Andy And The Magic Coat

Andy And The Magic  Coat 
BA short story by Paul Mc Cann
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Andy was the youngest child in the Mc Fadden household . 
When you have six older brothers and sisters to compete with, there are a couple of useful survival tricks to adopt . 
Whoever is first up is best dressed , and whoever eats the 
fastest gets the most . Sadly for Andy he loved to lie on in his bed and so he ended up getting to school hungry and a little late . 

One morning as Andy walked to school through the snow , 
he thought about the last boiled egg he never got and he wished he had a warm overcoat . Andy began to feel the cold and when he started to really shiver he took some shelter in the doorway of a shop that he just happened to be passing by . 
The door of the shop opened up automatically so Andy went inside . 

“ Good morning young man . Well now , is there something I can get for you ? ” said the shopkeeper from behind the counter . 

“Sure Mister , how much is that warm coat over there?” 
Andy replied as he shivered and shook inside the shop . 

“ Well for you , its ten pounds son ” 
Said the friendly man . 
Andy looked up at the shopkeeper who smiled , 
“Ok . Thanks anyway Mister ”. 
Andy turned to walk out of the shop , but was called back by the man who said , 
“ Listen do me a favour and I’ll let you have the coat for free ”. 
The shopkeeper went into the back room and returned with a large parcel in his hands . Andy was very intrigued and waited for what was coming next . The shopkeeper looked down at Andy and said , 
“ Take this bone down to Mrs Brown the Farmers wife and tell her its for the dog I sold her last week . Can you do that for me ?” 

“ No problem ” Andy replied . 
The man handed Andy the parcel . 

“ All right then , here . When you get back , I’ll give you the coat ” 
Andy ran all the way to Browns Farm and knocked on the door . 
He knocked and knocked but there was no answer , so he shouted as loud as he could . 
“ Hello , is anybody home ! ” 
Mrs Brown stuck her head out from the barn , and shouted back, 
“ Come over here , I’m milking the cows and can’t stop .” 
Andy ran over and handed the parcel to Mrs Brown and said exactly what the shopkeeper told him . The farmers wife called the dog and threw it the bone . 
“ Ah that’s just what my dog loves . Thank you son . Now here , take this cow back with you , and give it to the shopkeeper . 
Tell him this is the cow I promised . Can you do that ? ” 
Andy was unsure and looked at the Farmers wife and said , 
“ Well , I’ve never actually gone cow walking before Mrs Brown . 
What do I have to do ?” 
She pinned a spot of red cloth on Andy’s back and told him if he walked ahead of the cow , it would follow him wherever he went . Andy made his way back to the village with Mrs Browns cow following close behind him . Along the way he was met by an old man who offered him ten pounds for the cow . 
“ Its not my cow to sell you ” Said Andy , and he continued his journey until he was back at the shop . He walked inside with the cow and told the shopkeeper what Mrs Brown had said . 
The man laughed and said , 
“ Did you happen to speak with anyone on the way back to town ? 
“There was an old man who offered me ten pounds for the cow ” Andy replied . 
Just the shopkeeper began to laugh and said , 
“ Let me tell you something ,you are the third person I’ve asked to do the job you have just done. Everyone except you , had sold the cow for ten pounds . You are to be rewarded for your honesty now , so go and get your coat ” 
“ Oh great . I can’t wait until all my brothers and sisters see my new coat . They’re going to go green with envy ” . 
Music rang from the coat when Andy lifted it . 
He was just about to try it on when the man said , 
“ Its a magic coat , and no one can see it but you . When you wear this coat , your life will never be the same again . If it is cold and raining , around you the world will become warm and sunny . 
When you are hungry the pockets of the coat will 
provide you with food . Go on then , try it on . ” 
Andy put on the coat , and it fitted perfectly . He left the shop and went outside where the sun was shinning . Everyone who passed by looked cold but Andy was very comfortable in his new coat . 

THE END