Mr Fingerton’s Eyes -Chapter 2

 Mr Fingerton’s Eyes

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 2

The Christmas Retreat

 

Mr Fingerton was looking forward to going on the Christmas retreat during the school holidays . He had been gifted this two-week sabbatical on the top of Bulbus Mountain by the department of education for his seventh-year teaching in the school system ,   

It was the last day of school before the school closed for the Christmas break and he was reading to his class from a book called A Christmas Wonderland ,

The children were attentively listening to him.

“It was Christmas Eve and Santa took a look around Wonderland.  He could see how happy the snowman was standing proudly in the elves’ gardens aa the elves were screaming ,

“Santa look how thick it lies”?

“Ho Ho Ho , I love the snow “

He replied.

Santa watched the polar bears sliding down from the rooftops of all the little houses to the ground . They were having lots of Christmas fun outside chasing after the penguins who were running around looking for places to hide from Rudolf who loved playing Christmas hide and seek around the streets of wonderland ., “

Suddenly the school bell rang and all the children screamed for joy ,

“Time to go home . Christmas is coming “

Mr Fingerton said ,

“Have a wonderful Christmas everyone . See you next year “

The classroom was soon empty as Mr Fingerton closed the door behind him and went to make sure all the children got safely on their buses .Then he went to the staff room to pass on his Christmas greetings to the other teachers there. With thoughts of  Bulbus mountain and Christmas in his head he was almost floating on air as he walked .

In the staff room he saw some of the teachers sitting together sharing some cookies someone had made . He was invited to join them because he always sat on his own at lunch time there .This was the first time he sat among all the other teachers and he felt good about that . He watched them eating the crackers with cheese and tomato and some peanuts that were on the table , He ate the left-over sandwich his mother had made for him the night before and kind drifted off in thoughts about being on a mountain at Christmas  .

The he saw a woman walking through the staff room ringing a school bell ‘

No one else seemed to notice her but it made him think it was time for him to go home and pack his bags for going on the retreat . He still found it hard to accept that no one else had seen the woman ringing the school bell in the staff room but wished them all a happy time during the holidays  . He returned home and found his mother had placed his Christmas gifts around the tree in the corner of the room . She looked at him and pointed over to the gifts laid out and said ,

 

“It’s the first time you’ll be away from home at Christmas son “

He gave her a hug and then he opened up the gifts she had left out . Then he went into 

his room and brought her out a gift he had bought and said ,

 

“Happy Christmas Mammy . I have to leave early in the morning to get to the retreat centre before dark”.

They both looked as if they needed some counselling but started to get used to the fact, they would not be sharing Christmas day together this year .

Next morning his breakfast was on the table waiting and he quickly ate it up before getting his bag . It looked like he wanted to get the goodbye . As he headed to the door, she opened it up for him . Then kissing him on the cheek she said ,

“I still remember you as a child  at Christmas when your Father ,  God rest him and I would watch you open up all your presents . Now look at you . Running off to some mountain for two weeks and me left here with no one and no where to go “

He responded.

“‘Now Mammy , don’t be like that . I won’t be away long “

She looked at him and smiled then replied .

‘You go and enjoy yourself son and  drive safely up that mountain road  “ 

 As he walked out the door to his car he saw a strange sight . There was a man riding a horse along the street with some coloured balloons on as string fluttering in the air / It looked like he was from another world . . In a few seconds the man and the horse had disappeared .

He never knew who the people were that he saw or where they came from . He accepted them as visons of life passing by for his eyes only . Sometimes It happened so fast , in the blink of an eye , He got into his car and drove off carefully along through the streets to the freeway on the start of his journey to Bulbus Mountain .

It was twilight when he arrived at the mountain retreat and he was welcomed by a lady who he was sure he had met before , but never really knew who she was . In that déjà vu experience he watched her leading the way to show him the room where he would be staying during the retreat . She walked down a path to an archway where he saw rings of smoke hovering from incense sticks placed inside these small oriental towers that were lined on a pathway to small cabins nearby . She handed him a key and pointed to the cabin where he would be staying . Then left him to discover the surroundings himself . He was amazed at how many people passed him by and welcomed him to the retreat centre . They all handed  him a small gift wrapped in Christmas paper . When he went into his cabin and checked out some of the gifts he had been given . There were pens , notepads , a wallet , after shave and toiletries , cuff links and ties , socks and boxes of chocolates .

Feeling tired he retired early to his cabin he retired  early to his cabin and had a rest , In the morning he was awoke by a gentle knock on the door of his cabin , He got up and opened the door to  find his breakfast on a tray had been left for him with a greeting card and a map with areas of interest that provided an escape into zones of sanctuary and reflection all around the mountain paths . There were underground caves and pools and pebble pathways lined with wildflowers , statues and water features ,and other sanctuaries spread all over the mnounta8n retreat . During the time Mr Fingerton was  there at the retreat hew saw old monks wearing saffron robes and tribesmen and women with prayer wheels and other relics from the past . They never spoke to him , in fact Mr Fingerton never spoke to anyone during the two weeks he was there on the retreat . He had all his meals brought to his cabin and most days he just explored the surroundings on the top of Bulbus mountain . There were many things that caught his eye , pendants of coloured crystal hanging from tree branches , carved wooden elephants and other animals that were scattered around the place . Fans and touchstones , wind chimes and there was always incense burning in small shrines all over the place .There was so much to see and the time went fast . At night candles were lit inside paper lanterns that drifted up in the air , in a display of love and reverence for all to enjoy .

Christmas came and went and when the new year came Mr Fingerton was invited to plant a small tree in the garden of remembrance that had a plaque with his name on it in the spot where he planted his tree . There were hundreds of trees growing there in the garden .

The he packed his bags into his car and drove back to his mother’s home with a wonderful feeling of peace and love that he had never felt before .

 

End of chapter 2

 

Link to chapter 3

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/mr-fingerton%E2%80%99s-eyes-chap...

 Mr Fingerton’s Eyes

A Novel

By Paul McCann 

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