Help Me Mummy Is Doing Something Terrible

Tommy picked up the telephone and dialled 999 as fast as his little
six years old fingers were able to. "Help me please," he cried into the
telephone. "My mummy is doing something terrible."

"Hang on son. I'll send someone round as soon as possible," answered a
friendly voice on the other end of the telephone. "Now, what's your
name, and where do you live?"

Tommy told the policeman his name and address, and begged him to hurry.
Tommy dropped the telephone and ran to the front door to await the
police. A few minutes later Tommy heard the sound of sirens wailing.
Then he saw the police cars as they came to a screeching halt outside
his house. He ran out onto the pavement. A policeman jumped out of one
of the cars and started running towards Tommy's house.

"Hurry, please hurry before it's too late," shouted Tommy.

"Don't worry, son," answered the policeman, as he ran into Tommy's
house.

Tommy and the policeman entered the hallway. The policeman stopped and
looked around him.

"Come on," pleaded Tommy. "You've got to stop her before it's too
late."

Tommy dragged the policeman through the house towards the kitchen. Then
on through the kitchen and in to the back garden. Tommy stopped
abruptly and pointed to where his mother was putting something into the
rubbish bin.

"There, there what did I tell you?" panted Tommy.

The policeman looked at Tommy's mother and shouted: "Stop right there,
M'am. Put that bin down, NOW." He then turned to Tommy and told him to
stand back.

Tommy's mother jumped backwards, dropping the bin as she did. "Ooooh,
Officer, you did give me fright. Whatever is the matter?" she
asked.

The policeman looked down at Tommy. "This young man called the police.
He says that you are doing something terrible. He asked for our help.
Now would you mind opening the bag?"

Tommy's mother started to laugh. She laughed so much that tears rolled
down her cheeks. The policeman was not amused. Tommy was not amused.
Eventually Tommy's mother stopped laughing and opened the bag. She took
it over to where Tommy and the policeman were standing.

"Here you are, Officer. Is this what all the trouble is about?" she
asked as she handed the bin over to the policeman.

The policeman carefully looked inside. He couldn't believe it. It was
full of TOYS.

"There, I told you, didn't I?" said Tommy. "Are you going to arrest
her, Now?"

"But sonny, its only toys," answered the policeman, trying very hard
not to laugh himself.

"But, they're MY TOYS, not hers. She was going to throw them all away,
and that's stealing 'cause they're mine not hers," Tommy said as he
started to cry.

"I think we should all go inside and try to sort this out. Come along
now," said the policeman, taking Tommy's hand.

Tommy, his mother and the policeman went inside. Once inside the
policeman looked firstly at Tommy, then at Tommy's mother.

"Now then, M'am, can we start at the beginning? And you, young man,"
said the policeman looking at Tommy, "you can tell me your side in a
minute."

"Well, Officer. It's like this. Time and time again I've asked Tommy to
put his toys away when he's finished playing with them. But does he?
No. Well, I've had enough now. I'm afraid I just got mad and decided to
throw them all into the bin."

"Is this true?" asked the policeman.

Tommy put his hand up. "Yes, it is. But I was going to put them away.
Honest I was. But my mummy doesn't put her things away. My daddy is
always moaning at her about it."

The policeman looked at Tommy's mother. "Is this true, M'am?" he
asked.

"No, of course it's not true," denied Tommy's mother.

"It is, it is true," shouted Tommy.

"Show me," said the policeman.

Tommy led the policeman from room to room. In the bathroom Tommy picked
up a woman's magazine. In his mother and father's bedroom he picked up
his mother's nightdress and a wet towel. Finally in the lounge he
picked up a dirty cup and a biscuit paper.

"See," said a triumphant Tommy.

"Mmmmmm," said the policeman.

"Oh dear," said Tommy's mother.

Everyone looked at each other. It was Tommy's mother who spoke
first.

"I'm sorry, Tommy. I shouldn't have frightened you like that. I'll make
a deal with you. From now on I promise I'll pick up all of my things,
but only if you promise to do the same. What do you say, deal?"

Tommy looked up at the policeman and then at his mother. "Deal, and I'm
sorry too."

The policeman looked at mother and son, smiled and slipped quietly out
of the house.

THE END