. Charlie And Midge - Chapter 7

. Charlie And Midge

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 7

A New Pair Of Glasses

It was late in the afternoon and the bells of the Church were testing its bells that were ringing through the town . Charlie walks up the street and made his way to his  house in Safe Harbour . He puts the key in the lock and opens  the door  and goes inside closing the door behind him .

Midge jumps up in fright as she was asleep on the sofa  .

“ Oh , Charlie its you . I must have dropped off asleep  “

“Yes , it’s only me Midge .“

“ So how come you’re back so soon Charlie, I thought you’d be away half the day“

“Well I have been Midge . Its nearly dinner time and wait til I tell you like what an awful inconvenience life can be sometimes . You know what I’m saying like Midge  .”

Midge replied ,

“ What are you trying to tell me Charlie. Did you get your new pair of glasses from the Optimist “

Charlie laughed

“ Optometrist is what they are Midge and the thing is I went in to get  myself the new pair of glasses because they had sent me the message that they were ready for collecting and so as you know I took off this morning and found the place where they are,  you know “ .

“ No Charlie , where are they and are they far from here ?”

“The optometrist’s shop is in the mall . One of them new shopping malls they’ve built near the harbour”

She looked at him and smiled and said

Midge . I’m so proud of you Charlie, I’d never have found that place so tell me what happened after you found them..“

“Well now I gets in there now and I couldn’t even get the car into the place  . You see the car couldn’t get in as there’s this  truck in the way and that’s was a terrible inconvenience .”

“Yeah Charlie . So what did you have to do to get the car in ?”

She asked and Charlie continued ,

.”“ Well I managed just  to double park for a little while as people often would do then I run into the shop to get the glasses . So as I went in there is this fella and he’s standing there at the front of the door . Blocking me getting inside . “

“Blocking you Charlie , Why? “

Midge said and Charlie responded

“He was one of these surveyors Midge “

Midge looked puzzled and asked

“What do you mean a surveyor Charlie ?“

Charlie said ,

“One of those people who do surveys . He started to ask me about the Mallard Duck and he wanted to give me  information about the Mallard duck “ 

 .“Yeah Charlie , but you don’t know anything about the Mallard duck.“

 Midge said and Charlie replied.

“‘Exactly Midge and that’s what I was trying to tell him and then he started getting  cranky with me and starts to say that I was not being very cooperative because I didn’t want to help him to do the survey .“

Midge was frowning and said

“But Charlie that’s not fair .“

“That’s what I’m feeling too Midge . So I pushed past him to go into the shop to get my glasses and then when I come out he’s gone . So I quicky rushed to the car ,

So there I was behind the wheel trying to get out of the car park and let me tell you what Midge , I couldn’t believe the line up of cars that were all trying to get out at the same time .”

‘Why do you think there were so many cars Charlie .“

She said and Charlie answered

“Well I think there was a sale on and people had all come to get a bargain. “

“That’s unfortunate for you Charlie .Getting caught up in that panic “

She said .and Charlie continued , .

“So as I say there they all were trying to get out the same time as me from the car park Midge “

She nodded her head and said .

“Yeah Charlie and what did you do next ?”

“ Well I was waiting patiently and I kept waiting but some of those drivers have no idea on how to use indicator and I didn’t know if they were turning right or turning left see , now look at me Midge . Am I a mind reader  Midge ?

She replied

“No you’re not a mind reader so what did you do then Charlie “

“Well I’m waiting and I’m waiting to see which one’s going right and which one’s going left and in the end one fella decides to turn right and at the last moment he decides he wants to turn left . How am I to know that Midge  .”

He said and Midge asked

“Yeah , that’s right Charlie , so then what did you do .“

“Well I’m getting a little bit upset now so I backed the car around to get  back into the car park because I couldn’t get out .“

Charlie said

“Yeah Charlie and  then what happened .“

Midge said and Charlie continued ,

“I ended up parking the car and tried to go for a walk around so I would calm down and wait for a while until the traffic was all gone.“

“That was a good idea Charlie ?  .

She said and Charlie responded ,

‘Well that’s what I thought until that fella came back to me again asking about the Mallard duck and wants me to do the survey . So I told him I didn’t want to do the survey .“

Midge said ,

“Yeah Charlie and then what happened “

Charlie went on ,

“Well now we started to get angry , the both of us and when he went for my collar I  just happened to throw a punch or two . I didn’t mean any harm him but he did come to me the wrong way like and I told him I didn’t want to do the survey .”

“Aw Charlie don’t be telling me you got in a fight “

Midge said and Chalie answered ,

,

“Well it wasn’t me who brought it on  Midge .  He’s wanting me to do the survey and I don’t want to do the survey .“

“ So then what happened Charlie  “

He replied

Well now didn’t he go and call  the police and they came around and gave me a breathalyser test .“

Midge asked

“ A breathalyser Charlie”

:That’s right . Now , there might have been a little bit of drink on me from last night .because you know we had a few night caps remember and that could have been the reason why my reading was a little high “

Oh Charlie you’re not in any trouble are you ?”

“It wasn’t enough to put me over the limit so we’re ok .”

He said and Midge asked ,

“So after they tested your breath what happened ?”
“Well they suspected that the fella with the survey was acting a little strange so they tested him and he refused to do it , so they took him away in their car to the station “

Midge said

“Something tells me he had a problem Charlie “

“Well now the thing now he’s the one who might have to do a survey Midge.”

“ You’re right there Charlie “:

They both had a laugh .

“If I was the judge he would be surveying six months behind bars Midge .“

“ Sure “Charlie you always give me a laugh .Let me see your new glasses then “

Midge said .

“Give me a minute and I’ll pit them on “

He took the case of his new glasses  from the inside pocket of his coat and with great pride he took out the glasses and put them on “

“What a different , They make you look very smart Charlie. “

“Well thank you Midge . I can see much clearer now . They’ll make it must easier for when I’m doing the daily balance sheets at work “

“You must be hungry Charlie . Let’s eat now “

Midge said as she set the table for dinner .

 

End Chapter 7

Charlie And Midge

A Novel By Paul McCann

 

Link to chapter 8

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/charlie-and-midge-chapter-8

 

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