Uncanny Christmas Tales – (049) The Santa Express

 

The Dulcets are a collection of villages and hamlets comprising of Dulcet Meadow, Dulcet St Mary, Dulcet Green, and Dulcet-on-Brooke, to name but a few, and of course Dulcet-on-Willow, a large sprawling village beside the gentle shallow River Willow, which ran unhurriedly from the Pepperstock Hills to the more vibrant River Brooke, and it was on the banks of the river where the home of Clare Gammon was situated.

It was previously her family home and she had lived there all 26 years of her life; she had lived alone in the house for 2 of those years.

She worked in Dulcet St Mary for the Dulcet Garden Centre as a senior buyer, but she had many more strings to her bow.

Clare was very active in the church, at St Bede’s as well as farther afield.

This involved among other things, being a greeter at the church services, delivering Parish Magazines, helping at the Christmas Bazaar, Summer Fete, and Sunday School, you name it, and she did it and that was only in the village.

Her wider good works included the Soup Kitchens in Finchbottom or Purplemere, who were always desperate for volunteers.

The Christmas Charity Wagon in Sharpington, which was an old Mornington Brewery dray, pulled by two white shire horses, which was bedecked with tinsel and lights and carried on the back, a multi denominational choir singing Christmas Carols.

Clare was not however, among those going from door to door, as the wagon drove around the town, collecting donations in plastic buckets and handing out sweets to the excited children, no she was in the choir on the back of the Dray because she had the voice of an angel.

She also volunteered for the Roving Angels, which had been in existence for about two years and was similar to the Street Angels, Street Pastors and other groups that had sprung up all across the UK in the previous 20 or 25 years.

They had made a really positive impact on crime and antisocial behaviour in Finchbottom and Purplemere town centres over the first two years, particularly in the general vicinity of the bars and clubs.

Providing a calming presence on the streets late at night in situations where a police uniform might have the opposite effect.

In the first two years of the Roving Angels, they had contributed to a 29% fall in public place violence on the weekends.

It all began when Christian Churches in the area came together with the Police and the Borough Council’s to establish the Angels.

But it took people of Faith to make it work as with so many things in life.

Clare had been doing it for two years so had not been with them since the beginning.

 

But one of her favourite good deeds was to help out on the Santa Express, which was something to behold, and she loved it because it reminded her of her childhood.

The Santa Express was in reality the Finchbottom Flyer, a 4-6-2 standard gauge four-cylinder steam locomotive built at the Northchapel Works in 1933, liveried in the black and gold of the DCRN, Downshire County Railway Network.

It was a great work horse of the DCRN from 1933 until 1962. 

After it was taken out of service it was stored at the Northchapel Works and remained there for twenty-five years, until it and several other engines and assorted rolling stock were acquired by the Downshire Railway Preservation Society, with the financial support and patronage of Baron St George of Mornington, who was a man with a strong sense of history and his stewardship of the Mornington Estate wasn’t restricted just to the land and properties within the Estate, they also ensured the protection of historically significant buildings and landmarks under threat from modernizers.

Although steam railway engines didn’t really fall within the Estates normal parameters his Lordship made an unprecedented exception.

The acquisition of the Flyer was made in 1988 and the restoration  was completed in 1992. 

The maiden journey for fare paying customers was on the August Bank Holiday in 1993 and ran from Sharping St Mary to Sharpinghead and then onto Sharpington.

It wasn’t until seven years later when the Sharpington spur line was completed, they had access to the main Finchbottom line and were able to go County wide.

It was two years earlier than that when the Flyer had its first outing as the Santa Express which ran from Sharping St Mary station to a secret location where Santa was waiting in his village and grotto.

It was actually the old herb drying sheds which had been preserved and renovated and dressed for the season.

The train picked up children and their parent’s late afternoon so that they arrived at the grotto in darkness in order to make the most of the spectacular lights.

It ran every day from the first of December up until Christmas and there were always plenty of Elves aboard to ensure the children didn’t escape from the carriages.

Clare Gammon was one of those Elves, it was one of the high points of her year, she well remembered her parents taking her when she was a young girl and she liked to see other kids as excited as she used to be at their age.

 

On Wednesday afternoon she drove to Sharping St Mary and when she got there the kids were going crazy with excitement and she found the excitement was quite infectious.

But her job on the trip was to make sure none of the over excited little darlings fell off the train.

There were always plenty of helpers, many of whom she already knew, but there was often a new face or two, and that Wednesday was no difference, but one helper fell into both categories.

She had just got aboard the carriage and closed the door when a voice behind her said

“My God its Miss Piggy”

Only one person had ever called her Miss Piggy, and that was Michael Cooper, but she hadn’t seen him since they were at school together when they were 14, because he moved out of the village, she didn’t know where to.

She turned around to face the speaker,

“It is you” he said and laughed, and the schoolgirl crush she had on him as a 14-year-old girl flooded over her again, even though the tall man with broad shoulders and hands like shovels, short brown hair, neatly trimmed beard, and hazel eyes, was so different from the boy she worshipped, only his infectious laugh was the same.

“Michael!” she exclaimed

“The very same” he replied

“Not the same” she corrected him “but definitely you”

She had never believed in love at first sight or in soul mates, she thought them rather fanciful notions, the stuff of romantic fiction and sentimental movies.

That was until she met the grown-up incarnation of Michael Cooper when she was instantly smitten, but she doubted he would feel the same.

“What are you doing here?” she asked

“The same as you”

“That’s not what I meant” she said, but then became aware that the sounds of bedlam were emanating from her carriage

“I’d better go” she said regretfully  

“I would love to catch up though” she called over her shoulder

“Me too” he shouted after her

 

She did catch sight of him a couple of times after that, the first time was when one of the Elves, Lily Farmer managed to trap him between the carriages armed with a bunch of mistletoe and only when she had satisfied herself in the pagan ritual did, she let him go.

Irrationally, having witnessed the kiss, she was not at all happy about it, but she did enjoy seeing him again.

Now if the kids were excited on the way to the grotto, then judging by the decibel level, they were even more so on the way back to the station.

The second time she saw him was when they disembarked after the return journey, and the children and their parents made their way home, when her own cousin Eleanor kissed him and said goodbye.

Sadly, she never got to speak to him again, not that day at any rate.

 

She drove back to Willow rerunning the day’s events in her head and just as she pulled onto her drive, her phone rang, so she came to a halt and answered it.

“Hello!”

“Hi Clare” her cousin Eleanor said

“Guess who asked me for your number today?”

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (048) The Garden Center Girls

 

Dulcet St Mary was where the Dulcet Garden Centre was located, which was where Jane Price and Mandy Hubble first met, and was also where Jane fell head over heels in love, with Mandy.

Jane had worked at the Garden Centre since she left school but

Mandy joined as a new hire in October, and was also new to Dulcet St Mary, and actually lived in the same mews as Jane.

She was a year younger than Jane, but like her she was socially awkward, and lacked confidence.

As a result, they just smiled at each other for the first month, but at least sat at the same table for lunch, and by December they progressed beyond monosyllabic conversations, and in the week before Christmas they arranged to go Christmas shopping together in Abbottsford.

Jane was a little concerned there might be an awkward silence on the drive over, or at some point during the day as they had never spent more than half an hour in each other’s company before that day.

She needn’t have worried as Mandy chattered away for the whole journey, as she was so full of excitement.

 

Jane had a lovely day, and she was pretty sure that Mandy had too, so when they were heading back to the car park, walking past the library, hands full of bags and chatting, Jane formulated her plan.

Just after the library they turned left by the art gallery and down a cobbled alley which led to the carpark, then they put all their bags in the car and set off back to the Dulcets.

 

Mandy was anxious to go and show her mum her purchases, but Jane had other ideas.

So, when she parked outside her cottage and they had retrieved all the bags, Jane locked the car and rushed up the path to her front door.

“Come on Mandy” Jane called “come in for a minute”

“Ok I’m coming” Mandy called back “Just for five minutes though”

“Alright come in and close the door” she said and went inside.

Mandy followed her in with bags in each hand and closed the door behind her as instructed, but when she pushed the sitting room door open, she found Jane standing in front of her holding up a sprig of mistletoe, and before she could react Jane took her by surprise and kissed her,

“I didn’t think we were doing presents until next week”

Mandy said, dropped her bags and kissed her back. 

 

Mandy had stayed much longer than five minutes when they shared a soft, gentle, and affectionate farewell kiss, before Jane opened the door and Mandy went home to share her news with her mum.

Angela With The Elphin Face

 

If you looked closely at Angela Buckland you couldn’t help but see why she was one of the most popular girls at school.

Her Elphin face had a shape and symmetry that was easy on the eye and her figure was to die for.

Although there were girls who were more classically beautiful they didn’t have any of the character of Angela’s.

Her silky red hair shone and shimmered as she moved her head and her brown eyes bore into your soul when you met their gaze.

As if her unique beauty was not enough she was also athletic, artistic, intelligent and sexy.

I think everyone, boy or girl that ever met her fell instantly in love with her.
But I had been in love with her since before she blossomed.

Despite all the attention though Angela managed to keep everyone of the suitors at bay which led to the rumour that she played for the other side.

I never believed that for a moment and I had known her longer than anyone.

Because Angela Buckland was the girl next door.

And she had lived there since she was three and we had been best friends since the beginning.

So when she was approaching her seventeenth birthday I wouldn’t have been at all surprised to get an invitation we had after all been friends since nursery school.

 

Having established that Angela was one of the popular group, I was in no uncertain terms not.

I was not athletic, artistic, or sexy but without being immodest we did have intelligence in common and my forte was science, in particular Physics.   

So under normal circumstances, friendship and intelligence aside, why would one of the popular girls invite a Science geek to her 17th birthday party?

Anyone not close to her could be forgiven if they were surprised but I was not.

They would have been further surprised when it turned out I was only one of six guests at the party one of those being Angela herself.

Though for me it certainly wasn’t a surprise knowing her as I did she was never a flashy person.

She didn’t want a big flashy party with lots of superficial friends.

So there was just Angela, me and four other guests who were also old friends chosen for their friendship and not their social standing.

Kelly Reed was also one of the popular girls but she started with us in nursery as well and she had no affectation either, her cousin Roy Pollard who was 18, Mark Clench and Susanna Perioli.

The party was at a Chinese restaurant called the Blossom Garden which was Angela’s favourite.

As you would expect from such a great restaurant it was a really excellent meal and as Roy was 18 he ordered wine with meal so as we reminisced about our shared history we laughed until we cried.

 

As we left the Blossom Garden and got down to street level we had the usual hugs and kisses on the pavement and then Kelly went accross the road to where her Dads car was parked.

Then as Mark, Susie and Roy all lived in the same neck of the woods went off to get the bus and Angela and I headed to the station to catch the train.

 

As we walked up station approach I said

“I had a really great time” 

“Yeh me too” she replied

“Wasnt it great to get the six of us together again?”

“We should do it more often” I suggested

““We” should get together more often” Angela said

“What just the two of us?” I asked

“Yeh” she said coyly

“Just you and the geek?” I asked with surprise

"You’re not a geek” she said defensively “And anyway if you were that wouldn’t stop me fancying you," she said.
"You fancy me?" I asked pointing at myself
"Didn't you know?"
I shook my head
"What about you?” she asked shyly

“Do you fancy me?

“I don’t know about fancying you” I said and she was clearly crestfallen for a second

“But I’ve been in love with you since we were 7 if that counts”

“Pig” she said and laughed before she kissed me softy on the lips which led to the most wonderful spine tingling embrace that seemed to last forever.

When it ended she looked at me with her soulful eyes and smiled the most loving smile.

I returned her smile and wanted to say something fitting for the moment but I was lost for words.

“Wow” she said beating me to the punch

Then she giggled and ran off up the road and shouted over her shoulder

“You’ll have to marry me now”

Uncanny Love Tales – (078) The Dapper Doctor

 

It happened during one special Summer Holiday on Teardrop Lake when Brothers Julian and Nigel Arbury were staying at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel on the shore of Teardrop Lake.

The view of the lake from the forested hills was spectacular, the lake was shaped like a teardrop, hence its name, and surrounded by the ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forrest.

It wasn’t a huge body of water, just over two miles long and almost a mile at its widest point, but it was beautiful and relatively unspoilt.

Julian spent his days sailing on the Lake, whereas Nigel was more interested in walking the woods or birdwatching.

The lake was beautiful, it was both idyllic and peaceful, there was little or no noise pollution and although the lake was used, there were no speed boats or jet skis, only rowing boats, canoes, dinghies, skiffs and the more recently introduced electric dinghies.  

 

Julian hadn’t seen an electric dinghy before, until his first day out on the lake, it was out in the middle of the lake with an olive-skinned girl sitting on the bow fishing with her lovely legs hanging over the side and dangling in the water and she gave him a wave as he passed her, which he returned.

He sailed up and down the lake for another hour and a half before he passed the boat again and this time she was standing up in the boat and waving both arms frantically, so he went over to investigate.

“Is everything ok?” he called as he lowered the sail.

“It won’t start” she replied.

“Out of charge?”

“No, out of bloody order” she replied and laughed.

“Do you want a ride back to shore?” he asked as he drifted alongside.   

“Yes please” she replied and climbed aboard and handed him the painter which he tied to the stern cleat “I’m Maria by the way”.

“Julian” he responded.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Can you take me to the East Jetty?” she said and pointed it out.

It took a while because it was against the wind, but they chatted on the way.

Her full name was Maria Fiorellino, and as her name suggested, she was of Italian decent, with a Mediterranean complexion, dark lustrous hair, and a beautiful smile.

She was a doctor at the local Health Centre and was in danger of being late for her afternoon telephone consults, she would have missed them altogether had he not come along when he did.

He drifted up to the jetty, climbed out and tied off the line before taking Maria’s hand and helping her step onto the jetty.

“Thank you, kind sir,” she said and smiled before tying her boat to the capstan.

“I can’t thank you enough for coming to my rescue, I’d offer you some lunch but I’m desperately late”.

“Some other time” Julian said.

“It’s a date, I mean… well … you know … bye” she stammered and rushed off.

“Very nice” he muttered to himself “Very nice indeed”.

 

He spent the next couple of days on the lake but didn’t see her out in her boat again. 

Then the day after, he had to take Nigel, well forced would have been nearer the mark, to the Dancingdean Health Centre in Shallowfield after getting a nasty cut on his leg following a slip on wet rocks by Shoe Buckle Falls, so named, as legend had it, after a 17th century fugitive Cavalier who was pursued into the forest by parliamentarian soldiers but disappeared in the vicinity of the falls and all they ever found of him was his shoe buckle.

Nigel didn’t want to make a fuss over the cut on his leg, he would have been quite happy to stick a few plasters on it, but Julian was having none of it.

“It needs stitches” Julian insisted.

“But…”

“But nothing” Julian said, “Get in the car”.

 

The owner of the Shallowfield Lodge, Sheryl Brown, had phoned ahead so when they got to the Health Centre they were expecting them, it was while they were sitting in the waiting area that he caught sight of Doctor Fiorellino just for a minute, long enough to take in and appreciate her, medium height, super slim, very dapper in a dark blue trouser suit, and standing perfectly erect with her tiny feet together, looking very prim and proper, then sadly she went back into her room.

After Nigel’s name had been called and he followed the practice nurse into the surgery, he got up and walked over to where he had seen her and pretended to study the notice board.

He was there for a full five minutes before he heard her door open and when he heard footsteps, he turned around he said.

“Hello Doctor”

“Oh er… um … Julian …” she stammered and smiled broadly.

“What a nice surprise, nothing serious I hope”.

“Serious?”

“The reason for your visit to the surgery” she explained.

“Oh, I see, no its my brother, he has a nasty gash on his leg” he replied, “I’m just here to remind you about the lunch you owe me”.

“Oh yes lunch” she responded and began playing with her hair in a flirty way.

“I can’t really manage lunch this week, but what about dinner?”

“Even better” he said, and she blushed.

Uncanny Love Tales – (077) Green Eyes

 

It happened during one special Summer Holiday on Teardrop Lake when Brothers Nigel and Julian Arbury were staying at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel.

Nigel spent his days walking the woods or birdwatching, whereas Julian was more interested in sailing on Teardrop Lake.

The view of the lake from the forested hills was spectacular, the lake was shaped like a teardrop, hence its name, and surrounded by the ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forrest.

It wasn’t a huge body of water, just over two miles long and almost a mile at its widest point, but it was beautiful and relatively unspoilt, but it was not the view of the Lake which lingered most in his memory that holiday.

 

It was on the fourth day of his holiday when Julian forced him to go to the Dancingdean Health Centre in Shallowfield after getting a nasty cut on his leg following a slip on wet rocks by Shoe Buckle Falls, so named, as legend had it, after a 17th century fugitive Cavalier who was pursued into the forest by parliamentarian soldiers but disappeared in the vicinity of the falls and all they ever found of him was his shoe buckle.

 

Nigel was a painfully shy man, which was perhaps why he spent so much time following his solitary pursuits, so he was always reluctant to put himself in situation where he had to be face to face with strangers which is why he didn’t want to make a fuss over the cut on his leg, he would have been quite happy to stick a few plasters on it but Julian was having none of it.

“It needs stitches” Julian insisted.

“But…”

“But nothing” Julian said, “Get in the car”.

 

The owner of the Shallowfield Lodge, Sheryl Brown, had phoned ahead so when they got to the Health Centre, they were expecting them.

They went straight to the reception desk, and were greeted by two smiling receptionists, the first one was an older lady who exuded efficiency, and it was she who took all of his details, but Nigel’s attention was drawn to the younger woman, she was of Chinese heritage, and the older lady called her Frankie.

Frankie was sitting at her desk typing on her laptop, and she was wearing a short summer dress, and as she was sat side on to him, he had a lovely view of her shapely smooth skinned naked legs, from her cute knees down to her lace trimmed ankle socks and the flat shoes on her tiny feet.

Frankie ticked a lot of boxes for Nigel and when she turned and smiled, she ticked another one.

However, the next time he looked at her lovely legs she caught him and when she smiled in response, he blushed so he and Julian went and sat down in the waiting area.

Sadly, from where he was sitting, he couldn’t see Frankie anymore and they sat there for about 20 minutes before his name was called and he followed the practice nurse into the surgery, when he looked across to the reception desk, Frankie was stood up with her back to him and he still thought her legs were lovely. 

 

It turned out that Julian was right to take him to the Health Centre as he needed six stitches and a tetanus jab, and instructions to rest the leg and have the dressing changed at the centre the next day.

When he returned to the waiting room, he found his brother Julian in conversation with an attractive woman with a Mediterranean complexion and dark lustrous hair.

She was medium height, super slim and very dapper in a dark blue trouser suit, and standing perfectly erect with her tiny feet together, and she was playing with her hair in a flirty way.

He really envied Julian’s ability to engage complete strangers in conversation and charm them, he could never do that.

He found out later that she was a Doctor called Maria Fiorellino, and as her name suggested, was of Italian decent.

 

For the next few days, he had to curtail his walking, and restrict his birdwatching to what he could see from the environs of the hotel, he did go out on the boat with Julian one day, but it wasn’t really his thing. 

So, on Saturday he decided to throw caution to the wind had headed up to search for the green Woodpecker he was searching for when he cut his leg, he just made sure he stuck to the well-trodden paths.

 

He had been out for about an hour and was lost in his own thoughts when an unfamiliar voice behind him said.

“What are you doing up in the woods? apart from disregarding medical advice”.

“Bird watching” he replied and when he turned around, he saw it was Frankie Fong, from the health centre and added.

“Oh hello”

“Don’t you “Hello” me” she chastised “You’re supposed to rest that leg”.

“I have been this is my first time out, honest, and it’s much better, really” he babbled on but when he looked up, she was smiling.

“I was only teasing”.

“Oh,” he said and blushed

“So, what’s then plan today?” she asked, “Have you seen all the local sights, The Chapel, the Follies and the Tower?”

“Yes” he said, “but I prefer something natural rather than manmade”.

“Yes, I know what you mean” she said, “What about the falls?”

“That’s where I did this” he replied pointing at the bandage.

“Of course, silly me, best not go back there yet” she said with a giggle.

“Well, what about Lovers Leap?” she said.

“Lovers Leap?” he repeated.

“Yes, it’s a kind of rocky shelf that juts out above the cliffs, the view is amazing” she explained.

“Great, how do I find it?” he asked.

“I’ll show you if you like” Frankie suggested.

“Oh ok, yes that would be lovely” he replied.

 

The cliffs were an extension of those that formed part of the northern side of Teardrop Lake and formed the natural border between the Teardrop estate and the Dancingdean Forest proper.

Lovers Leap was so called because it was where desperate and broken-hearted lovers would leap to their deaths although there was no evidence that anyone actually had.

 

It wasn’t a long walk from where they met but it wasn’t an easy one either, so as it was a hot day, and not wanting to be sweating profusely by the time they reached Lovers Leap, and mindful of Nigel’s leg, Frankie took them the long way round, which was a much gentler climb, and gave them chance to chat.

“So, do you live around here?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m lucky enough to have a flat overlooking the lake” she replied, “its heaven”.

“Wow you are lucky” Nigel agreed.

“What about you, where is home for you?” she asked.

“Childean” he replied.

“So not far then” Frankie said and nodded to herself “and when do you return home?”

“Next Saturday” he replied.

“Another week?”

“Yes, I need to make the most of it” he said.

“Good idea” she retorted.

 

When they reached their destination, they walked onto the shelf and took in the vista, and it took his breath away.

They sat down on the rocky shelf which bizarrely felt cool despite the heat of the sun, and they shared the bottle of water from Nigel’s pack.

“So, what were you looking for with these?” she asked and picked up his binoculars before standing up to survey the trees below, while she did that, he surveyed her legs again.

“Oh, it’s a bit blurry” she said so he stood up behind her showed her how to use the focus.

“That’s much better” she said cheerfully.

“What am I looking for?”

“A Woodpecker” he replied.

“What colour is it?” She asked scanning the treetops.

“Green like your eyes”

“I’m surprised you noticed that they’re green” she said turning to face him.

“Because I know you like my knees as I caught you looking at them more than once, and I thought that was the sum total of your interest”.

“Nnnnno my interests are much higher than that”.

“Really? So above my knees then” she asked with raised eyebrows.

“No! I didn’t mean that” he replied with alarm.

“So, what then? come on out with it” she demanded.

“Your heart” he replied.

“Good answer” she said and kissed him.

Uncanny Love Tales – (076) Mother Theresa

 

The village of Kettlewell sits in the rolling Pepperstock Hills that form the northwest border of the Finchbottom Vale and it is half a mile from the hamlet of Kettlewell-on-the-Hill, the two of which made up the parish of St Augustine’s Church, and Kettlewell is 1.5 miles from its largest neighbour, Highfinch, which was where Theresa Gammon was driving to on a hot sunny afternoon.

She lived in Kettlewell, on the far side of the village right on the edge of the countryside, in a large detached former farmhouse and had lived there her who life and could never imagine living anywhere else.

Theresa had come close to losing the house after her husband left and had to work hard to keep a roof over her daughter's heads after the divorce.

She had had to make sacrifices over the years and one of those was romantic attachments which was why she hadn’t found a significant other in her life.

However, her daughters, Lily, and Rosie, were now both engaged to fine young men, so time was running out to find love again before the grandchildren came along.

When she arrived at the Tennis club she parked up, and when she got out, she was wearing white Tennis shoes, white ankle socks with yellow trim and a pale-yellow tennis dress, mid-thigh length, to show off her lovely long tanned legs.

On her head she wore a peaked cap, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, Theresa had the same colouring as her daughter Lily, pale ginger hair, fair delicate skin, and stunning blue eyes, her hair was going a little salt and peppery, which she could have dyed,

 but she rather liked it.

She smiled when she saw her Tennis partner walking towards her, because her children had been talking about wanting to find someone for her, but they didn’t know that she already had her sights set on the new Church Warden, who was her partner that afternoon, but hoped that was just the beginning.