Wednesday 12 December 2012

A Christmas Tree Story



by Barry Woodham 



I don’t like the dark!
It’s dark in here a lot!
Sometimes the door opens, but it’s soon closed. We are right at the back and difficult to see behind all the coats. Sometimes a coat gets thrown over us and it stays hot for ages and ages.
It really gets dark then.
I’ve got used to it now, after all these years. Some of the others have been here much longer than me. Bits of them fall off. I’m still all together; - at least I was the last time I was taken out.
It’s always a gamble though, every time we get crammed into the back again and left in the dark once more.
The last time, not all of us were put back and I said that I was not surprised as some of the non-returnees were very tatty. Well, you have to look your best don’t you!
There was some excitement the other day when the door opened and one of them came in looking around.
All cramped up it was. It couldn’t see us at the back. It was looking for something else, because it found it and shut the door again. We hear them all year round, thumping up and down the stairs. They don’t think about us at all until it suits them.
I don’t like the dark!
The door is open again.
Things are being moved around and dragged out into the open.
I can see a hand reaching for the box at the back.
Oh the excitement now! It’s reaching for me. I’m being pulled into the light, but the long tail that I have has caught onto something else behind me. If it pulls too hard I will be missing my vital piece and then I will not be able to do my thing! Its all right, it’s crawling further into the dark and it has freed my tail without the end piece coming off!
I’m out at last!
Things have changed again. The paper’s different on the walls and the carpet’s new! The fish tank’s still there and that’s where I always stand. I like it up here, there’s lots of room.
I can feel that end of my tail has been pushed into place and yes the switch is on! My lights are on again! I’m working again. Oh joy, oh joy it’s good to be back. On, off, wink and shine, round and round I go!
Two wonderful weeks, if I’m lucky, before its back to the cupboard under the stairs.

©2012 Barry Woodham. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce without permission. 




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