakham” George replied “Not as pristine as the “Lily”” he said “But I’m getting there, it’s very much a work in progress”

“Just you?” Sammi asked

“Yes, I’m only visiting” Stuart interjected “I’m only up here for a week’s training course, then I’m back home to Shallowfield”

“Shallowfield?” Toddy echoed

“Toddy’s spending Christmas in Shallowfield” Sammi added

“Really?” Stuart asked

“Yes, the girls and I are spending Christmas with my Aunt Ruth” Clare explained

“Girls?”

“Yes, my daughters” Clare explained

“How old?” Stuart asked

“Jane 6 and Daisy 4” she replied proudly

“I have a son Callum, who’s 6” Stuart said just as they reached the car.

 

They comfortably managed the rest of Sammi’s possessions between them and George pointed out that there didn’t appear to be a lot of stuff for two girls and Sammi laughed and said

“No this is all mine”

“I’m a land lubber” Toddy explained “I prefer foundations, walls and a roof”

“Me too” Stuart agreed

 

Once everything was down in the cabin Samantha said

“Thank you so much for the help, now you have to let me buy you a drink”

“Great idea” Toddy chipped in

“Ok with me” George replied

“Me too” added Stuart “where do you want to go?”

“Well, I need to get back to Lower Oakham to collect my car” Toddy explained “So why don’t we go to the pub there”

“And I can bring you back afterwards” Sammi offered

“Ok let’s go” George replied, and he and Stuart started along the towpath.

“Nicely done” Sammi mouthed, and they fist bumped before following the twins.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to Lower Oakham before, what’s the name of the pub we’re going to?” Stuart asked and the three of them chorused

“The Navigators”

 

Despite their promising beginning Clare only saw Stuart once more before he returned to Shallowfield when he took her for a meal in Millmoor at the Downshire Grey, which was very pleasant, but they were both hesitant to go too far, because they lived some distance away from each other.

At the end of the evening, they did make a fairy loose arrangement to do something when she was in Shallowfield for Christmas, but she wasn’t convinced anything would come of it.

But encouragingly Sammi and Stuarts brother George had become an item, so she figured there was hope for her yet

 

Toddy and the girls were heading to Shallowfield as soon as school broke up, so Sammi made sure they had their presents before they went.

“There’s a little something extra in the card” Sammi said as she hugged Toddy “Happy Christmas my lovely”

When she opened the card, she found that Sammi had written Stuart’s address and telephone number inside.

 

She packed the car before picking up the girls from school and nursery and then they set off straight away to her Aunty Ruth’s in Shallowfield a week before Christmas.

The next day Aunty Ruth, took her and the girls to St Cuthbert’s School for the Christmas Bazaar and the first people they saw as they strolled amongst the throng, were Stuart Poll, and he beamed a smile in her direction the moment they made eye contact and her legs instantly turned to jelly, however as much as she was thrilled to see him, that elation was tempered by the same nagging doubt that they could have no future together while they lived so far apart.

“Toddy!” he said “What a lovely surprise”

“Hi Stuart”

“You look great” he said

“So, when did you get here?” he asked

“Last night” she replied

“Well, it’s so good to see you” he said before he realized they were not alone and introduced his son Callum to her, Aunt Ruth and her daughters.

“We’re going to get Hot Chocolate” Callum said

“You can come too”

“Yes, do go” Aunt Ruth said “I need to go and find the Vicar”

“Ok then we’d love to” agreed Toddy

“Come on then” Callum said taking Jane and Daisy by the hand “This way”

 

While the children drank their hot chocolate and chatted excitedly among themselves Stuart whispered in Toddy’s ear

“I’ve got a transfer to the Millmoor office”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, at the end of January” he replied, and she went weak at the knees again, but this time her nagging doubts had melted away, so she reached under the table and held his hand and said

“Happy Christmas”

CHRISTMAS CANOODLE

 

She is the object of my desire

Hers is the name I sit and doodle

Oh, how I long to kiss those lips

As Sweet as apple strudel

I would give everything I own

The whole kit and caboodle

To spend one minute in her arms

And share a Christmas canoodle

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (031) Navigating Christmas

 

The Downshire Navigation was part of the canal network which ran between Nettlefield in the north, down through Millmoor and the Oakham’s to Northchapel, Abbeyvale and then to its most southerly point, Abbottsford, where it again headed north, this time to Childean, Purplemere and Finchbottom where it joined the River Finch.

But the narrow boat, the Lily of the Vale, was moored on a stretch of the canal close to Lower Oakham, which was where Samantha Caddick’s family home was, but the Lily was her new home.

She had bought her when she was 18 with some of the money from the National Savings Certificate her grandparents had purchased when she was born.

The rest of the money and a lot more besides was spent on restoring the old lady, with the invaluable practical assistance from her dad.

But after seven years, spending every spare minute, evenings, weekends and holidays, the day came, in mid-November for her to take up residence aboard her own narrowboat, and moved her chattels with the help of her best friend Clare Todd.

Well, she always called her, her best friend, but in reality, she was her only proper friend, she had sacrificed a lot of friendships since leaving college except Clare because she never put conditions on their friendship.

They also had a lot in common, both had strong Christian upbringings, they both had unwavering faith, were both only children, were both redheads, were both five feet nothing and they were always there for each other.

While Sammi was rebuilding her boat, Clare was getting married, having a child, and getting divorced while pregnant with their second child, and through all the joy and trauma Sammi was there.

So, on moving day Toddy was on hand to help, they were going to use both of their cars, but Sammi wasn’t taking everything she owned because she would be a regular visitor to the old family home, to use the washing machine and tumbler.

So, they headed away from the village for barely a mile along narrow lanes until they suddenly turned off into a little car park by the Navigation and came to a halt.

They were only about 50 yards from their destination, so they loaded themselves up with boxes, but because of their diminutive statures they struggled to see where they were going.

Fortunately, a fellow Bargie, or two, came to their aid, in the shape of the Poll’s.

“Can we help?” a voice asked

“Who said that?” Toddy asked and peered around the box she was carrying and added

“Good heavens”

It was at that point that Sammi also looked around her bundle

“I think I’m seeing double” she said

What they were actually seeing were twins, identical twins, around their own age, just shy of six feet tall, pleasant looking with short brown hair.

“Identical twins” Sammi said

“George Poll” the first one said

“Stuart” added the other 

“Samantha Caddick” she said “Sammi”

“Clare Todd” Toddy chimed in “Toddy”

“We’re not quite identical” George said and lifted the hair away from his forehead to reveal a horizontal 4-inch scar

“I got him with a Cricket bat when we were seven” Stuart confessed proudly, Sammi thought the scar was rather fetching.

“We assumed you were headed for the “Lily of the Vale” George said “So we thought you might like some help”

“That’s very kind” Sammi said “Thank you, I’m afraid there’s more in the car”

“No problem, let’s get this aboard first” George suggested “And then we’ll help with the rest”

 

With the first boxes and bundles safely on board the four of them walked back towards the car park.

“So, which one is yours” Sammi asked

“The Witch of Oakham” George replied “Not as pristine as the “Lily”” he said “But I’m getting there, it’s very much a work in progress”

“Just you?” Sammi asked

“Yes, I’m only visiting” Stuart interjected “I’m only up here for a week’s training course, then I’m back home to Shallowfield”

“Shallowfield?” Toddy echoed

“Toddy’s spending Christmas in Shallowfield” Sammi added

“Really?” Stuart asked

“Yes, the girls and I are spending Christmas with my Aunt Ruth” Clare explained

“Girls?”

“Yes, my daughters” Clare explained

“How old?” Stuart asked

“Jane 6 and Daisy 4” she replied proudly

“I have a son Callum, who’s 6” Stuart said just as they reached the car.

 

They comfortably managed the rest of Sammi’s possessions between them and George pointed out that there didn’t appear to be a lot of stuff for two girls and Sammi laughed and said

“No this is all mine”

“I’m a land lubber” Toddy explained “I prefer foundations, walls and a roof”

“Me too” Stuart agreed

 

Once everything was down in the cabin Samantha said

“Thank you so much for the help, now you have to let me buy you a drink”

“Great idea” Toddy chipped in

“Ok with me” George replied

“Me too” added Stuart “where do you want to go?”

“Well, I need to get back to Lower Oakham to collect my car” Toddy explained “So why don’t we go to the pub there”

“And I can bring you back afterwards” Sammi offered

“Ok let’s go” George replied, and he and Stuart started along the towpath.

“Nicely done” Sammi mouthed, and they fist bumped before following the twins.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to Lower Oakham before, what’s the name of the pub we’re going to?” Stuart asked and the three of them chorused

“The Navigators”

 

After their promising beginning Samantha didn’t see much of George over the two weeks following, the weather turned distinctly awful, and the combination of work, weather and a desire to get settled into her cozy floating home as quickly as possible meant she didn’t manage any more than a wave.

However, on the plus side of the foul weather it meant she could focus on getting everything stowed away neatly, she liked neat, and by the end of November, she had brought everything from her parent’s house that she needed, and everything was where she wanted it to be, and she could relax and enjoy her new home.

Then on the morning of St Andrews Day she woke up with a start and shouted “Christmas”.

 

Sammi loved her parents dearly, but they didn’t really do Christmas as much as she would have liked, other than the religious aspect, they didn’t go all out with the festivities, decorations could best be described as minimalist, they didn’t stint on the presents though.

 

It was Christmas decorations, or the lack of them that led to Sammi waking abruptly and shouting “Christmas”

The next day was the 1st of December, and she didn’t have a single decoration.

It was a school day so she would accept no argument from Toddy and picked her up an hour later and they drove to Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre, and she made a beeline for Hanratty’s Department Store because in her opinion they really knew how to do Christmas.

Once inside Sammi was like a child in a sweetshop at the end of rationing, she didn’t know where to look first, luckily Toddy was with her, because she reined her in a bit at times, otherwise she feared she would have bought the whole shop.

In her trolley, was a 4ft tree, baubles, garlands, swags, ornaments, lights, and tinsel, when she picked up a snow globe.

“You’ve only got a Narrow Boat Sammi, it’s not the Titanic”

“Point taken” she said and put the snow globe back on the shelf.

 

They took all her purchases to the car and then she treated Toddy to lunch and then dropped her home by mid-afternoon so she could pick up her children after which Sammi spent the rest of the day decorating the boat, and when she was finished, she was staggered to see the difference, there were coloured lights, garlands, swags, ornaments, tinsel and baubles everywhere.

“Goodness me” she exclaimed and started thinning them out a bit.

 

The next day she turned her attention to the outside of the boat, stringing several sets of solar powered LED lights from stem to stern and she was just making the finishing touches when she spotted George Poll walking along the tow path, and she was very pleased to see him.

They chatted for about ten minutes although there was quite a bit of flirting mixed in, but then the heavens opened.

“Come aboard” Sammi said and opened the door and went down the companion way, and when George looked up, he was staggered to see the interior had been transformed from when he and his brother helped her move in a couple of weeks earlier.

With the coloured lights, garlands, ornaments, and baubles almost everywhere.

“Merry Christmas” he exclaimed

“It’s the first time I’ve had my own place to decorate, and I’ve gone a bit overboard with the decs, but I love Christmas” she said unapologetically

“Have you not put yours up yet?”

“No, I’m not bothering this year” he confessed “I’ve not finished painting yet”

“Shame”

“But you’ve done more than enough for both of us” he said and laughed

“Well, I’ve still got room for a bit of Holly and a sprig of mistletoe” she said

 

The next week or so kept her gainfully occupied with the usual round of Church activities and Christmas shopping.

Toddy and the girls were heading to Shallowfield as soon as school broke up, so she had to have their presents bought and wrapped in plenty of time.

Keeping so busy however did have its compensations, it meant that she didn’t dwell on her disappointment regarding George Poll, she had thought she was making some progress with him, but she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him for the best part of two weeks, and she was miffed.

But when she returned home after Church, around lunchtime on the last Sunday of Advent, she noticed signs of life aboard The Witch of Oakham and saw there was a Christmas Wreath hanging on the door, which made her smile.

Just at that moment the hatch opened, and George appeared

“Hi Sammi” he said and joined her on the tow path

“Hello George, I haven’t seen you for a while” she responded

“I’ve been in Shallowfield for the last two weeks, my Great Uncle George died” he explained

“Oh, I am sorry, where you close?”

“Yes, I was named after him” he replied “it’s been hard, what with the funeral, sorting his affairs and clearing his house”

“I imagine it was” she sympathized, and an uncomfortable silence followed for about a minute before she added

“I see you’ve entered the Christmas spirit”

And gestured with her eyes towards to wreath

“I like it”

“Oh yes thank you, I’ve already delivered yours to the Lily” he said.

“Really?” she said “That’s very kind”

“Well, they have a big Christmas market in Shallowfield, and I remembered what you said about wanting some holly and mistletoe, so I got you some, I know you didn’t mention a wreath, but I got you one anyway” he explained as they walked slowly along the tow path

“Thank you so much” she responded and when they reached her boat she added when seeing the wreath “That’s beautiful, and the holly is so vibrant”

“Would you like help putting it up?” he asked, which she definitely did not, she was more than capable of doing it herself, but she replied

“Oh yes that would be lovely”

 

Sammi supervised the hanging of the wreath and directed him for the placement of the holly swags, then she pointed up at the beam above the door.

“Can you hang the sprig of mistletoe up there?”

“No problem” he replied

“That looks great” she said when it was done

“We had better test for functionality though” she suggested and adopted a pose where her head was inclined, and she was pointing at her cheek.

“That seems reasonable” he agreed and leant down to kiss her cheek but at the precise point his lips were about to touch her skin she turned her head and kissed him on the lips, from where a more substantive kiss took place beneath the mistletoe, and Sammi had the romantic Christmas she had always dreamed of.

CHRISTMAS EVE

 

We sit beside the hearth,

Just Evelyn and I

Logs crackling in the grate

Flames are burning bright

 

Just the two of us

Alone in the fire side glow

Sitting in cosy comfort

Warm from head to toe

 

It was a year ago we met

On a very different night

When I first saw her face

In the soft glow of candle light

 

It was last Christmas Eve

When I first saw her

It was at midnight mass

And she was singing in the choir

 

She will be singing Carols

Again this Christmas Eve

We will have to stir ourselves

It’s almost time to leave

 

But before we leave the cosy scene

I have something to ask

But I’m a little bit scared

As I set about my task

 

This year has been so special

With her sharing my life

That I want Evelyn to marry me

I want her to be my wife

 

So as we sit beside the hearth,

Just Evelyn and I

Logs crackling in the grate

Flames burning bright

 

I pray that when I ask her

I get the response I dare not believe

And she will answered yes

And be MY Christmas Eve

CHRISTMAS CAROLE

 

My feelings and emotions,

Long since repressed,

Stirred from their slumber

Feelings I thought had long passed

Were awakened like a sleeping giant

Reappearing like long lost friends

Out of the blue and so unexpected

And Carole was the reason

We met by chance

A week or so before Christmas

In a crowded book shop

Amidst the throng of Christmas shoppers

We simultaneously emerged at the checkout

Both clutching a copy of the same book

The dickens classic

“A Christmas Carol”

Spotting each others proposed purchases

We both smiled

And as far as we could see

We were the only people smiling

Surrounded as we were

By a multitude of the disgruntled

I found myself suggesting coffee

And was pleasantly surprised to here her accept

Following that first chance meeting

We quickly became inseparable

We would sit and talk for hours

About everything and nothing

As we’d sit by the cosy fireside

We would share long walks in the country

And afternoons watching old movies

It soon became obvious

We had both found that elusive something

That had been just out of reach

Just over the next hill

We had found our soul mates

Now we share everything

She was the Christmas gift

I had been waiting for all my life

My very own Christmas cracker

My very own Christmas Carole

GIVE ME A KISS FOR CHRISTMAS

 

Give me a kiss for Christmas

For my love for you is strong

Give me a kiss for Christmas

I’ve been waiting oh so long

 

Give me a kiss for Christmas

On this special holy night

Give me a kiss for Christmas

Let me fill you with delight

 

Give me a kiss for Christmas

That is my only Christmas wish

I promise it will be much more

Than just another Christmas kiss