BIG DAY FOR BIG GEORGE

The weekend had been a busy one for Josie, but then most weekends were very busy for her. On Saturday morning she went to ballet class and after lunch Daddy had taken her to riding lessons, then she had been shopping with Mummy. On the way home she had made a brief visit to Grandma and Granddad, it had all been very tiring even for a ‘big’ little girl. Still now it was Sunday, it would all be calm and quiet this afternoon when she would be going, as she always did, with Mummy and Daddy to see Big George.

Big George lived in a very large field in the Hertfordshire countryside. It needed to be a very large field because George was a very, very big Shire horse. His field was on the side of a hill and covered with long, lush, deep green grass. At the bottom ran a small stream where George could always drink cool fresh water, even in the hot days of summer. In colder weather of course he went into his stable in the farm-yard. It was warm and comfortable there and even the coldest winter didn't trouble him. At regular times he was fed by his groom, who thought him the grandest horse in the whole wide world, so he was never hungry.

George was now eight years old, very handsome with his deep chestnut colouring, white blaze down his nose and white socks, well that's what the shock of white hair around his legs just above each of his hooves looked like. He was enormously strong and easily able to pull the biggest carts with no effort at all, even when they were fully loaded with heavy swedes or potatoes or sometimes towering great bundles of hay. He could just as easily pull the ploughs or farm machines out of ditches and deep furrows in the winter when they became bogged down in mud or just wouldn’t go, which happened sometimes.

He was always good tempered, never difficult, and friendly with everyone, everyone that is, who wasn’t afraid of his size. He could quickly tell if someone was afraid to get too close to him, they made him nervous and he would back away from them so that he didn’t hurt them accidentally. He would, in short, happily and without complaint complete all his tasks and still find time to stand in his field and dream of something he had always wanted to do more than anything else.
Secretly, Big George had always wanted to be one of the horses that pulled the Golden Coach of The Lord Mayor of London in his show each year. He knew other Shire Horses were invited because he had met some of them at the county shows and they had told him all about it. They were so proud of themselves. Decked out in the finest brass and leather harnesses, thousands of people cheering as they went past, it was all very exciting and they spoke on nothing else from November to the next spring.

Standing alone in his field on warm sunny days he had dreamed many times of taking part in The Lord Mayor's Show in London. It was held at the beginning of November and brightened The City in the grey days of winter. He had never been invited and he supposed that he never would.
In summer lots of people came to see the ponies in the next field and ride the horses that belonged to the riding school. Occasionally someone came to see him but not very often, after all he couldn’t run as fast as the others and the small ponies were in any case always thought of as lovable. He was so big that most people seeing him from a distance didn’t come any closer in case he accidentally pushed them over or trod on their feet or something equally silly, as if he would! Of all the people who came to see him, he loved Josie the best. She wasn’t the least bit afraid of him. Indeed if he didn’t obey her when she called him she scolded him very severely and made him feel very small.

Whenever she came she always brought nice tasty things for him to eat; carrots, apples, lumps of sugar or best of all a peppermint. All the things he liked best. A man she called Daddy lifted her up so that she could feed the treats to him without him having to bend his head down low. Sometimes the Farmer put her on his back and he would walk sedately round the field. He had noticed recently she had been learning to ride because he now knew what she wanted him to do. He hoped that didn’t mean that she would soon be going off to ride those smart horses in the next field. He looked forward to her visits so very much.

Josie loved Big George. She would look up at him in wonder and admiration. He was so big and strong. Daddy said he weighed over a ton. She wasn’t sure what a ton was but the way Daddy said it told her it must be very heavy During the week she carefully collected as many of his favourite treats as she could so at the weekend when Mummy and Daddy took her to the farm she had plenty to feed him with,

One afternoon when school was over she was sitting with Mummy watching Blue Peter on the television. The Lady was in the stables where The Lord Mayor keeps his Golden Coach explaining how the Coach was polished until it was clean and sparkling and looking beautiful for the Lord Mayor's Show that was coming up in a few months time. She also showed the wonderful stables in which the horses that pulled the Coach were trained and groomed during the days before the Great Show. "They must be very big, very strong, used to pulling things and be of a very good temper. The Lord Mayor is very particular about that," she said. Josie turned to her mother. "That sounds just like Big George," she said and watched very closely as the Lady went across to one of the horses in a nearby stable. "This poor old chap," she went on to say. "Has gone lame and will not now be able to take part in the Show this year." Josie pricked up her ears at this information. "The Lord Mayor should invite Big George to pull his lovely Coach for him. I bet he would do it very well." She said. Her Mother, well used to Josie’s good ideas, replied for once without too much thought. "Yes Darling," she said. "Perhaps you should write to The Lord Mayor and tell him all about Big George and ask if he could take the place of the horse that’s gone lame."

Josie thought about that remark from her mother for almost two days. Then she made up her mind She would indeed write to the Lord Mayor just as Mummy had suggested. There was a problem though, Josie was only five years old and although she was learning to write very well she wasn’t yet able to compose and write a letter without help.

She waited until after they had visited Big George on Sunday and were all sitting in the garden with cool lemonades and chocolates then she said. "Will you both help me to write a letter please?"
"Of course Darling," said Mummy.
"Certainly love," said Daddy.
"Who do you want to write to?" They asked together.
"The Lord Mayor of London," she replied. Her parents exchanged startled looks, then her father said. "er….Josie dear, people don’t just write to The Lord Mayor as easily as that. You must only write to him on official business he is a very important man."
"I am writing on business." Josie insisted, "very important business." Her chin lifted slightly and set firm, they both recognised the determined look in her clear blue eyes. She had obviously thought this thing through and had set her mind on a course of action. She would not be easily diverted from it. "One of his horses has gone lame," she told them, "and I want the Lord Mayor to invite Big George to pull his Coach with the other horses this year, otherwise he will feel very left out and, while all the other horses are enjoying themselves, he will yet again be all alone in his stable. It’s just not fair is it?"

Josie's parents looked at each other again, they both knew she wouldn't leave the matter now until something was done, one way or another. Perhaps if they helped her to write the letter she might forget to post it or they would. Maybe it would be too complicated to write and she’d give up and forget about all it, perhaps……
Josie had not the slightest intention of forgetting about it She raised the subject at every opportunity. She even told her teacher what she was going to do, and her Grandparents. They all encouraged her to go ahead. "Go for it Josie," they said. "What can you lose?"

She did go for it! Mummy and Daddy spent hours with her over the next weekend composing the letter and overseeing her effort to write it in her 'Best hand' "I want him to know that it is me writing," she said. "He'll know if someone else writes it." So she wrote by hand.

Dear Lord Mayor.
I saw your lovely coach on t.v. and the horses that pull it.
I was sorry to hear that one of them has gone lame. Would you please be kind and let my friend Big George take his place in your next show. I’m sure he knows the others do it each year and must feel very left out. I hope you will let him and it will make me happy too,
Yours faithfully.
JOSIE.

She insisted on sticking the stamp on herself and posted it in the pillar-box at the end of her road on the way to school on Monday. From then on she watched the postman every day as he delivered the letters for Mummy and Daddy.

On Friday morning amongst all the other mail was a letter addressed to her, personally. It was a big, square, white one, with an elegant golden crest in one corner. The Lord Mayor of London’s Crest. Inside was a letter, signed by him personally. He was, he said very pleased to hear about Big George and would she please let him know where he could find him and he would contact his owner to see if something could be arranged. He thanked her for her letter and for letting him know about Big George. He hoped she would come to London to see the Show in November.

Josie was delighted and answered his letter that very day. She really wanted to rush off to the farm where her friend lived to tell them the good news but Daddy said she must wait until the weekend.

When they arrived at Big George’s farm the Farmer asked Daddy if he would kindly come into his house for a chat. He told him about a letter he had received from The Head Groom at the Lord Mayor of London’s Stables asking if Big George could help to pull the Golden Coach in the Big Show in November. Josie had written to The Lord Mayor telling him that Big George would really like to be invited and would he be free to do so? They had of course said “Yes” So Big George was off to London during the coming week for special training and grooming. "Oh No! Does this mean that I won’t see him any more?" Josie asked tearfully, when Daddy had explained what was happening. "No, No, of course not Darling." Daddy assured her, "there’s a lot of training needed to do that sort of work and they must show Big George how to do it. That’s all. They must also make him look even more handsome than he normally does. He’ll be back after the show and you’ll be able to see him as usual."
"But that’s ages away." Josie was still upset.
"I’ll take you to London to see him at his new stables," Daddy promised. "
"Oh well then, that’s alright," said Josie. "I really thought I wasn’t going to see him anymore."

Dressed in their warm winter clothes they arrived early in London on the Saturday morning of the Lord Mayor’s Show so that they could find a good place to see everything. They stood in the very front row of the cheering crowds at the corner of Fleet Street and Fetter Lane where the road narrows. From there you get a good view of the procession, in fact you are so close that you almost feel as though you are taking part in it!
The parade went on for ages. Brightly coloured floats with lots of gaily dressed people on them dancing and waving and throwing sweets to the children. Flags flying, jazz bands playing, drums banging, soldiers in all sorts of uniforms marching stiffly CLUMP CLUMP CLUMP in long lines to the bands of their regiments, a huge float that looked like a ship with sailors doing the hornpipe. Even an aeroplane on the back of a long lorry, with airmen sitting on top of it waving to everyone. Then came the Yeoman of the Guard from the Tower of London looking very smart. It was all very exciting!

Most exciting of all for Josie was the Lord Mayor’s Coach. It was huge. Six horses all as big if not bigger than George, though of course not so handsome, were pulling it and right in the front and nearest to them was BIG GEORGE.
He was proudly stepping it out with the others clearly enjoying himself enormously. The golden coach moved easily along the street towards them, it’s great wheels, taller than Josie herself, crunching on the thick layers of sand scattered all over the road. It was beautiful, breathtaking, a wonderful sight. Josie thought she had never seen anything like it, even Cinderella's coach could not have been better. Gold and silver, reds, blues and greens in the deepest and richest shades made it look like something out of a fairy tale. It shimmered in the cold November sunlight. The Lord Mayor was leaning out of the window waving his three-cornered hat to everyone and smiling happily. All the people cheered even louder and all the children waved their flags enthusiastically back to him. The noise was deafening. "Look Daddy, Look, Mummy." Josie became wildly excited and, jumping up and down, pointed at George. "Look Daddy, there’s Big George, doesn’t he look handsome, look how his coat shines, look how big and strong he is." Then leaning as far over the barrier as she could she shouted at the top of her voice, or what was left of it.

"Hooray for Big George. Hooray for Big George."
Big George heard her voice. Was that his little friend Josie? He was sure it was. He looked sideways. Yes, there she was standing on the corner. Perhaps she had brought him a carrot or an apple. If he just turned his head a little he could just reach. Instead Josie reached out and stroked his nose. She said to him very sternly. "Stop messing about George and get on with it, you re supposed to be pulling The Lord Mayor’s Coach not talking to me."

The Lord Mayor heard her even above the noise and put his head further out of the window. "Anyone would think the horse knows you," he said in a friendly way.
"He does," replied Josie blushing with pleasure. "He's a very good friend of mine."
"My Goodness!" Exclaimed The Lord Mayor. "Are you Josie?"
"Yes!" Said Josie proudly, her cheeks going redder than ever. "I am."
"Well I’m very glad to meet you Josie. Would you like to ride in my Coach with me to the end of the parade." What an invitation…who wouldn’t like to ride with the Lord Mayor of London in his Golden Coach?
"Yes please," said Josie instantly. "I should like that very much. Can my parents come too?"
"Certainly," said The Lord Mayor. "Of course. Why not?"

They all climbed into the coach and Big George and the other horses pulled hard and off they went to the Mansion House, The Lord Mayor’s House in the City. It was a super ride and a wonderful day for both Josie and her parents. Of course it was an unforgettable day for Big George too. He had at last done something that he had always wanted to do.

On Monday Josie told everyone at school what had happened on Saturday at the Lord Mayor’s Show. At first no one believed her but then her teacher came into the classroom and said "Good Morning children." Then addressing herself directly to Josie said. "Good Morning Josie, was that you I saw on television on Saturday at the Lord Mayor’s Show? I thought I recognised you when I saw it on the news, but I wasn’t quite sure." Josie nodded and assured her that it had been her that she had seen and went on to tell her all about the wonderful day. "That must have been a day you’ll never forget," her teacher said with a smile. "Yes, it was." Josie said wistfully. "And it was a very big day for Big George too, I’d like to do it all again next year."

END.