The Eleven Days of Christmas

By Kenneth Horton

The Eleven Days of Christmas is based on the well known carol ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.

The parent’s have to deal with the constant stream of steadily increasing numbers of gifts as in the carol, sent to their daughter by her boy friend.

Unfortunately due to pressure of work the lady happens to be away from home at the time and the boy friend can’t be contacted.

The resulting confusion brings together cattle and poultry breeders, the R.S.P.C.A., council and health officials, the police, a dance academy, an actor’s agency, and a pipe band to mention just a few.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Horton
• Release date: Oct 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301647149

Kenneth Horton

Retired in the 1980's depot manager for Lucas / C A V Electrical and Diesel fuel injection Plays a Yamaha electronic organ A100 Plays Golf, and a computer buff, likes flight similators

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THE ELEVEN DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

By

Ken.Horton

Published by

Ken Horton on Smashwords

Copyright K. Horton 2012

The First Day

It all started early one Tuesday morning in late December last year. Mabel Johnson opened her front door in answer to the short ring on the doorbell, Good morning Madam, Hollis Nurseries. Miss Johnson?" The slim young man raised his eyebrows to accompany the question, he was holding a long thin parcel well wrapped in brown paper.

Mrs Johnson nodded, Nothing to sign he said, handing over the parcel, Cheers. He retreated down the path while Mabel tried to remember if her Husband had ordered anything from the local garden centre, Now that can’t be right, she thought as she looked at the label. It’s addressed to Jane. Eager to find what and possibly who had sent the parcel, she waylaid Jane the moment she set foot inside the house

.'This parcel arrived for you this morning, Jane’s gaze followed her Mother's pointing finger. It’s from the Hollis Market Garden Centre she added, Jane shook her head, I’ve not ordered anything, Well it’s addressed to you, and if you didn’t order anything who did? Jane smiled, Well there’s’ only one way to find out.She carried the parcel over to the kitchen table and sat down, It looks like a tree, said Mabel. Now who on earth would send you a tree? Jane shrugged her shoulders and started to tear the wrapping away, It is a tree, she confirmed. More paper came away revealing a label, Jane twisted it around to read the writing, It’s a pear tree, she pulled more paper away, and a little parcel. Her Mother reached over the table and taking the parcel unwrapped it.

Goodness me it’s a cooked partridge she exclaimed, who sent this I wonder? Jane turned the label over to read the reverse side, I’ll give you three guesses, she smiled affectionately, it’s from Rodger, and after a pause she added The fool.

The Second Day

Around mid morning the same young man arrived to deliver another well wrapped parcel, it’s shape and size left Mabel in little doubt that it could well be a duplicate of yesterday’s delivery, but before she could ask he had nodded a greeting and smiling apologetically thrust the parcel into her hands Miss Johnson again, he said, sorry I’m in a bit of a rush today, he turned and hurried down the path.

Mabel took the parcel indoors and leaning it against the doorjamb closed the door, almost instantly the bell rang making her jump visibly. She swung the door open, Good grief she cried, where did you spring from? Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged man wearing a green warehouse coat, he was holding a large dome shaped cage from which she could hear the sound of muted cooing.

He smiled and held out a clipboard while at the same time reaching for a pen lodged behind his ear. Sign here he said, Mabel reached instinctively for the board before realising what she was doing. Oh no there must be some mistake, she leaned round Greencoat to view the cage. We haven’t ordered any of those, she pointed to the cage, whatever they are.

Greencoat pushed the clip board back into her hands, Miss Johnson live here? he enquired, Mabel nodded, Well then there’s no mistake. He angled the board so they could both read the attached note. Two doves, turtle, white ,deliver to Miss J. Johnson, there’s no mistake. Mabel read the note slowly, Oh dear she said uncertainly, It looks right, but I wish my Fred was here.

I’m not having the place cluttered with all this, Fred had arrived home and was viewing the two partially unwrapped fruit trees and the caged birds with annoyance. I know who’s going to get lumbered with looking after the birds, Yes said Mabel quietly, It will be me. Fred ignored the remark, I wouldn’t mind but that girl’s in no position to look after anything. When she’s