I sell items which are associated in some way with my stories. The story-copyright is not for sale.
Granddad had steam trains in the attic. Mum said so. Tony piled up two wobbling chairs and pushed the trapdoor but the attic was empty. Mum said: well, Tony wasn't far wrong there.
Granddad chugged downstairs on Monday morning and whistled for his breakfast. “Water and Coal,” he said.
He had a boiled egg with soldiers, and a cup of tea. Each soldier needed a railway line to travel along, so Granddad used two forks side by side. First they stopped at Crewe – a rather eggy place – then they went in the tunnel. Granddad didn't chug when trains were in tunnels. “You can't hear them in there,” he said.
When Mum put Granddad's coat on, Granddad said that trains didn't go to the dentist. “This one does,” said Mum.
They always had the same taxi-driver because he was used to trains. He didn't mind the whistles, blowing off steam or stoking coal and liquorice. He didn't mind the collecting of fares and serving teas. He would shut the windows, though, because trains must not sweep up mailbags from shoppers in the High Street.
At the railway station Granddad held Tony's hand. Granddad said he couldn't go on a train because he didn't have a ticket. Mum said she had the tickets. Granddad wanted a sandwich. Mum had sandwiches in her bag. Granddad said they could go home now because the train wasn't coming. Mum said they were early: it wasn't time yet.
The train filled the whole station. You couldn't see the other platform. You couldn't see Granddad in his seat, either, because he made himself very small. Mum liked taking Granddad to the dentist.Copyright © 1991 LS
Images hosted by Reactive Networks: see my About Me page.
