I work as a part time childminder for two different
families. On Mondays and Tuesdays I have my gorgeous girlies - aged 6, 5 and 3; Wednesday and Friday afternoons I have my best buddies-aged 12, 10 and 6. They are all great kids
and all attend Gaelscoil Bhriain Boroimhe in Applewood, Swords. My best buddies
are members of a relocated South African family - all of my buds were born in Ireland,
and they speak both English and Irish (and fair play to their mother for
mastering Irish to be able to help them with homework – she has better Irish
than 99% of our population) with a delightful Afrikaans’s accent. They family blonde,
sallow-skinned and beautiful.
On Thursday night last I was sitting at home
idly scrolling through Facebook when I spotted a picture of a dog that looked
remarkably like Charlie, new pet (with the smelliest farts in Ireland), of my
best buddies. This dog had been found near Airside in Swords, Dublin, and
looked very plaintive in the photo.. He had been taken in by a family and they'd posted his image on a local ‘Things For Sale, Swap or Free’ page in the hope someone in the
area would recognise him. I mentioned it to the Jemser and he said
‘Sure ring your best buddies’
mother and let them know.’
But it was late and I didn’t want to disturb
them so I left it. The whole thing went completely out of my head on Friday morning
– until I got a text from me buddies’ Mam asking me something, and mentioning
that she’d left the side gate open as Charlie had done a runner. The family only got
Charlie five weeks ago - from another nice home; but he is unused to the area
and apt to bolt to explore if one leaves the front door open for even a second. The kids aren’t used to this yet and
so forget to be careful. Plus they’re kids. He had gotten out on the odd
occasion before Thursday but they’d always managed to catch him. But he went AWOL Thursday evening
- the children were heart broken and very worried. Losing a pet is hard enough
on adults, but there is a very special bond between children and their pets, I suppose because children’s lives are - for the most part, carefree; so any little anxiety hits them
harder. The children absolutely adore Charlie and have showered him with
affection since he came into their lives, they play with him constantly when at
home, and he is mad about them all. The parents are incredibly loving busy people but hadn’t taken Charlie to the vet yet for chipping, nor had they gotten around to
buying a dog tag. That’s first thing on their list this morning!
‘OMG!’
texted me to her,‘saw him on FB!At least I think it was him. I’ll get kids to
confirm and if it’s him we’ll collect him.’
She couldn’t access FB in work to check if it
was Charlie so I popped onto the FB page and posted that I thought
I knew the owners and would be in touch later. I was right excited going up to me
best buddies’ house. I had a little Christmas present for each of them and
planned to take them out to eat as a special Christmas treat. I love treating
kids, love their faces when something different happens to them. Oh! to be a
child again – to still have that sense
of wonderment and joie de vivre. Mind you, I do try me best to be tuned into
it. I had the laptop open onto that lovely picture of Charlie on FB, ready and waiting hard for the scholars coming in.
The ten year old was first
through the door.
‘Hi Ev-eh-lin, Charlie ran away
yesterday – is he back?’ Love that child’s accent.
‘No….But’, I raised my right hand, palm out towards him,
palm outwards,‘look at this. Is that Charlie?’
‘Yes. That’s my dog.’
‘Well then, he’s found. He’s safe
in a nice family’s house.’
His face went through every
emotion in ten seconds flat and ended in sheer unadulterated joy as he fist
pumped, jumped up and down , shouting
’ My dog. She found my dog. The
other two landed in through door.
’What? What?What?’ That lovely
blossoming twelve year old, her face a little anxious.
‘Charlie, Ev-eh-lin found Charlie.
Look.’
Her face lit up like the
twinkliest Christmas tree ever.
‘What? What?’’ She was confused
momentarily.
‘Look. Look at his picture.' I put my arm around her, drew her to the laptop. 'It’s
him, he was found – I didn’t find him, I just spotted it on Facebook. I have contacted
the lady who found him and I’m waiting on a text or phone call to tell us where
Charlie is.’
More jumping and fist-pumping and -
‘Ev-eh-Lin you are the best childminder ever’.
This despite my protestations
that I hadn’t actually done anything – just luckily spotted their dog and joined
the dots. The six year old decided I was magic. In my Story Queen persona I am
magic – and he likes that idea.
‘And I’m taken yiz to Burger King
as a special Christmas treat. And you’re even allowed dessert after dinner.’
The joyous whoops continued. Then I gave them
their pressies – books of course, John Green and Chris O’Dowd for the twelve
year old, David Walliams for the ten year old ,and Emer Martin and co-writers
for the six year old - along with a magic set - the younger they are the less
they regard books or clothes as ‘proper’ presents. One of my gorgeous girlies
went into meltdown earlier in the week because I had gifted her a fabulous dressing
up dress which looked stunning on her. Deep blue crushed nylon velveteen with a
white fur trim and a long fur trimmed cloak, tiara and wand included!
‘Y’didn’t even get us a toy’ she
huffed initially, throwing guna on floor. Her mother was mortified. The child’s a child.
It happens.
Back to me best buddies. As they opened their pressies and thanked
me I kept an eye on FB – lots of comments and messages flying to and fro about
our Charlie. The kids were highly entertained as I read them out. After the excitement had calmed
down somewhat and they each had a little play on the X Box we set out for BurgerKing. I have
a Christmas CD in the car and we sang-along as we drove. I felt all fuzzy and
warm inside – like a little girl on Christmas morning when she knows, just knows,
everything is going to be perfect. No one will fight, no one will shout in
anger, everybody in her family will be happy all day long. No-one will get
drunk and ruin everything. There will be love.
We got to the fast food joint and
the kids picked what they wanted. They messed with paper crowns and a little
Christmas decoration as we waited for the food. They talked. I listened. We
laughed at silly things. It was fun. As we ate our grub I noticed through the
window a huge murmuration of starlings roiling through the sky as the hard
bright winter’s evening drew to a close. I pointed them out to the children and
we chatted about it. Then ‘what to my wondering eye should appear’ - behind the
starlings and very, very high up, but something that looked so like Santa’s
sleigh it was incredible. Of course, it was a plane - and its angle and whatever
way the setting sun caught it gave it that mysterious pinkish silhouette.
We were all gob-smacked. A magical ten seconds.
‘It can’t be him. It’s too soon.
I only sent my letter today.’ Six year old buddy looked a bit worried.
‘You’re right. It’s a plane – but
doesn’t it look lovely with all the starlings flying about.
‘Yes. But Ev-eh-lin. It’s not
Santa.’
‘No. You’re right.’
We went home then and he showed
me some of his magic tricks. Watch yer back Derren Brown. The lady who was caring for Charlie phoned just before I
left me buddies' house and they’ll all be
reunited this morning. I’ll batter their Da if he doesn’t send me a picture of
them with their beloved animal. I won’t batter their Ma, because it’s always the Das’s
forgettorys that causes these things,
I had a brilliant day. Happy
Christmas yiz all.
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