Charlie And Midge - Chapter 6

Charlie And Midge

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 6

 

Friday Night Bingo

 

When Midge woke up Charlie had already gone to work at he customs house  Lucky was sitting on the sofa with a squeaky toy in his mouth .

‘Have you nothing better to do than chew that rubber duck . Look at you lying there you’re like a ,big kid ."

Midge made a cup of tea and toast . Lucky looked over  her chewing that toy that kept squeaking and Midge said ,

 ,“I’m really worried about you Lucky . Have you nothing better to do . You and that squeaking duck . After breakfast we’re going for a walk. “

 

Then Midge jumped off the sofa and stood next to the door and started to bark .

She finished her toast and then got the lead from the drawer and Lucky got excited as Midge tried  to attach the lead to Luckys collar .

“Lets go and see if the butcher has any good size bones for you to snap in half “

The two of them went out the door and headed up to the shops in the town centre .

Father Mc Carthy was walking towards them and he stopped and said ,

“How have you been Midge ?”

 Midge asked Lucky to sit down and he did as he was told .

The n she said

‘I’ve been keeping well myself and what about your Father .?

The priest said ,

“I couldn’t be better and how’s Charlie ?”

He asked  

“ It’s like this Father . He’s having some driving lessons and the instructor thinks he ready to go for his license any day now , so Charlie is getting nervous about that . Other than that he is working away in his wee office job there . Father he loves that job . ”

The priest thought for a moment and then he asked ,

“I was wondering if he’s not busy after work this Friday would he like to call out the bingo numbers in the hall beside the chapel . It starts at eight in the evening and its all over by about ten o’clock “

Midge replied

I’m sure he would love to Father . I’ll ask him when he gets home this evening and he can call in to see you tomorrow about that Father .”

 The priest said ,

“No need Midge , if he can do it tell him to come to the hall on Friday and if he doesn’t show up I’ll call the numbers myself . Its just you see the big fight is on with your man from Cloons taking on the world champion to claim his title and I’d love to see him do that . “

“ So do you think he can win Father?”

He said with am air of confidence ,

“Well in my opinion , he’s fast and can pack a punch and with God’s help he can knock that other fella out and become the new world champion. “

“I’d love to see that Father , but if Charlie will call out the numbers I think I might just go and buy a few books myself and sit in for the call .“

Lucky was getting impatient and starting to get to his feet and pull on the lead .

Father McCarthy said ,.

“Right then Midge , you best be on your way now .I hope to see you both on Friday “

‘Thank you Father , ,

Midge said and they headed off to the shops and spoke to Mrs Murphy who was passing by and briefly stopped for a talk . .

“Hello Mrs Murphy . Are you going to bingo this Friday “

She replied ,

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world  Midge and especially seeing as it’s the big snowball prize this week “

“How much is the first prize worth “

Midge asked ,

“Well the full house on the snowball game will pay three thousand pounds and single lines are paying three hundred and fifty pounds ?

“That’s a lot of money .I think I’ll have to get there and try my luck “

Lucky started to pull on the lead as Midge said goodbye  .

Mrs Murphy shouted after her ,

“I might see you there them :

The butchers had a bit of a line up and everyone was talking away so Midge decided to call in to the bakers shop for a fresh loaf of bread  .

“Hello Midge how are things ?”

The baker said and Midge replied

“Well not bad I though I’d take Lucky for a walk but he’s nearly pulled my arm from the socket . He doesn’t know his own strength . I better not talk too long as he gets impatient . Could I have  a fresh sliced hi-top loaf and two snowballs.”

The baker handed over her order in a carry bag as she struggled to hold the dog and get money from her purse . With great tenacity she paid the baker and left the sop . The butchers was not so busy now so she went straight there .

Midge always had this strange feeling when she went into the butchers shop as she saw the butchers standing there with their knives and hanging from sheafs on their belts . Even though they always seemed friendly and quick to share a joke with all the folk Midge just wanted to get in and out as fast as she could .

‘Hello Midge what can I get for you :?”

The butcher asked and Midge responded ,

‘Would you have a few big dog bones for Lucky here ?”

The butcher said

“Sure no problem” 

Midge said

“Thanks for your trouble “

He placed a few large bones into a bag and asked ,

‘Anything else for you today ?.

“No that’s all today thanks . How much do I owe you ,

“You can have those for nothing “

:Midge was grateful and left the shop and made her way home .

Midge began talking to herself ,

“My Father had cattle and they had names , we raised them and fed them . I don’t know how anybody could ever just stand there and cut them up . Cows are not meant to be in slaughter houses they’re meant to be in fields “

 

On and on she walked with Lucky until they got home .

For the rest of the day she kept busy doing jobs in the garden and around the house .

The door opened up with Charlie home from work . Dinner was ready on the table and they say down to eat .

“How was your day Midge ?

Charlie asked ,

“I took Lucky for a walk and got talking to Father McCarthy and guess what Charlie “

“Charlie looked with a quizzed expression and said

 “ He want to know why I haven’t been to confession “

Midge said

“No Charlie, he was asking me if you could call out the bingo numbers on Friday and I told him you would love to “

Charlie looked at her and smiled saying ,

“:Midge as long as I don’t have to call them out in Latin “

Midge replied ,

“It’s a big snowball jackpot at the bingo this Friday Charlie and I’m thinking of going along to have a go “

Charlie replied ,

“I was thinking Midge maybe we could ask your Mammy and Daddy to come along as well and have a family night at the bingo “

Midge looked excited and said

“What a great idea Charlie . Maybe we’ll have a chance to win seeing its our first time there playing bingo at the hall ”

Charlie responded ,

“Midge guess what “

Midge replied

“What’s that’s Charlie “ and he replied ,

‘Tomorrow I’m having a day off work because I’ll be going for my driving test ?

Midge was so happy

“Charlie that’s great . Mammy and Daddy would love a night out I’m sure ?”

She said  ,

After dinner Charlie gave Lucky one of those bones Midge had got at the butchers . In a few minutes the jaws of the wolfhound had broken the bone in half and Lucky was in dog heaven for a while with the bone between his front paws . A little while later on the big dog stopped crunching and the bone was gone .Then Lucky went to  settle down in the corner for the night

Charlie was revising the road code book and Midge was on the phone to her parents telling them about Charlies driving test and bingo on Friday  night .

Nest morning Charlie was up and having cornflakes for breakfast and Midge was having porridge Charlie asked

“Midge have you ever tried to fry cornflakes in the pan ?.“

Midge replied 

“Charlie I could give it a go if you’d like to see if you’d like it “

Charlie laughed

“ No Midge I was only joking “

Midge said

‘That’s a good one there . Sure you caught me out on that one Charlie “

As Charlie finished his breakfast there was the sound of a car horn beeping outside and Charlie got up and said

“That’s me now Midge . Wish me luck on my test “

Midge replied ,

“You’ll be fine Charlie . Just drive as if you’ve been driving for years .”

With that Charlie went out the front door .

Outside there was a wind blowing and some papers and stuff were getting tossed around into the air . Midge knew it was a good sign and said to herself .

“He’s going to blow them away with his driving skills this morning :

She put Lucky outside tied to a run with a chain  and started vacuuming and cleaning all over the house trying not to get distracted with thoughts of Charlie failing the driving test .She soon began to settle .  I decided to come home now . So here I am “

Midge  . She knew Charlie was really wanting to pass so he could get her Daddy’s old car and after an hours cleaning she sat down and put her feet up .

Then Lucky began barking and she took a look outside as Charlie drove her Daddys car into the driveway of the house .Then she ran out screaming ,

“That’s my man , you did it . Well done Charlie “

They all got into the car and went for a drive around the town with Luckys big head sticking out the back window of the car 

Friday night came around and the hall was packed with people waiting to buy their bingo books .  Charlie was testing out the microphone and the atmosphere was electric  . Mrs Murphy was sitting up the front beside Mrs Holmes who was as blind as a bat . She always kept an eye on Mrs Holmes numbers in case she missed any . Mrs Holmes couldn’t see but her hearing was amazing so she listened to the numbers for Mrs Edwards who was deaf as a doorknob and sometimes would ask Mrs Holmes ,

“What number did he say ?”

There were other times when Mrs Edwards would nod off to sleep so both Mrs Murphy and Mrs Holmes would have to give her a shake to wake her up   .

These three ladies were always at the bingo every week . They wouldn’t miss it for the world and loved it when the snowball jackpot prize came  . Tonight the people in the hall were young and old , abled and disabled but they all came to try their luck .

Charlie started by welcoming everyone their and gave Midge a wave who was sitting in the front with Mrs Murphy . Some of the people had joined their hands in prayer asking for heavenly intervention to win the jackpot . It was that once a year bingo game that brough people from all over to try their luck.

There were the very experienced bingo players there who could mark of five books at once  but Midge was happy to play just one book as were her Mammy and Daddy .Charlie called everyone to attention ,

‘Eyes down and look in “

And he started to call out the numbers . Everyone around the hall was focused .

Some people were sweating on one number for a single line and then a shout would go up and groans could be heard from those who were waiting for one number .Then after a check was done on the numbers the game continued with Charlie calling out the numbers and then suddenly the nearly blind woman woke up the nearly deaf Mrs Edward’s as they both screamed out BINGO .

After a check of the numbers was verified they had won the big prize and everyone around the hall were singing and crying , laughing and jumping up and down in their seats . Everyone had a great night and then Charlie drove Midge and her parents home in their new car .

 

End Of Chapter 6

Charlie And Midge

A Novel By Paul McCann

 

Link to chapter 7 

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/charlie-and-midge-chapter-7

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