Sparkle And Shine

Sparkle And Shine

By Paul McCann

Sham and Frankie started a window cleaning business to make some extra money .

They were a team of two who worked as a team of four or more . They were much quicker and a lot slicker that the rest .

In two level houses they worked with

one up and one down on the ladder and got the job done twice as fast in half the time .

They sang as they worked and were always happy to be alive .

Apart from their speed , they had a talent bringing a shine to the glass .

They used a secret special chemical

that they added to the water in their buckets and they had imported

chamois clothes sent over from America .

Before they started washing the windows of the big houses around town they did all the shops before they opened their doors for business .

Every morning the first thing they done was their run on all of the shop windows up on the front of the road . Sham always liked to sing as he worked . Frankie liked to rant and rave and he could talk a mile a minute about things that had nothing to do with the job at hand . He would make up lines from the top of his head .

Sham was always lost for answers most of the time , thats why he started singing so he could block out Frankie’s ranting and raving .

This distraction always resulted in Frankie joining in the singing so

there they woukd be every morning in front of glass windows with their feet on the ground , bringing that sparkle to the glass and a joke to bring a smile to people they met each day .

There were the odd balls and eccentric folk in their big houses that brought challenges like Mrs Fagan who had a problem Sham . She always told him to stop picking the leaves off her tree even though it wasn’t really him nwho did it and it wasn’t even her tree anyway . The tree belonged to Mike who lived next door to her . What actually had happened was Mrs Fagan made a complaint about Mike’s that reached over on to her side of the fence . She didn’t like the fact that the tree encroached over the fence and dropped leaves onto her path in the winter . When Mrs Fagan would get up on the mornings of her windows being cleaned she accused Frankie Sham of picking off the leaves and leaving them all over the ground for her to clean up and so it had always been which made Frankie and

Sham smile and they would say

“Don't worry Mrs Fagan we will stick the leaves back on for you “

That always made her happy and the lads would just swept them

up and put them over the other side of the fence .

Frankie and Sham knew how to deal with difficult people especially the ones who didn’t like them singing or being happy on the job .

“ Ok . Right then . Here is what we can do , we will put in place our non singing team who work silently . This will also allow you to have a discounted rate , for you as well as enjoying a peaceful start to your day”

Frankie and Sham would then very quickly do the job themselves without talking or singing and everyone was happy.

“Frankie throw out that dirty water and ask wee Annie in McErlanes bakery for a bucket of warm soapie water “

Then there were then other customers who just loved to hear the lads singing .

Frankie was always the up towner with big ideas like day he turned to Sham and handed him the bucket and chamois and said ,

" Sham here , take this and clean all the glass windows of every one of the shops on the road , then dry them with the chamois , ok . I'll be back as soon .”

Sham knew that when Frankie talked like that and had that look in his eyes he was inspired and would let him do what he had to do “

“ Where are you off to Frankie ?’

Sham asked .

“I’ve an idea Sham , it’s going to make us some easy money “

Before Sham had the chance to ask any more questions Frankie was off like a flash . Sham kept working away shinning up the glass windows one after the other . He was about halfway there near Delaneys entry when Frankie returned to the front of the road to find Sham had done half of all the shop windows . Under his arm he had some bits of cardboard .

He stood there for a moment and just watched Sham furiously at work . Inspecting the glass up and down then side to side and wiping the chamois around and around .

"That’s a work of art Sham . . That window deserves to be on show inside of an Art Gallery .“

What the heck are you talking about Frankie “? asked Sham

"I’m just saying the way you’ve cleaned that shop window is like something ethereal “

Sham replied .

"That's very good , the way you’re sucking up to me cause I’ve done half the windows on my own “

Frankie said .

"Oh I know but listen , you’ll thank me when I tell you what I’ve gone and done “

“So enlighten me Frankie “

He handed Sham three pieces of cardboard with written signs on them .

“ Look here Sham, the bakers , the fishmongers and the sweetie shop .

See what I have written on these bits of cardboard . They’ll be going behind each of the front windows we’ve done “

Each of the signs all had a wee message written on them .

Sham read them one by one .

You’re not a piece of fruit , come inside I won’t bite you .

Some will. Some won't . Some do. Some don't. We might . Ask inside for more details .

Notice If you have stopped and took notice of this notice then you will probably notice that this notice probably isn't worth noticing .

“You mean the windows I’ve done “

Frankie started ranting ,

“ Signs are one way of getting people’s attention , like instant advertising for all the shopkeepers . People pay for stuff like that Sham . They will just love these signs I’ve made . See how colourful they are and how well set out they are “

Sham replied .

“So we’re now sign-writers as well as window cleaners ?

“ We’re just putting another string to our bow Sham . I'm going to sell

these for 3d each . Just watch .

It’s a novelty . I’m calling them signs of the times “

Sham just nodded his head as Frankie raved and ranted . Then he watched Frankie go into some of yhe the shops with his colourful cardboardn signs . Sham couldn’t believe his eyes when Frankie sold all

the signs . He looked at Frankie and said

“ Have you got any more ideas ?”

Frankie replied ,

“I’m thinking we could do personal signs for the shop keepers to give their customers a laugh like this one for Jimmy Liddy the fishmonger . My fish are so fresh they’re still alive , they’ll make you want to wriggle inside “

Sham had a laugh . Eventually he give in and told Frankie to godhead and make the signs and he would finish doing all the windows of the shops .

In about an hour Frankie returned with about ten cardboard signs for all the different shops . Already there were people who had gathered around to read the signs in the shop windows .

The shop keepers were very pleased with the work and all paid Frankie for his time and trouble .

Further down the road Sham had finished cleaning all the windows . Frankie went with all the money he got from selling his signs and it totalled twice as much as for the cleaning .

Sham just looked at Frankie

who motioned him to come over .

He looked so proud and said ,

“Isn't it great Sham , money for jam “

"Jeazus Frankie how do you do it ?

"Yeah I know . It’s magic Sham ".

Sham smiled for a minute and then they headed off down to start on the houses in the district .

There was always a window to clean and song to sing for the lads who liked to make everything sparkle and shine

By Paul McCann

THE END