Charlie And Midge - Chapter 2 (Part 2)

 

 

Charlie And Midge

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 2

(Part 2)

Midge Goes Shopping

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Midge walked along looking at some of the other stalls stopping here and there to browse . She came across a stall with little bits and pieces , paintings in gold frames and ornaments made of brass , silver trays and gold leaf cups and saucers . She stopped and looked at one of the items .

The owner of the stall approached and said ,

“Hello there , this piece you’re looking at belonged to Lord Petre of Essex son of William Petre who was a collector of antiquities as are a lot of people here in Ireland . This silver dish you’re looking at is from the seventeenth century . .  Lord Petre obtained what's called the Petry Crown which was a first or second century AD Irish bronze crown . It was found in Cork and is a great example to go looking through .See the spirals on this dish are very reminiscent of second century AD bronze work from England if you look what the Britons were doing “

Midge looked closely at the dish and said ,.

“Yes I see the resemblance , However I’m not sure it was one of Lord Petre’s and in my opinion it could possibly have belonged to Henry the third .”

“That is an amazing comment . Is there any evidence to why you might think this dish is even more valuable than I thought “

Midge replied ,

“Basically , its bey simple . You see how many spirals are on this dish well that is one indication that it had been part of Henry’ the third’s  collection of silver dishes as he had a great interest in spiral inspired designs as by nature they relate to the tendrils of trees or the mathematical plotting of the souls journey . Eternal lines , spirals of time like our own Celtic circles “

The owner of the stall was mesmerized and in awe at the knowledge Midge had about designs on antique silver dishes . Midge was always a great story teller , it was a gift and one she ever only used on strangers who never knew her .

“Are you interested in buying it “ He asked .

She looked at it and pointed out the damage and wear and tear and said ,

“How much are you asking for the dish ? “

 

“Twenty pounds to you my lady . “

“Ok I’ll take it , Could you wrap it for me please. “ She asked  .

The next stall had some wooden furniture items , leather bags and coats . Midge started looking through some of the clothes on a rack / The owner approached and said ,

“Good morning . Are you from around here ?”

Midge replied   ,

“I have lived here lived here three years now “’

“So then that means you are like a local now ?

He replied ,

She laughed and replied .’

“Well I guess my feet know their way to a few hidden places here and there. I can see a flask in that leather bag . Is it for sale ?

“You are very perceptive madame . :

He reached over and lifted the bag and took the flask out saying .

“This flask belonged to Willie Delaney , stone thrower and champion  of the roads here abouts . They say that the flask is what gave him strength over all his opponents . Theres a magic about it that stirs any liquid that goes inside and I can see something in your eyes that just might need to have this flask for your very own ?”

.She smiled and said ,

”I actually knew Willie Delaney and if it’s the same Willie Delaney who opened this flask and drank my home made soup , then it would be my soup that gave him the strength and not so much the flask . So why would you I want to try and buy a flask that had nothing to do with the strength Willie Delaney had “

The stall owner smiles and replied ,

“‘Why indeed , would you ever want to do that and seeing that Willie is no longer with us I can’t ask him myself if it was your soup that gave him that strength to overcome all the other stone throwing challengers . If you want the flask , I’ll give it to you for free but you’ll have to buy the it was in as it’s a set of two . The bag and the flask.”

Midge smiled and said ,

“Well now that all depends on how much you’re asking for the bag ?

He replied ,

“The bag belonged to a gypsy woman who told fortunes . So the bag has a magical thing about it . As long as you have the bag it will never be empty , I’ll let you have the bag with the flask for fifteen pounds .“

“I could use a bag just like that one so I’ll take them both ,thank you very much “

She paid him the money and he wrapped the bag up . Midge walkeda little further along looking at some of the stalls until she came to a food stall .

“What about a sandwich ?”

Said the man there  .

She replied .

“I’d love that , actually I’m starving .I set off early this morning on my hike and forgot to bring some food along .Silly me . Would you have a cup of tea and fill up my flask with some of that soup you have there  “?

‘I can do that surely:”

He replied , As she  handed him the flask she said ,

‘Could you rinse out that flask for me , it was left out all night and I fear a few little insects might have crawled inside :

“That’s no problem :

He said and did as she asked . The made her a sandwich and a cup of tea .

After she had her sandwich . She shared a story with him about her journey hiking around Ireland making fashion jewellery to support her financing the journey . The man was very impressed with what she had said and even offered to give half of her money back but she refused to take it and said the tea and the sandwich was worth twice as much to what she had paid ,

It was now time for Midge to return to the car and returned to where the driver was already waiting for her .  She asked the driver to open up the car door as her hands were full .  Then they were back on the road again on their journey to the city . After a little while Midge opened the bag and took out the flask and offered the driver some of the soup . He was very grateful and took her kind offer . As she had taken out the flask she noticed that there was a sandwich in the bag . She thought about what the man at the stall had said about the bag would never be empty . But then she also though that the kind man at the food stall must have slipped in another sandwich when she wasn’t looking .

Midge was in a world of her own and feeling for the first time independent and strong as a woman . Even thought she was a hoarder of things she never thought it was a problem.  Charlie had no problem with Midge’s strange habit’s which gave Midge confidence to continue the lifestyle she enjoyed . Charlie just wanted to keep her happy ,

Midge never thew anything away and now she had plans to cram the new house with all kinds of trash and treasure . In her Fathers shed  she had so much stuff piled up . Most of them Items she had bought from some of the local markets . There were copper bedpans , large porcelain bowls , antique furniture , strange works of art , rugs and intriguing lamps , she had exotic garments from ancient cultures hanging in cupboards , silver cutlery and snuff boxes in drawers , stuffed animals in boxes , statues in corners that had stood there for years . Most everywhere you went in the storage shed there were all kinds of items . Wooden animals carved from ebony timber and others were sculped from  marble and stone . There were also some welded together by metal and some created out of paper mâché .

Midge really loved to go shopping and went as often as she could , Charlie became aware of that in their early courting days and even loved that part of her that gave her satisfaction . Outdoor markets and department stores were her world . She was an impulse shopper and loved to go bargain hunting if ever the moment came she would embrace it with a  passion that drove her into acting out different parts of her personality . It was more of an addiction that a hobby but she wasn’t harming anyone in her wild shopping adventures so she could become anyone she wanted to be . A wealthy land owner , a lady of leisure , a traveller , a member of high society , some one with extensive knowledge about different countries and cultures , when Midge went shopping she became someone special .

For years she had scavenged and scoured the local markets around the villages around where she lived . She had frequented auction houses and second-hand stores .She went to jumble sales and deceased estate sales and wherever anything was advertised for sale . For many years she had been gathering items that had been advertised for sale in newspapers and magazines . Her desire was to have many clothes made from leather and all kinds of jewellery for her neck , ankles , fingers , nose and ears . She wanted to jingle when she walked with so much bling on her body . She wanted to glimmer in her dresses and stand tall in her high heels . Another part of her wanted to swagger in boots on her feet and  sit in saddles on horses wearing comfortable riding pants with country fashionable hats on her head .  Midge had something to wear for every occasion .She had fascinators and tiaras for her head and all colourful make up for her face , she had watches and bangles for her wrists , velvet gloves for her hands  , necklaces and scarfs to put around her neck . She had fur coats for her body and all kinds of  belts for around her waist . Midge was a very interesting lady who had many identities and her perfumes and toiletries filled cupboards all over the shed .

When ever Midge bought anything she always liked to have it wrapped up in pretty paper .

The driver made his way to the city and parked near the huge department store where Midge said for him to take a walk for a few hours while she did her shopping and then the next moment she was gone , like a woman with a mission to pluck her way through sections of the store in search for a bargain until all the money she had brought was gone .

At the end of the day just as the shops closed , Midge returned to the car with bags of jewellery and clothes . She had handbags and ornaments and gifts for Charlie and her parents . She bought items for when she got old and other things for the present when she’s young and fit . Her urge to splurge more was consuming her but she could shop no more and so it was time to drop and return home .

When the driver returned he had to knock on the front door as she had fallen fast asleep and so Charlie came to carry her and all of the things she had bought into the house .

It was a little difficult as already Midge had started to pile up things around the hallway so it took him a while to move things out of the way so he could get Midge inside the door .

Finally he had unloaded the car and paid the driver a little extra for his services then shut the door . Midge was fast asleep on the bed and never woke until the next morning when she looked at Charlie and said  .

“Oh yes it was the adventure of a lifetime .

Thank you so much for everything … 

End of chapter 2

 

Lknk to Chapter 3

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/charlie-and-midge-chapter-3-part-1

 

Charlie And Midge 

A Novel By Paul McCann

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