The Adventures Of Little Sham - Chapter 8 (Part 1)

The Adventures Of  Little Sham  

A Novel

by Paul McCann

 

Chapter Eight

  Skyruin And The Moon Flowers   

Part 1

 

Some days begin with a slow awakening however sometimes they arrive like the  unexpected crash of China plates smashing on the floor followed by an urgent call  for help .

Mr and Mrs Green acre rushed downstairs to find Mrs McDermott on the floor with broken crockery all around /

 Mr Greenacre looked at her and said.

‘Oh no Mrs McDermott . You’ve had a fall . Don’t try to move just for now . Try to relax . Tell me what happened”!

‘Silly me , I had spilt some cooking oil on the floor and forgot to clean it up , be careful , Can you please check the pots and pans on the stove . Maybe just turn everything off for now “

Mrs Greenacre turned off the hotplates then covered everything with their lids  and she squatted down beside Mrs McDermott  and holding her hand she said   ,

“Don’t worry Mrs McDermot we will get an ambulance ?”

“For what ?” Came the reply .

“To take you to hospital ?’  Mr Greenacre said and she laughed and said ,

“Don’t be silly , I’m in no need for a hospital or ambulance “

“Please allow me to make that choice Mrs McDermott . You might have broken a bone . You never know .” she sighed in disbelief and replied  ,

“Mr Greenacre , the nearest hospital that might have an ambulance is over in the village of Killamccudden  . Thats at least 30 minutes’ drive from here and there’s  only one very narrow road that goes there  over the hills and past the old gothic ruins of McCuddens Castle , Then if John O’Driscoll decides to takes his sheep from out of one field into another the trip to Killamccudden could end up[ taking a half a day or more , so  the ambulance wouldn’t be able to move an inch on the road because  O’Driscolls sheep are stubborn and they think that they have the rite  of passage and they would block that road for an hour or more depending on how they feel “ .“

Mr Green acre looked at her and said.

“I know some first aid let me just make sure you’re ok before you try to get up , tell me can you move your toes ?”

He removed her slippers and could see her wiggle her toes .

“I was just in a rush to get the breakfast ready and forgot to clean up the floor . So, it’s all my fault that I slipped and  fell . Sure, it’s not the best way to start the day , Poor Shep was so frightened he ran outside , could you go and just check on him  

and anyway, I’m ok , see I was just worried about the breakfast getting burnt so let me get up now ?  

Just them Sham arrived at the scene and he said ,

“What’s going on ?”

‘Sham Mrs McDermott just slipped and fell, she’s ok . Can you go outside and see where Shep is son .”

‘Mrs McDermott lay there and started to do some funny little finger exercises and she looked up at Sham and said . . .

“Good morning little Sham . Your Daddy asked me to wiggle my toes so now I’m wiggling my fingers as well , I hope he doesn’t ask me to wiggle my nose because I might a problem with that one  “

Sham giggled  ,

‘Hello, good morning, Mrs Mc Dermott . Are you ok?’

 “I’m fine Sham, as soon as Doctor Greenacre finishes his assessment I’ll know”’.

‘They all laughed and Sham went out the door to find Shep who was lying there all.

Stretched out on the ground .

Sham put his hand upon Sheps head  and said ,

“Are you ok my  furry friend “ .

“It depends , Is she ok Sham  ?

Shep didn’t want to look up at Sham .

“ Yeah, Shep  she seems ok ,  she’s worried about you . Are you ok ?

Shep stood up and licked Sham on the hand and said.

‘When I saw her slip and fall down , I couldn’t do anything to help her . So, I panicked with worry and thought maybe she banged her head was dead . So, I walked out the door in fear ?”

‘Don’t worry my shaggy four-legged friend . She’s doing some exercises with her fingers and toes to check if there is any brain damage .  My Dads a first aider so now he is checking her responses  :

“What’s a first aider ?” Shep said ,

‘Someone who helps until an ambulance comes ?” and Shep groaned ,

‘That could take a long time as they have no ambulances here in Chapters End .

The nearest one would be in probably in County Killamcudden which is a long drive past the hills of Sky and a  longer way to  go if you’re in a hurry with an emergency “  

Sham opening the door said .

’Oh well sure that’s not a problem because if there’s any issue my dad can drive her to hospitals in his car , so don’t be too worried Shep. Come back inside now as she is concerned about where you are .“

They both returned into the kitchen and saw Mrs McDermott now  doing eye exercises, moving her pupils from left to the right and then diagonally up and down .

The Mr  Greenacre asked her to start some deep breathing exercises . before sitting her up slowly . Mrs Mc Dermott got a chair and they both assisted her to a standing position and eased her on to the chair . She was handed a glass of water to drink after she sat up in a chair . The assessment was made and everyone was confident she was ok with no damage sustained in the fall .

Sham looked at her compassionately and saw a woman who had lived out her days doing the same routine without ever complaining about her  life ,  she smiled at Sham and he felt sad for her as she lived alone running the guesthouse on her own . At least she kept busy and wasn’t useless . She was able to contribute in a big way to people and all that life demanded from her . The pictures all around the guest house were original works of art without a signature on them He wondered if maybe she was the artist who did them . They all were mounted in beautiful wooden frames hanging on the walls for everyone to see . There were lots of magazines placed on tables and hallstands and in the bookcases, there were so many books bound with leather and tied up with string as if they were little treasures for anyone to open .

Mrs McDermott had many wonderful things on display all around the guesthouse that Sham had never really took time to see before . He thought she must have been about eighty years of age and how at that age  she could still see and hear and talk and continue to do the everyday tasks just the way she had done for many years .

After a little while sitting in the chair Mr Greenacre she got to her feet  .

Mrs Greenacre put her arms around her then  gave her a hug and said.

“How are you feeling now then Mrs McDermott.?

“I’m fighting fit and ahead on points . I might get knocked down but I’m up and ready for another round or two .  ”

 Mr Greenacre smiled and said ,

“ That’s good to hear . At least you still have all your marbles Mrs McDermott . Whatever you do , don’t lose them “

Both laughed and she said to him .

“Mr Greenacre .Whatever you do , don’t get old “

He laughed and replied ,

‘’Well, that’s a lovely thing to say Mrs McDermott but as we all know we have to get old sooner or later ?:

She smiled and replied.

‘Yes, that’s true Mr Greenacre , get old then but whatever you do , don’t get sick.”

‘He laughed and as they walked from the dining room to the hall and back, he said ,

Mrs Greenacre added ,

:“Sickness is something no one needs but either way we must take the good with the bad . As long as we have someone there to help whenever we need , That’s the  important thing .”

Mr Greenacre continued ,

“ It’s a hard life without a wife and I’m lucky to have a good one. “

Mrs Mc Dermott looked at them both and she said ,

”I had a prince myself once you know . He went to war and never came back . Part of me still hopes he might come and knock on the door and take me in his arms . “

Mrs Greenacre put her arms around her and said ,

‘I’m sorry you lost your prince Mrs McDermott “

Mrs McDermott smiled and said  ,

‘The nights are sometimes long and often cold and dark. Those are the hard times when you have to find the light of the new day and the sun shines again . Now that’s usually when someone like yourselves come along to my little guest house . Then I have someone to  cook and clean for , So I count my blessings and get on with it ‘

She went back into the kitchen to clean up the mess on the floor , then after that she  brought breakfast to the dining room where the Greenacres were sitting . With a warm smile she put a ladle of cereal into their bowls and poured some warm milk from a saucepan over the top . Then she brough over some warm slices of toast that were placed in a stand upon the table . She left a jug of orange juice and a pot of tea with some fresh fruit   . Just as soon as that was done there was a phone call .

She  walked from the dining room towards the hallway but stopped briefly as if hesitant to accept the call . In two minds she was trying to decide what to do then in her indecision a knock came to the front door and she took the phone call .

 .
“Hello. McDermotts guest house , how can I help “

Then the person at the door rang the doorbell rang . Shep as usual ran over here barking with his guard dog voice and  Mrs Mc Dermott tried to settle him down .

She also opened  the door to see the Postman there with a parcel and some letters .

In a three-way chat platform , she addressed each one at the same time . She was brilliant with her multi-tasking response . .

“Hello, give me a few moments and I’ll check my bookings.  I have the postman at the front door and the dog barking its head off. Shep that’s enough now , it’s only the postman , Hello Pat, thank you have a good day , see you tomorrow . Sorry to keep you , so what date did you want to book your accommodation .   mm ok let me just check . Yes, I think That’s ok , so I’ll just get your details .“

Mrs McDermott went into the kitchen and wrote a note on the calendar and ended the call . The Greenacres had finished their breakfast in the dining room where Shep  was walking around a little upset , He looked at Sham and said ,

“I’m just doing my job , you know . I can’t see through closed doors . For all I know  the person there could have a gun or an axe . I’m just sounding out a warning so whoever was there so they would know that I’m here .”

 

Sham looked at Shep and reached out to him . Shep came over and sat down there next to him . He patted him on his head and said ,

“You’re such a brave dog Shep . It’s hard to see through closed doors, even for me .”

After a little while Mrs Mc Dermott came to clear up the breakfast tables and was  singing away quietly to herself , she had forgotten all about the fall .

‘Mr Greenacres said to her.

“You were saying there were some castle ruins on that road to Killamccudden  I think we just might have a look at that “

‘Tis a rare old sight for new eyes .You should go and check it out there. Take the east road from the storyteller’s cottage and follow the sign to the Old Bog Road . You soon enough find the castle ruins there .They all went and got dressed and went to off to explore what was there .

 .When they arrived there at the Killamccudden castle . They parked the car there within the ruins on top of the  . They all stood there looking at the castle , so beautifully  still in a moment of time and they reflected back at those times gone past . Thinking of the people who once lived there . They walked around for a while looking at the castle walls and between the stones there was clay and what lay within those walls were memories of a day that had long since gone past. They all spoke about what life must have been like there in the castle in its heyday . They tried to imagine what the people did then . Was there tea with bread and jam and was there poached eggs with ham for the hardworking man who worked in good faith that they would be kept  safe from harm there within the castle walls . Did they worry about invaders who might come there on their holy ground and shake the foundations of their life and could they withstand their might and fight against them who would want to pull down those walls around them . In their imaginations they found some untold stories with the truth unknown to be shared . What else lay there among the remains in ruins from another century . Was their fires with flames once that leapt from the hearths and was that extinguished by wrath to become no more than a smoky memory . Where love songs sung from the bowers , was blood was spilled in the towers and were some killed with no flowers for their graves . Was there a sip or wine and a toast made by those who could measure in their own words the wealth lost by the Kings and Queens on the battlefields there around the ruins that stood on the hill at the Castle of Killamccudden .  .

In a moment of time Sham felt very lucky to have the blessings of a life where  homes had so many comforts and suddenly the gift he had being the seventh son of a seventh son kicked in and he saw a woman there in the ruins , she had grief on her face and she wept for her son had not returned from the battlefield  , then he saw some young children who lingered there in the castle grounds where a  spring festivals was taking place . There were families as well there ,some rich and some poor .  He could hear arguments and laugher around the castle walls .In a sense of wonder he was able to see what life was like there in the Castle . As the sun began to set around the walls of the castle Shams Dad called it a day and they all made their way back to Chapters End  .

It was hard for Sham to ignore or forget the images he saw and the things he heard from a time gone inside Killamccudden Castle . The children were as young  as he was and as time stood still, he could see the battles and the festivals and the sorrow and joy all unfold like a picture in front of his eyes .  But there he was now back in another place and in another time with his parents on a holiday were so many things had happened to him  .

He breathed a sigh of relief in knowing something about the past and yet he was glad to be part of a modern world where life had become much easier to survive.

They parked outside the guesthouse and went inside where they saw Mrs McDermott there lying motionless on the floor . Mr Greenacre rushed over to her and as he did, she sat up and started laughing and said .

‘I got you there.“

Mrs McDermott laughed and said,

‘You really saw us coming Mrs McDermott”.

Thay all had a good laugh and then Mrs Mc Dermott said ,

“I’ll get dinner ready now , it won’t be long . I was thinking maybe tonight before I go to sleep, I might try  to wiggle my toes and fingers . That’s sure to give me a good sleep “

‘Oh, you are funny Mrs McDermott .”

Said Mrs Greenacre and she replied ,

“So how was it at there at the castle ruins.

Sham replied ,

“Oh, there was so much to see there . It was just great “

 

End Of Part 1

 

Part 2

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/adventures-little-sham-chapter-8...

 

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