SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased) - STAVE 2 - THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS

SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased)
A POEM by Paul Curtis
BASED ON THE STORY by
Charles Dickens “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”

STAVE 2 - THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS

VERSE 1 - AWAKENING

It was so dark when scrooge awoke from his slumber
That he could scarcely see across his bedchamber
He was trying to pierce the dark with ferret eyes
And he peered out the window at the darkened skies
When he was startled by the church clock chimes
As it suddenly struck out the quarters all Four times
With the sound reverberating from the church tower
Scrooge listened for the great clock to strike the hour
To his great astonishment the heavy bell went on
From six to seven to eight, and regularly past eleven
In fact it struck all the way to twelve then silence
Twelve? It was two when he retired it made no sense
The clock must be wrong and most probably it was broken
Ice must have got into the works if he was not mistaken
Twelve? Scrooge touched the spring of his repeater
To correct this most preposterous public chronometer
The repeater’s rapid little pulse beat twelve and ceased
"Why, it isn't possible," He said with forehead creased
"That I can have slept through a whole day, it isn’t right
And furthermore that I should sleep far into another night
It isn't possible anything has happened to the sun
And it’s twelve at noon." This idea was an alarming one
He could see nor hear signs of life on the street below
After he had rubbed the frost off his bedroom window
If it were noon there would be people making their way
Unquestionably if night had beaten off bright day
Scrooge went to bed again, and thought, and thought
And thought it over and over and over as best he ought
The more he thought, the more perplexed he became
The more he tried not to think, he thought all the same
Jacob Marley's Ghost still bothered him exceedingly
When he thought of him a chill ran up his back icily
He resolved within himself that it was all a dream
And that things could not possibly be as they seem
His mind flew back, like a strong spring released
"Was it a dream or not?" his uneasiness hadn’t ceased
Scrooge lay restless and uneasy in his four poster bed
Then Ebeneezer suddenly recalled what Marley had said
He warned him of a visitation when the bell tolled one
He resolved to stay awake until the thing was done
"Ding, dong!” “A quarter past," said Scrooge, counting.
"Ding dong!" "Half past!" said Scrooge almost shouting
"Ding dong!" "A quarter to it," Scrooge said nervously
"Ding dong!" "The hour itself," he said triumphantly
"And nothing else!" He spoke before the hour was done
Which it then did with a deep, hollow, melancholy one
Suddenly light filled the room bright as dawn
And his bed curtains were simultaneously drawn

VERSE 2 – AN UNEARTHLY VISITATION

Scrooge was startled into a half-recumbent position
Found himself face to face with an unearthly visitation
It was a strange figure almost like a child yet not so
And almost like a very old man but not one though
The odd figure was certainly of child like proportion
Yet it was a muscular and athletic looking apparition
It had long flowing hair which was white as if with age
The beings general demeanor was that of an old sage
Yet the face had not a single wrinkle not even a trace
And the tenderest bloom was on the creatures face
The figure held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand
And its dress was trimmed with a summer flower band
But the oddest thing about it was the crown of light
It wore upon its head spouting a jet clear and bright
And by the crown on its head everything was visible
But it carried a cap to make the light extinguishable
"Are you the Spirit whose coming was foretold to me?"
Asked Scrooge "I Am." The soft voice replied gently
"What are you?" "I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past"
"Long Past?" inquired Scrooge curtly "No your past."
Scrooge had a special desire to see the cap on the Spirit
Over the illuminating light and begged him to cover it
"Would you so soon put out the light I give right now?
Eternally for such as you, I wear it low upon my brow!"
Scrooge disclaimed all intention of offending the spirit
Or any knowledge of having made him wear a bonnet
Then boldly inquired what business brought him there.
The ghostly apparition calmly replied "Your welfare"
Regarding his welfare Scrooge thought what was best
Was without a doubt a long night of unbroken rest
He soon realized that his thoughts The Spirit could read
For it then said "Your reclamation, then so Take heed"
It put out its strong hand and clasped Scrooge gently
Taking his arm as he said "Rise And walk with me"
Ebeneezer Scrooge was reluctant to leave his warm bed
The grasp, gentle as a woman’s was not to be resisted
He was a little alarmed wearing only his nightclothes
When the spirit led him in the direction of the windows
He clasped his robe in supplication "I am just a mortal,"
“Please spirit” Scrooge remonstrated "I’m liable to fall"
The spirit said "Bear a touch of my hand on your heart,"
"And you shall be upheld in more than this lest we part."
They passed through the wall as the words were spoken
And stood on a road with fields and all around was open

VERSE 3 - SCHOOLDAYS

The city had entirely vanished Nothing was to be seen
The darkness and the mist had gone and all was clean
There was no bustle and there was barely a sound
It was a clear, winter day, with snow on the ground
"Heavens" said Scrooge, clasping his hands together
As he looked around "I was bred here I was a boy here"
The Spirit watched him mildly, as he was absorbing
The sights and sounds and smells that he was sensing
"Your lip is trembling," it said Scrooge couldn’t speak
The ghost continued "And what is that upon your cheek?"
Scrooge only muttered, An unusual catch in his voice
He begged the Ghost to lead him to a place of his choice
"You recollect the way?" inquired the amused Spirit
Ebeneezer Scrooge cried with fervor "Remember it?"
"I could walk it blindfolded I know it so well spirit"
Scrooge then again cried with fervor "Remember it!"
"Strange then to have forgotten it for so many years,"
The Ghost said, "Lets go on, you know the way it appears”
They walked along the road the snow white and crunchy
And Scrooge recognized every gate, and post, and tree
Then in the distance vale a little market town appeared
With its bridge, its church, and a river wound and veered
Some shaggy ponies now were seen trotting their way
With boys on their backs, and they were happy and gay
They called to other boys in country gigs and buggy
All the boys were in such great spirits shouting happily
"These are but shadows of the things that have been,"
Said the Ghost. "As real as they are we cannot be seen”
The jocund travelers came in view and then were gone
As they came Scrooge knew and named every one
Ebeneezer was filled with joy as he stood to listen
It made his old heart glad and his cold eye glisten
He wondered why he was filled with such gladness
When they wished each other a Merry Christmas
As they all parted at the cross-roads and-bye ways
Heading for their homes for the Christmas holidays
What was a merry Christmas to Scrooge anyway?
What good had it ever done for him? He might say
"The school is not quite deserted," said the spirit.
"A solitary child, left by his friends, is left to sit"
Scrooge said he knew that And he sobbed quietly
And he and the spirit continued on the road slowly
They left the main road, by a well-remembered lane
And soon came to a mansion of red brick, dull and plain
It was quite a large house but it had seen better days
Crumbling brick and peeling paint on window bays
The walls all ran with damp and green in a mossy way
The windows were broken and everything was in decay
Fowls were clucking and strutting outside of the class
And coach-houses and sheds were over-run with grass
Throughout was a musty odor of the ancient and old
Inside of the dreary hall was poorly lit vast and cold
The Ghost and Scrooge walked silently across the hall
To a room with barely any noteworthy furnishings at all
Desks and forms filled a long bare and melancholy room
On one of the forms a lonely boy sat reading in the gloom
Scrooge sat down upon a form overcome by melancholy
And wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be
The Spirit touched his shoulder to comfort his distress
“How sad it is to be all alone and friendless at Christmas”
Scrooge bristled at the thought of pitying his boyhood
But then how could a mere shade ever have understood
“This youth had self reliance and strength of character
And he was never alone while he had his books there”
Scrooge said “And his friends were great and many
Ali Baba, Robinson Crusoe and Friday as good as any”
He sat down again once more overcome by melancholy
And wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be
"I wish," he muttered, drying his eyes with his sleeve
"But it's too late now to change that Christmas Eve"
"What ever is the matter?" asked the concerned Spirit
"Nothing," said Scrooge. "Nothing I’m happy to admit
Some boys were Caroling at my door last nightfall
I should like to have given them something that was all"
The Ghost smiled thoughtfully, waved its hand thus
Saying as it did so, "Let us see another Christmas!"
At the words Scrooge's former self grew lankier
And the room became a little darker and dirtier
But the situation remained unchanged in other ways
Alone again, with the other boys gone for the holidays
Not reading now he was despairingly pacing the floor
While old Scrooge glanced anxiously towards the door
It opened; and a little girl, much younger than the boy
Came darting in filling both old and young with joy
She put her arms about his neck tight like a mother
Kissing him she addressed him as "Dear, dear brother."
She said "I have come to bring you home dear brother!"
Clapping her hands and laughing "Home, Ebeneezer!"
"Home, little Fan?" young Ebeneezer said questioningly
"Yes! Home dear brother" said the child, brimful of glee
"Yes home, for good and all. Home, forever and ever
Father is so much kinder than he used to be Ebeneezer
That home is almost like Heaven!” Fan spoke so sweetly
“As I went to bed one night Father spoke so gently to me
That I was not afraid to ask him and indeed felt no dread
To ask once more if you may come home, and yes he said
You should and he sent me in a coach to bring you there”
She clapped her hands and laughed "Home, Ebeneezer!"
“And you're to be a man!" she said proud as a mother
"And you are never to come back here dear brother
But first, we're to be together for the whole Christmas
No one in the world will have a merriest time than us"
"You are quite a woman, little Fan!" exclaimed the boy
She clapped her hands and laughed to show her joy
Then she began to drag him, in childish eagerness
Towards the door; and he could feel her happiness
And the happy pair passed quickly through the door
And Master Scrooge's trunk was then duly called for
With the trunk tied on the carriage it was time to go
And the carriage was away spraying frost and snow
"She was Always a delicate creature”, the spirit offered
“A delicate creature whom a breath might have withered,"
"But she had a large heart!" the ghost added a complement
"So she had, you're right" cried Scrooge in total agreement
"She died a woman," said the Ghost, "And she had, children."
"One child," Ebeneezer Scrooge corrected the apparition
"Yes just one child" said the Ghost. "Your nephew! Fred"
Scrooge seemed uneasy in his mind “Yes" he said

VERSE 4 - OLD FEZZIWIG’S

They had but that moment left the school’s vicinity
And were then in the busy thoroughfares of a city
Where shadowy figures passed this way and that way
And many varied carts and coaches battle in the Grey
It was plain enough to see by the mode of decoration
In the shop windows that it was Christmas time again
But it was the evening time and all the streets were lit
Stopping by a door Scrooge was asked if he knew it
"Know it!" said Scrooge. "Was I not apprenticed there?"
They went in and saw an old gentleman sat in a chair
At the sight of the old gentleman in the Welsh wig
Scrooge cried in great excitement giving a kind of jig
"Why, it's old Fezziwig! Bless his heart alive again!"
He adjusted his waistcoat as the clock struck seven
Fezziwig looked at the clock and laid down his pen
He laughed to himself and he closed his ledger then
Laughing in a manner benevolent and comfortable
Called out loudly in a voice oily, rich, fat and jovial
"Yo ho, there! Ebeneezer! Dick!" he said in a bellow
Young apprentice Scrooge appeared with his fellow
"Dick Wilkins" said Scrooge to the Ghost "Bless me”
There he is. He was much attached to me was Dicky"
"Yo ho, boys!" said Fezziwig. "No more work to-night.
Its Christmas Eve, Dick. Christmas, Ebeneezer all right”
“So Let's have the shutters up," old Fezziwig cried
"Before you can say Jack Robinson,” he said with pride
The two boys went about their task with great vigor
Pursued by the exuberant Fezziwigs jovial figure
He skipped about offering the occasional “Hilli- ho”
Or even a “Chirrup” whereever the boys had to go
The room was completely cleared of every moveable
Floor swept, lamps trimmed and fire made as desirable
Then no sooner was the room snug and warm in there
In came a fiddler with music and climbed upon a chair
Then came Mrs. Fezziwig, smiling vast and substantial
In came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable
And the daughters suitors and then friends of the family
The cook and housemaid and various other employees
Until eventually the large room was full to overflowing
And the music began in earnest, which led to dancing
There was cold roast and boiled meat and beer a plenty
And the Fezziwigs danced as if they were only twenty
Shining in every part of the dance like stars in heaven
Then the ball broke up when the clock struck eleven
Either side of the door the Fezziwig took up stations
And shook hands with all offering seasons felicitations
When all the guests had departed from the premises
They wished the same to their two young apprentices
As the Fezziwigs made off chatting like they’d never stop
The lads went to their beds, which were in the back-shop
During the whole time of the unfolding merriment
His heart and soul were with his former embodiment
He corroborated everything, remembered everything
Enjoyed it all, but his agitation was the strangest thing
It was only went the boys bright faces turned away
That he remembered the spirit who lighted the way
"A small matter," it said "To fill them with gratitude."
"Small matter!" echoed Scrooge in a bemused attitude
The Spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices
Who were pouring out their hearts to Fezziwigs praises
Then the spirit added, "Why! Is it so praise worthy!
He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money
"It isn't that spirit" said Scrooge, heated by the remark
Speaking unconsciously like his former self as a clerk
"It isn't that, He has the power to make us happy or not
To make our working life light or burdensome in out lot
A pleasure or a toil. His words and looks could entune
The happiness he gives, is as great as if it cost a fortune"
He felt the Spirit's glance upon him and went silent
"What is the matter?" asked the Ghost in amusement
"Nothing in particular," said Scrooge quite abruptly
"Something, I think?" said the apparition insistently
"No," said Scrooge, "No. I should like to be able to
Speak to my clerk now that's all Just a word or two”
As the younger Scrooge turned down the lamps light
The older and the Ghost stood side by side in the night
"My time grows short," observed the Spirit. "Quick!"
Then were once again removed like in a magic trick

VERSE 5 – SWEET YOUNG BELLE

Again Scrooge saw himself a young man but older
A man in the prime of life but His face was harsher
It did not wear the rigid lines that his own face did
But there were signs of avarice that could not be hid
He was not alone, but sat beside a girl young and fair
Tears filled her eyes and light sparkled on them there
"It matters little," she said, softly. "Very little to you”
“Another idol has displaced me clearly in your view
And if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come
As I would have tried to do, then your idol is welcome
I have no just cause to grieve. For what you have done"
"What Idol?" he demanded she replied "A golden one."
The younger Scrooge turned away from the girl smartly
"This is the great hypocrisy of life!" he said sharply
"There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty
Yet condemns pursuit of wealth with such severity”
"You fear the world too much," she answered, gently
"All your other hopes have merged together singly
I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one
Until now Gain possessed you as It has now done?"
"What then? Even if I have grown much wiser,” he said
“I am not changed towards you." She shook her head
"Am I?" his question hung unanswered in the air
For a few moments she sat thoughtfully silent there
She said, "Our contract is an old one made long ago
Made when we were both poor and content to be so,
Until in good season we could” she continued softly
“Improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry”
You are changed. For when our contract was made
You were another man entirely Ebeneezer I’m afraid
"I was a boy," he said impatiently. “We were children”
“But you are different now to what you were then
Your own feelings tell you that this is indeed true
With all this understood Ebeneezer I can release you."
"Have I ever sought release?" Angrily he turned on her
She returned in equal measure "In words? No. Never."
"In what, then?" "In a changed nature and a spirit altered
In another different atmosphere of life” she answered
“In everything that made my love of value in your sight
And In everything that made your love of me feel right
Tell me Ebeneezer If this had never been between us,"
The girl said looking mildly at him but with steadiness
"Would you seek me out and try to win me now? Ah, no!"
He seemed to agree with her but he tried not to show
After a moments thought "You think not?" he countered
"I would gladly think otherwise if I could," she answered
"Heaven knows. When I have learned a Truth like this
I know how strong and irresistible it must be to resist.
But if you were free to-day, to-morrow, yesterday,
Can I believe you would choose a dowerless girl, say?
You who weigh everything by gain would not rebuff
In choosing her, if for a moment you were false enough
To your one guiding principle to do so, do I not know
That your repentance and regret would surely follow?”
Then she said sadly “I do; and I release you Ebeneezer
With a full heart, for the love of him you once were."
He was about to speak; but with her head turned away
She resumed. "You may have pain in this yes you may
But only for the briefest time, and then it will seem
Its memory will be dismissed as an unprofitable dream
From which it happened well that you had awoken.
So may you be happy in the life you have chosen."
Then She left him, and he stood gazing at the floor
"Spirit!" said Scrooge; "I beg you show me no more!
Conduct me home, why do you delight to torture me?"
The ghost then exclaimed "One more shadow to see!"
"No more!" cried Scrooge! “I don't wish to see it!
Show me no more! I beg of you oh merciful spirit"

VERSE 6 – MATRONLY BELLE

Despite his appeals the spirit would have none
And they were once again removed and it was done
They were then in another scene and place, in a room
Not very large or handsome, but a comfort filled room
Near to the winter fire sat the beautiful girl again
Though not so young the signs of beauty still remain
Scrooge recognized Belle the instance that he saw her
Though she was a comely matron sat with her daughter
There were other children all making the noise of forty
All was happy the mother and daughter laughed heartily
The scene was then disturbed by a knocking at the door
And such a rush immediately ensued across the floor
Then the flushed and boisterous group returned rather
Louder than ever, just in time to greet their father
Who came home attended amid the great excitements
By a man laden with Christmas toys and presents
Then the shouting and struggling began in earnest
Under the onslaught the poor porter did his best
To stand his ground and to repel their advances
As they tried to separate him from his packages
A good time was had by all in the family parlor
As the noise was lowered to an acceptable roar
"Belle," said the husband, turning to his wife smiling,
"I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon darling"
"Who was it?" she asked "Guess!" was his only reply
"Oh I don’t know,” she said exasperated “How can I?”
“Just Guess Belle” The laughing husband urged her
“Oh I really don’t know” Belle began in despair
Then almost in the same breath as she shook her head
And laughing as he laughed she suddenly said
"Mr. Scrooge" and laughed again “Oh I don’t know”
"Mr. Scrooge it was. I passed by his office window
As it was not shuttered and he had his candle lit
I could see him clear and was curious I must admit
His partner Marley lies on the point of death, I hear
And there he sat quite alone I do believe my dear"
"Spirit!" said Scrooge his voice breaking slightly
"Remove me from this place." He said pleadingly
"The shadows are of things that have been you see,"
"That they are what they are, do not blame me!"
"Remove me!" Scrooge exclaimed, "I cannot bear it!"
He turned round to the Ghost “Remove me please spirit
Then he turned upon the ghost “Haunt me no longer”
As he noticed the spirits light was glowing stronger
Scrooge seized the extinguisher cap from the spirit
And tried to put out the light that shone bright from it
The spirit was covered but he could not dim the light
Which now spilled upon the ground both left and right
He was overcome by exhaustion and a sense of doom
And was vaguely aware of being in his own bedroom
He gave the cap a final squeeze to push the spirit deep
Then he reeled to his bed and sank into a heavy sleep

SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased) - STAVE 1 - MARLEY’S GHOST

SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased)
A POEM by Paul Curtis
BASED ON THE STORY by
Charles Dickens “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”

STAVE 1 - MARLEY’S GHOST

VERSE 1 – THE PREAMBLE

Marley was dead let there be no doubt about that
The register was duly signed and can be looked at
To argue with the evidence proves to be of no avail
Poor Old Jacob Marley was as dead as a doornail
So there was no doubt of Marley's demise as I said
Of course Ebeneezer Scrooge knew he was dead
They were in partnership for years very profitably
And at his death Scrooge was the sole beneficiary
Despite a long association Scrooge was not so sad
Though he wasn’t deeply upset nor was he glad
Doubtless Jacob Marley was dead, as we now know
This must be distinctly understood from the get go
Or nothing wonderful can ever come from this tale
An almost magical story that I wish now to detail

VERSE 2 – SCROOGE AND MARLEY

As Scrooge and Marley the Company was known
And above the warehouse door the sign was shown
Scrooge never painted old Jacob Marley's name out
And years afterwards it was clearly visible without
Scrooge was a tight fisted and covetous old sinner
Hard as flint, self contained, and solitary as an oyster
He had cold frozen old features and a pointed nose
Mean from his shriveled cheeks to his stiffened toes
His thin curled lips emitted chilling grating tones
Enough to send an icy shiver right to your bones
Nobody asked him for directions or the time of day
And old blind men and beggars kept out of his way
No acquaintance ever inquired of him “How are you?”
And certainly no stranger ever asked “How do you do?”

VERSE 3 – IN THE COUNTING HOUSE

Once upon a time on a Christmas Eve Scrooge sat
Busy in his counting house with his open ledgers fat
It was cold, bleak, biting weather with freezing fog
And the streets were enveloped in a thick Grey smog
In the gloom people could be heard out in the street
Stamping hard on the pavements to warm their feet
The city of London clocks had only just gone three
But with the weather it was dark as night already
The door of Scrooge's counting house was left open
That he might keep his eye upon his clerk in his pen
Mr. Scrooge had a very small fire burning in his grate
But the clerk's fire was so small so as to be third rate
It looked like only one small solitary coal in the gloom
Ebeneezer Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room
When the clerk came in with a shovel for more coal
He was threatened with his dismissal for his console
Thereupon the clerk put on his comforter and his hat
And tried to warm himself at a candle and that was that

VERSE 4 – A NEPHEW COMES A CALLING

“Merry Christmas, uncle” Cried a voice “God save you”
It was the hearty cheerful voice of Scrooge's nephew
Who had quickly entered through his uncle’s open door
"Bah!" said Scrooge "Humbug!" he said to his visitor
He had a ruddy and handsome face and sparkling eyes
And his uncle’s response came, as little or no surprise
"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew
"You don't mean that, I am sure." Scrooge said, "I do,"
"Merry Christmas! What reason, have you to be merry?
You're poor enough." Scrooge continued harshly
"Come then, what right have you to live so dismally?
You're rich enough uncle" returned the nephew gaily
Scrooge having no better answer to show his disdain
Said "Bah!" and followed it up with "Humbug." again
“Uncle! I did not come here today in order to upset you
Please don’t be cross, sir!" said the cheerful nephew
"What else can I be, when I live in such a world of fools?
Merry Christmas! Greetings festiveness and Yule’s
What is Christmas but a time for buying things
With no money and the unhappiness that brings
And a time for finding yourself another year older
And finding you’re not an hour nor a penny richer
If I could only work my will," said Scrooge indignantly
"Every idiot with a Merry Christmas' on his lips I see
Would be boiled with his own pudding for a start
And buried with a stake of holly through his heart"
"Uncle! Its Christmas" said the nephew pleadingly
"Nephew!" returned uncle Ebeneezer very sternly
"You are welcome to keep Christmas in your own way
Allow me to keep it in mine is all that I need to say"
"Keep it!" replied the nephew. "But you don't keep it."
"Let me leave it alone, then," said Scrooge in a fit
"Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done!"
He almost spat out the words at his dear sister’s son
"There are many things from which” returned the nephew
“I may have derived good by which I did not profit a sou
Christmas among the rest and I have always believed,
Of this time when it has come round, to be conceived
Apart from the veneration due it’s sacred name and origin
If anything belonging to it can be apart from that to begin
As a good time, kind, forgiving, charitable, and pleasant
A time, merry, joyful and festive and clearly heaven sent
The only time I know of, in the calendar of the year,
When men and women open their hearts without fear
Though it has never put a scrap of gold in my pocket,
It has done me good, and will do me good God bless it!"
The clerk involuntarily applauded at what was said
Then came to his senses and he poked the fire instead
"If I hear another sound from you," said Scrooge in irritation
"You'll keep your Christmas by losing your situation”
“Well Nephew you're quite the powerful speaker"
Said Scrooge "I wonder you don't go into Parliament sir"
"Don't be angry, uncle. Come! Dine with us tomorrow."
Scrooge vehemently declined filling the boy with sorrow
"But why? I don’t understand " Scrooge's nephew queried
Uncle Scrooge asked him "Why did you get married?"
"I married because I fell in love with her uncle Ebeneezer"
"Because you fell in love!" said Scrooge, “what an answer”
“Why can’t we be friends? I want nothing from you”
"Good afternoon," said Scrooge "Good afternoon nephew,"
"I am heartily sorry to find you so resolute against me
We have never had a quarrel to the best of my memory”
So uncle Ebeneezer I wish A Merry Christmas, to you"
"Good afternoon," said Scrooge "Good afternoon nephew,"
"And uncle I wish the very Happiest New Year to you!"
"Good afternoon!" said Scrooge "Good afternoon nephew,"
He left the room without an angry word or remark
Stopping at the door to offer greetings to the clerk
Though chilled to the bone and weakened physically
He was warmer than Scrooge in returning them cordially
"There's a fellow fool," muttered Scrooge “indeed”
"My own clerk with a wife and six children to feed
With fifteen shillings a week to keep a roof over head
Talking about a merry Christmas, Bah Humbug I said”

VERSE 5 – TWO GENTLEMEN COME A CALLING

No sooner had Scrooge's nephew gone out of view
Than entered a party of gentlemen numbering two
They were both pleasant looking portly gentlemen
Who now stood, hats off, in Scrooge's office environ
They had books and papers in their hands, and bowed
One produced a list of which he was obviously proud
"Scrooge and Marley's, I believe," said one of the men
After scanning down a list of names with the point of a pen
"Is it Mr. Scrooge I’m addressing or Mr. Marley instead?"
"Mr. Marley’s been dead these seven years," Scrooge said
"It was in fact that he died seven years ago this very night"
Scrooge said examining their credentials by candlelight
"We have no doubt,” said the larger gentlemen of the pair
“His liberality is well represented by his surviving partner"
At the very ominous word "liberality," Scrooge frowned
And he handed their credentials back without a sound
"At this festive season of the year" said one gentleman,
"It’s desirable that we should make provision if we can
For the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at this time
Many thousands are in want, which is really such a crime
They lack common necessaries and common comforts, sir."
"Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge sitting in his chair
"Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman without hesitation
"And the Union workhouses? Are they still in operation?"
"They are, I wish they were not" replied one gentleman
"The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigor, then?"
Scrooge asked and was told "They’re both very busy, sir"
Scrooge smiled and seemed to relax back into his chair
"Oh well I'm very glad to hear it" Ebeneezer scrooge said
“I was afraid that something had occurred to stop them dead”
“I’m relieved to hear they continue in their useful course”
Undeterred the gentlemen continued with some remorse
"A few of us are raising a fund to buy the Poor some meat
And drink and means of warmth or a blanket and a sheet
We choose this time when want is keenly felt by the poor
And abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?"
Both men looked expectant Scrooge replied "Nothing!"
"You wish to be anonymous?" asked one man nodding
"I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge "Since you ask me
What I wish, gentlemen, that is the answer I decree
I don't make merry myself at Christmas on the contrary
And I certainly can’t afford to make idle people merry
I have mentioned the establishments I help to support
And those who are badly off must go there for comfort"
The two gentlemen shook their heads at Scrooge’s reply
"Many cannot go there and many would rather die."
Scrooge’s response was the most savage declaration
"They should do it and decrease the surplus population”
Scrooge returned "The poor are not my business,
It's enough for a man to know his own business
And not to interfere in other people's in anyway
Mine occupies me constantly gentlemen Good day!"
Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue
And with spirits depleted the gentlemen withdrew

VERSE 6 – IN THE COUNTING HOUSE AGAIN

Mr. Scrooge returned to his labors with renewed vigor
And an improved opinion of himself as a moral figure
He was left in peace for the remainder of the working day
Save for Carolers who he unceremoniously shooed away
The hour of shutting up the counting house arrived duly
And with an ill-will Scrooge dismounted his stool tacitly
The poor expectant clerk instantly snuffed his candle out
And adjusted his clothing in preparation of going without
"You'll want all day to-morrow?" said Scrooge sharply
"If its quite convenient, sir." The clerk replied meekly
"It's not convenient and it’s unfair. If I was to stop your pay
Scrooge ranted “you'd think yourself ill-used, I'll dare say"
"And yet," said Scrooge pointing at his cowering clerk
"You don't think me ill-used, when I pay wages for no work."
The poor clerk observed that it was only once a year.
This retort merely enraged Scrooge even more I fear
"And that’s a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket
Every twenty-fifth of December!" he said in a blue fit
"But I suppose you must have the whole day” he said
“But you be here all the earlier next morning instead"
The clerk promised faithfully that he would without doubt
And growling disapproval Ebeneezer Scrooge walked out

VERSE 7 – CLERKING ABOUT

The office was closed in the merest twinkling of an eye
And the clerk in the spirit of the season bad the office goodbye
With the ends of his white comforter dangling below his waist
He made his way home to Camden Town with great haste
Stopping only to take turns with a group of boys on a slide
Only about twenty times at the end of the lane near Cheapside

VERSE 8 – A VERY UNEXPECTED VISITOR

Ebeneezer Scrooge took his melancholy dinner alone
In his usual melancholy tavern “The Regents Throne”
And after all the daily newspapers had been duly read
Scrooge buttoned up his coat and went home to bed
He lived in the chambers, which were once the property
Of his deceased friend and partner Mr. Jacob Marley
They were a gloomy suite of rooms in a crumbling pile
Tucked away in a back alley Close to the square mile
It was old, dreary and but for Scrooge nobody lived in it
As all the other rooms all being used as offices to be let
The fog and frost hung about the doorway of the building
So That Scrooge could only find the keyhole by feeling
Now, it is a fact, that there was nothing at all particular
About the knocker on the door neither strange or peculiar
Except that it was large and in the form of a lion’s head
Though in all other respects it was quite usual as I said
It’s a fact, that Scrooge had seen it night and morning
From his first day there to the last and every one during
Bearing in mind that Scrooge had not thought in any way
Of Marley since mention of his dead partner earlier that day
So then how could it happen that Scrooge, key in the door
Saw in the knocker, Marleys face who wasn’t alive anymore
Not an angry face but looked as he did before he was dead
With ghostly spectacles turned up on its ghostly forehead
Moments past As Scrooge looked hard at this phenomenon
And then it was a knocker again and Marleys face was gone
To say that he was not startled or scared would be untrue
He unlocked the door and entered what else was he to do
He did pause for a moment before he shut the door
And he did look cautiously behind it but did no more
There were only screws and nuts to hold the knocker
So he said "Pooh, pooh!" and slammed it like thunder
He fastened the door, and walked slowly across the hall
And up the stairs lit by his candle careful not to fall
The staircase was so wide and gloomy, as the light was dim
He notioned he saw a hearse and six white horses ahead of him
Scrooge dismissed it a trick of the light or lack of it
And continued slowly up the huge stair case to the summit
It would have been easy to have had the entrance lit
But the Darkness is cheap, and Mr. Scrooge liked it
Nonetheless before he shut and bolted his heavy door
He walked through his suite of rooms just to make sure
Nobody was under the bed or behind the door there
Nobody was under the table or indeed under the sofa
Quite satisfied, he closed his door, and locked himself in
Thus secured against surprise he began his undressing
Putting on his slippers, nightcap and his dressing-gown
He prepared to take supper by the fire where he sat down
On a bitter night it was a very low fire with little fuel
Scrooge sat very close to the fire while he took his gruel
The fireplace was paved with tiles adorned with pictures
They were many and varied and illustrated the Scriptures
Out of one of these pictures Marleys head was seen to zoom
"Humbug!" said Scrooge and got up to pace the room
After several turns, he sat down again and his gaze fell
In the direction of a dusty corner and an old disused bell
It was with great astonishment, and with a strange dread
He saw this bell start swinging as he sat gazing ahead
It swung so softly in the outset that it scarcely made a sound
But soon every bell in the house rang loud and echoed around
This might have lasted a minute, but it seemed like an hour
Then the bells ceased just as they had begun, together
They were succeeded by a clanking noise, deep down below
Scrooge thought maybe chains dragging but he didn’t know
Then he heard the noise coming up the stairs much louder
Then coming straight towards his door louder and louder
"It's humbug still!" shouted Scrooge. "I won't believe it."
His color changed though and he was scared more than a bit
When, without a pause, it came on through the heavy door
Passing into the room before his eyes then moving no more
Scrooge thought its Marley in his usual waistcoat not dead
From his tights and boots even to the hair upon his head
The chain he drew was clasped and about his middle it went
It was long, and wound about him like tail of a serpent
It was made of cash-boxes, keys, and had padlocks on
And ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in iron
His body was transparent, so that Scrooge, observing him
And looking through him could see the wall though dim
Scrooge thought this is Marley but he is decidedly dead
From his tights and boots even to the hair upon his head
He looked at the phantom but no matter what his mind says
He was still incredulous, and fought against his senses
Said Scrooge caustically "What do you want with me?"
“Much!" said the unmistakable voice of Jacob Marley
"Who are you?" Ebeneezer Scrooge asked hesitantly
"Why not ask me who I was." Replied the entity
"Who were you then?" said Scrooge with irritation
"You're very particular indeed spirit, for an apparition
"In life I was your partner,” said the spirit “Jacob Marley"
At this scrooge turned paler and his legs turned to jelly
"Can you -- can you sit down?" he asked his old partner
Doubtful of the ghosts ability to actually use a chair
"I can,” said Marley surprised at the question
"Do it then." Scrooge instructed with apprehension
"You don't believe in me," observed the ghost Marley
"I do not,” said Scrooge spitting out the words defiantly
"What evidence would you want to have of my reality
Beyond that of your senses?" asked the strange entity
"I don't know," said Scrooge replying to the question
"Why do you doubt your own senses?" asked the apparition
"Because” said Scrooge “The slightest thing affects them
A slight disorder of the stomach makes cheats of them
You may be an undigested bit of beef quite possibly
Or a blob of mustard, a crumb of cheese, or piccalilli
A fragment of an underdone potato should I continue?
There's certainly more of gravy than of grave about you”
Scrooge was very pleased indeed with his little jest
But he still worried about offending his uninvited guest
"You see this toothpick?" Ebeneezer Scrooge then said
"I do," Jacob Marley answered without moving his head
"You are not looking at it" Scrooge pointed out
"But I see it" said the Ghost "without any doubt"
"Well I have but to swallow without hesitation
And I’ll be plagued goblins all of my own creation
Its all a Humbug” said Scrooge “Humbug I tell you!”
At this the spirit raised up causing a terrible to do
Shaking his chains as well as wailing and screaming
Poor Scrooge could only hide behind his chair shaking
"Mercy!" Scrooge pleaded "Why do you trouble me?"
"Do you believe in me or not?" shouted Marley
"I do," said Scrooge. "I must oh yes spirit I do”
“But why do spirits walk the earth tell me I beg you”
"It is required of every man that the spirit within
Should walk forth, far abroad among his fellowmen
But if the spirits do not go forth during their life time
They are condemned to do so after deaths chime”
Again the spirit raised up causing a terrible to do
Shaking his chains screaming as well as wailing too
“Wandering and witnessing what they cannot share
But might have shared on earth bringing happiness there"
"You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?"
"I wear the chain I forged in life," was the ghosts reply
"I forged this chain link by link, and yard by yard
Made of my own free will and toiled on very hard”
“The chain that you wear yourself” he said in monotone
“Was as full and as heavy and as long as my own
Seven Christmas Eves ago you’ve labored on it since
Now it is a truly ponderous chain" he saw Scrooge wince
Scrooge glanced about him and could see nothing
"Jacob speak comfort to me Jacob!" he said imploring
"I have no comfort to give," replied Jacob Marley
"That comes from other regions and ministers than me
My spirit never walked beyond our office so help me
Never roamed beyond our money changing hole you see”
"But Jacob you were always a good man of business”
"Business!" cried the Ghost "Mankind was my business
The common welfare was my business and forbearance
My business should have been charity mercy and benevolence
The poor should have counted in my business dealings”
Scrooge was horrified by his old partners rantings
"Hear me!" cried the Ghost. "My time is nearly gone"
"I will," said Scrooge "Please lets just have it done”
"How I appear before you in the form I cannot say
I have sat invisible beside you many and many a day"
Scrooge found the idea was not at all an agreeable one
And shivered at the very thought of being spied upon
"I am here to-night to warn you” Marley began to dictate
“That you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate”
Scrooge replied "You were always a good friend to me"
"You will be haunted," resumed the Ghost, "By spirits Three"
On hearing this news made Scrooges temples throb
"Is that the chance and hope you mentioned, Jacob?"
Ebeneezer demanded, in a faltering voice "It is yes"
"I -- I think I'd rather not," said Scrooge in distress
"Without their visits," Jacob Marley's Ghost said
"You cannot hope to shun the dreadful path I tread
Ebeneezer expect the first of the visitors to come”
Marley continued “Tomorrow, when the bell tolls one"
"Jacob Couldn't I take all three of them together”
Scrooge suggested nervously “And have it all over”
"Expect the second at the same hour on the next night
The third upon the next night on the stroke of midnight”
Jacob Marley wailed “Look to see me no more Ebeneezer”
“And look at what has passed between us and remember”
After these words, the spectre backed slowly away
With each step the window inched up a little way
When Marley reached the window it was wide open
And he beckoned Ebeneezer Scrooge to join him then
When they were within two paces of each other
Marley's Ghost held up its hand to stop him coming closer
Scrooge suddenly became aware of a mournful sound
Marley's went out the window hovering above the ground
Jacobs ghost was joined by a throng of other spectre's
They had chains and scrooge knew some of these others
Marley and the other spirits and the voices faded together
And they then just disappeared into the misty weather
Scrooge then closed the window in against the night
He was shivering with the cold as well as from fright
Then he examined the door by which the Ghost entered
The double-locks and bolts were all undisturbed
He was about to say "Humbug!" but in the end didn’t
Being drained from emotion it was in fact he couldn’t
Then overcome by the fatigues of a long strange day
He went to bed falling asleep almost straight away

The Snow Angels

It had been an amazing year, a life changing year, a year never to be forgotten, beginning with love at first sight and ending with a miracle.

It all began of course as all years do on New Year’s Day.
Now you might think that very little occurs, let alone starts, on New Year’s Day as everyone is either nursing a hangover or is just too tired to even contemplate participation in anything very much at all.
Now that may well be true for some but not for everyone.
For me New Year ’s Day is no different to any other day of the year after all isn’t every day the first day of another year?
You might deduce from this that if I have such disdain for the first day of the year that my feeling for the last day of the old year might be like wise and you would be right.
I am and always have been a Christmas person and I love every aspect of the season but New Year’s Eve has always left me cold.
In fact I dislike everything about it, I hate the crowded pubs, the noisy house parties, “old lang syne”, first footing and of course the bloody fireworks.
I always spent the evening with likeminded people, namely my younger brother Greg, eating Chinese takeaway and watching DVDS.
We would prefer to go out to eat but to go anywhere decent you have to book at Easter.
On the other hand my friends Dave and his wife Emma loved New Year’s Eve but didn’t celebrate it for quite different reasons.
Dave worked shifts as a porter at the local hospital. He’d been there since he left school, which was nearly fifteen years, it didn’t pay well but he really loved it.
As a family man he always managed to trade shifts so he had Christmas off but subsequently he always had to work New Year’s Eve.
Emma was a housewife or homemaker or domestic goddess or whatever the pc speak is, she had worked at the hospital as well until she fell pregnant with their first child now they had three children all under 5 years old so she never had time off.

So with all those in mind who do not participate in the Old years night rituals, either by design as in my case or by circumstance as with Dave and Emma we set the scene for the tale and so with all that said we get back to the beginning of the story, the start of that amazing year.
It was New Year’s Day and I was invited to spend the evening with my good friends the Parkers for one of Emma’s wonderful dinners a culinary experience for which I would have gladly paid a king’s ransom but for which the only charge to me was my attendance.

Well as the saying goes “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” and that goes for dinner as well.
I was a bachelor and happy to be so, I was comfortable in my own company, I liked my life, I could do what I wanted when I wanted and I had a good job which paid well and allowed me to indulge myself if I wanted to.
This for Dave and Emma was an alien concept. They were a couple and were happy ergo I was single and therefore must be unhappy.
So every time they had a dinner party, a picnic or BBQ there was always some poor unfortunate unattached female guest who was propelled towards me.
Even at their wedding they tried to pair me up with the matron of honors younger sister.
They were relentless and never gave up but it was always to no avail.
It wasn’t because they were horrible or unattractive young women in fact they were normally very nice it was just that they were just not for me, we didn’t connect.
So the price for a very excellent dinner was to be aimed at yet another single/unattached/divorced woman.
Still it was a price worth paying for a very exceptional meal with good company.

I arrived late afternoon so I could spend some time with the kids before they went off to bed it was sufficiently dark for the Christmas lights to be on and Dave did like a good Christmas light.
His house was in no way as gaudy as many were but he did like his lights.
I was greeted at the door by a very bleary eyed Dave who had clearly just risen from his pit.
“Oh dear” I said as I looked at his sleep filled eyes and the unmistakable bed head
“Night shift?”
“Yeh” he replied then yawned.
I had known Dave from infant school and we had been best friends for most of the years since. I had been best man at his wedding and godfather to his first born.
I followed him into the kitchen where I was greeted by Emma, who standing on her tip toes drew herself up to all of five feet four, hugged me and kissed my cheek and I breathed in her scent, a mixture of heady musk and baby sick.
Noticing the bemused look on my face she pointed to the milky stain on her top and laughed.
I hadn’t known Emma as long as Dave, just over 10 years but we became friends instantly she was one of that rare breed of humans who are just impossible to dislike and you feel instantly at ease with.
“Happy New Year” she said still chuckling
“Ditto” I replied
“You won’t even say the words” She said incredulously.
“I can’t believe you dislike New Year that much”
She left the room laughing.
While all this was going on Dave had boiled the kettle and made drinks.
He put a steaming mug of instant coffee on the kitchen table and I sat down on the chair nearest to it.
“What are you doing here so early anyway?” Dave asked.
“I thought I could help out by entertaining the ankle biters while you two got yourselves ready”
“That’s very sweet of you Bernie” Emma said as she came back into the kitchen and sat down next to me.
.”But Jake and Kenny are at Karen’s until tomorrow and Molly is asleep”
Jake was my godson and was almost five, Kenny was three and Molly was barely six months.
“Your sister Karen?”
Emma nodded.
“I thought you didn’t get on with her”.
“I don’t” she replied
“But I made a New Year’s resolution to get closer to her” she said without enthusiasm.
”She’s the only family I have so I thought I should make an effort”
I was going to ask Dave if he had made a similar resolution but I thought better of it, I knew there was too much bad blood there..
“Well as my entertainment skills are not required I will ….”
I was about to suggest that I would finish my coffee and come back later when Emma interrupted me.
“I can use you in other ways”
“Oh” I said and raised my eyebrows slightly as I considered the eroticism of the image in my mind of my best friends wife naked and smelling of baby sick “using me” when she placed a potato peeler in front of me.
“Ah”

The next three hours passed by in the same way that so many of the hours we had spent together had.
Good old fashioned fun I could imagine nothing better than spending time in their glorious company.
As I said I liked my life.

By seven thirty everything was done that could be done, Dave and Emma had made themselves presentable though in truth Emma scrubbed up better than Dave.
So I took my self-off upstairs to change into a clean shirt which I swiped from Dave’s wardrobe.
Just as I was coming down stairs the doorbell rang. Dave headed for the door and I ducked into the lounge. I didn’t want to be hovering in the hall when the desperate single woman arrived in case I gave her the impression I was keen to meet her although I confess I was curious to see what the latest offering in a long line of potential life partners looked like, but not curious enough to hover in the hallway.

As it turned out the doorbell was rung by Colin who worked with Dave at the hospital and his wife Clair, who was a nurse, I knew them very well and they were good company.
There were to be six for dinner Dave and Emma, Colin and Clair and myself and the mystery woman.
The new arrivals soon joined me in the lounge and the volume rose as the banter began with barbed jibes mainly aimed at me.
Colin went through a whole tirade of remarks questioning my manhood and my sexuality.
“What’s the matter Bernie couldn’t they scrape up a date for you this time?”
Colin inquired.
“Perhaps you should try something in the inflatable line, the conversations not up to much and they always have the same expression on their face, but they never judge”
Thankfully the doorbell went again.
“Saved by the bell” Emma said as she went towards the door.
This didn’t knock Colin off his stride for a second as he continued to elaborate on the advantages of having an inflatable girlfriend which he continued to do until Emma led a very attractive brunette into the room.
Colin stopped mid-sentence with his mouth open which he only closed after Clair had inserted her elbow into his rib cage.
“Everybody this is Angela” Emma said.
“Dave you know already, the one with his mouth open is Colin and his long suffering wife Clair”
Then she turned to me “and this is Bernie”
I would be hard pressed to put a figure on the number of attractive young women Emma had steered in my direction over the years.
In many ways Angela was just another in a very long line but there was something else to her which I couldn’t put my finger on.
Maybe it was the way she held herself and how she was un-phased by the realization that she was making up the numbers.
Sometimes when Emma has introduced me you see the shoulders slump in disappointment or you see excitement on the faces of the keen ones that give them the look of kittens on speed.
Angela was poised and confident and…
“Hi” I said and offered my hand which she took.
We obviously held hands for longer than we should have and as soon as we realized we let go and she laughed nervously and I felt myself blush.
“Where do you know Emma from?” I asked trying to regain my composure while being painfully aware that no one else in the room was speaking.
“We were at school together” She said
“And then after university I moved away and we lost touch”
“And now?” I asked suddenly aware the question made no sense; I was normally much more coherent than this.
“And now what?”
“I think he means where are you living now” Said Emma coming to my rescue.
“Oh I see yes, I moved back in November, I’m living with my parents at the moment until I find somewhere I like”
I became aware of a low murmur in the background so I relaxed in the knowledge I was no longer being watched.
“And how did you two get back in touch?”
Emma laughed and Angela said.
“It was in Sainsbury’s and I inadvertently walked off with Emma’s trolley when …”
“I was about to draw it to her attention by throwing a tin of baked beans at her”
Interrupted Emma
“But I turned round just in time”
They were both laughing now and soon Angela’s soft infectious giggle had circled the room until we were all laughing.
That kind of set the tone for the rest of the evening as we enjoyed Emma’s wondrous culinary offerings, each course was punctuated with a mixture of rehashed old anecdotes and previously unheard tales regaled to us by Emma and Angela.
All through the evening my eyes were drawn to Angela almost to the point of staring and once or twice Emma noticed my interest and I quickly glanced away and the she and Dave exchanged a knowing look.
It was when we reached the liqueur stage of the evening when we were all slightly the worse for drink and all guilty of over imbibing that I finally let myself down.
As a veteran guest of the Parkers it always fell to me to raise a toast which I gladly did.
“Please raise your glasses to the hostess with the mostest Emma and yet another outstanding feast, Emma”
This was greeted with a chorus of “Hear, Hear” and much table tapping.
“And to the man who mastery of the bottle opener is second to none, Dave”
More cheers and more table tapping.
“And last but by no means least old friends”
And that is where I should have left it but no.
“And new friends” and raising my glass and looking straight at her I said “Angel”
Everybody just cracked up Dave laughed so much he fell off his chair which only managed to fuel the flames.
I just turned crimson and slumped into my chair.
Angel smiled at me though the tears rolling down her cheeks, so I thought maybe I hadn’t ruined my chances.
Colin stood up and did a very credible impression of me saying
“We have an angel in our midst” which isn’t easy to say even when your sober.
Then Dave clambered back into his chair and exclaimed
“It’s better than that I’ve just realized we have two angels”
“What are you on about” Said Emma
I had a bad feeling about what was coming next so I interceded
“Just ignore him he’s pissed”
But Dave was not to be deterred.
“We have the beautiful young angel Angela, and we have the angel Gabriel”
“What are you talking about?” quizzed Emma
He resorted to pointing to get his meaning over; firstly he pointed at Angela and said slowly.
“Angel”
Then he pointed at me
“Gabriel”
“What?” Emma asked again with a very puzzled expression
So he pointed at me again and said
“GABRIEL Bernard Brophy”
Finally the penny dropped and everybody fell about.
Except me I just leant forward and started banging my head on the table.
I sat up and looked at Dave.
“Over Twenty five years you’ve kept that secret and you chose tonight to give it up”
“It’s alright you’re among friends” Emma said and then broke down again.
“It won’t stay among friends though, not now loose lips knows” I said gesturing in Colin’s direction. “It will be all round the hospital tomorrow”
“Oh now that’s not fair” said Emma
“No it is” Said Colin
“No it won’t be all over the hospital tomorrow” Added Dave reassuringly.
“He’s off until Thursday”

The next day was one of reflection and I was left with a feeling of what might have been had I not dropped the ball.
How ironic it was that after all the young women Dave and Emma had put in my path over the years in the hope of finding me a wife, which I always managed to side step, I finally met a woman whom I didn’t want to swerve to avoid and the fates conspired against me.
I finally met a girl who was attractive, funny, intelligent, well spoken, had a sense of humour and good table manners (which was a definite plus) and who left me tongue tied like a lovesick schoolboy, someone who ticked all the boxes and quite simply bowled me over, and I blew it in the most humiliating manner.
It seemed like we had a number of things in common, we were both Christians, we both liked film and cinema, walking in the country to name but three and I was looking forward to finding out more about her and if there were any other boxes I could tick.
I couldn’t believe what a gibbering idiot I had been; I had been complimented in the past, more than once for my eloquence at such occasions and I had never been tongue tied before well not since I was fifteen, and why oh why did I call her Angel and why did Dave have to blurt out my Christian name.
I didn’t even bother asking her out or getting her number there didn’t seem much point.
I did feel though that we had made a connection and that my overtures, for want of a better term, would not have been rejected out of hand.
I could still have gotten her number from Emma but how would I ever have been able to ask her out after she knew that my name was Gabriel?
So I resigned myself to the fact that due to some circumstances beyond my control and my total inability to string even the simplest of semi coherent sentences together she would be forever viewed as the one that got away.
So I turned my full attentions to work and started getting things ready for my return to harness the next day.
As I was ironing myself a shirt the phone rang, I ignored it; it was probably one of my mates who having heard the revelation about my name were just phoning to take the piss.
It rang again, I ignored it again, I knew it wouldn’t take long for Colin to spread the word.
It rang a third time.
“I suppose I’d better get it over with” I said and headed towards the phone.
It rang again before I got to it and the answer phone kicked in.
My first reaction was good now leave your poisonous message and then I can delete it without even hearing it, but curiosity got the better of me so I decided to listen to the message and braced myself.
“Hi, Oh dear I hope you don’t mind me ringing” Said a faltering voice
“Erm, I got your number from Emma”
There was a pause then a nervous laugh.
“It’s Angel”
I quickly grabbed the phone.
And almost shouted “Hello”

If I had gone with my first instinct and deleted the message unheard she would never have called again I would still have thought of her as the one that got away and the remarkable year would simply not have happened.
Well thankfully I did and what a remarkably good decision it was.
The conversation began in a rather stumbling and embarrassed fashion, with lots of nervous laughter and hesitation but ended in a date.
It was decided that a meal would be best where we could relax and find out more about each other.
But where proved more difficult, we ruled out restaurants that used unusual eating utensils which excluded most oriental places and any French establishments serving escargot, the food had to be cooked which eliminated sushi, any food which the eater might end up wearing i.e. spaghetti, ribs etc. so we reached the conclusion that beer and pizza was probably the safest option.
The phone call lasted more than an hour and I was reluctant to end it but my bladder had the last word.
As it turned out this one carefully selected date proved to be the last difficult decision we had to make together.
The first date led to another and then another and another, we dined at all the establishments we excluded for our first date and ate all the foods previously mentioned.
Between New Years and Easter we were rarely apart and we did everything together, Bowling, Swimming, walking you name it we did it and we could neither remember the time before we met nor craved time to ourselves.
We were obviously regular guests at the Parkers where Emma would gloat shamelessly at her matchmaking success.

In April I had to go to the States on business unexpectedly for two weeks and Angela wasn’t able to get any time off at such short notice so I went alone and although we spoke on the phone and emailed every day I missed her terribly.
When I returned to home on the last day of April she was waiting for me as I came through the gate and she ran to meet me and I took her in my arms,
“I missed you so much” Angela said
“I never want us to be apart again, Angel” I replied
Then I knelt in front of her and proposed to her right there at the arrivals gate.

We were married in June at St Lucy’s Church in the village of Brookley, we had to get a special license.
We were lucky to find somewhere at such short notice but we wanted to be married in church as we were both Christians we just weren’t regular attendees though we became so at St Lucy’s.
Dave was my best man and Emma was matron of honour and their boys Jake and Kenny were page boys.
It was a small affair just close friends and what family we had, my brother Greg and Angela’s parents, mine were both gone years before.
But it was a wonderful day, one that we would never forget.
Then an ambition fulfilled and a dream come true, when we honeymooned in Italy travelling to Venice on the Orient Express.

After the honeymoon we moved into my flat, a short term arrangement while we found a house, Angela never did find a place of her own and had been living at her parents where most of her stuff remained.
There was an old run down farm with a derelict farm house that we often walked past on one of our many country walks and we had often wondered what it would be like to live there.
It was beautifully situated in a nice plot of land far enough into the country to be peaceful and close enough to the village to be part of a community.
Then one day I noticed it was up for sale, it was lucky really because I only drove past it because a bus had broken down on my usual route to work so I went cross country.
I called the agent, it had been empty for about ten years, when the owner an elderly widow moved into a home and with no next of kin to keep an eye on the property it fell into disuse.
Now upon the death of the old lady the farm was to be sold to settle her estate.
I arranged an appointment but I kept it secret from Angela and I just told her we had a viewing.
“So where are we going first?” Angel asked as we were about to leave.
“It’s over Brookley way” I said vaguely
She was sat in the car flicking through a pile of A4 sheets containing estate agents blurb.
“Where are the details then?” She quizzed “I can’t find it”
“I must have left it at work, but don’t worry the agent will have a copy”
We had quite a few places to look at some Angela had chosen and some of mine but the old farmhouse was first on the list, .as we drove down the lane towards the farm Angela asked.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s not far now it’s just down here I think”
Then we turned the corner and the entrance was on the left.
On the right hand side of the entrance there was a half rotten five bar gate leaning askew against a crumbling brick wall held in place by a solitary well rusted hinge and tied to the gate.
While on the left hand side was a once sturdy sign post leaning at a precarious angle adorned by a board bearing the name of the farm but it could not be read from that angle.
As I drove through the entrance into the yard Angela said.
“It’s our farmhouse”
There was already a car in the yard which was unnecessarily flash and could only belong to an estate agent.
The door opened and a preening peacock of a man climbed out pausing briefly to brush away an invisible speck of dust off his sleeve.
I opened my door first to get out but by the time I climbed out Angela was already out fidgeting and transferring her weight from one foot to the other eager to get on.
The agent glanced briefly at the paper he was holding and enquired.
“Mr. Brophy?”
“Yes” I said and proffered my hand.
He inspected it briefly then shook it limply in his clammy manicured hand.
“And this is my wife”
I waved my hand in the direction of where she had been standing but she had already bounded off like Tigger.

It took about an hour to view everything, the farmhouse, out buildings and the couple of acres of land.
The agent didn’t fancy leaving the confines of the yard presumably he didn’t want to get mud on his expensive Italian shoes.
So we explored the land by ourselves.
We had both fallen instantly in love with the old ramshackle farm and by the time Angela and I had wandered back to the yard we had decided to make an offer on the place.
We had good jobs, well paid jobs, and for a number of years earned more than we could spend and as a result both had substantial savings.
Plus Angela had sold her house the previous year and I only had a tiny mortgage on my flat so we worked out that we could easily afford to buy the farm, renovate the farmhouse for ourselves and convert the out buildings into another property which we could earn a little income on either as a summer let or as a normal rental, provided of course we could get it for under the asking price.
It would be a gamble and after years of playing safe and being sensible it was not an easy one to make but because neither of us had seriously invested ourselves in a long term relationship before we went for it with gay abandon.
So we made our offer to the agent.
“That may not be good enough there are other people interested” He said looking down his nose.
“In fact I have another viewing this afternoon”
“Well actually that appointment is with me” Angela said sheepishly.

As we drove out of the yard I stopped just inside the gate when something caught my eye.
“Look at that” I said pointing out the window
From that angle I could clearly see the signboard that bore the name of the farm.
It read “Angels Farm”
“Well now we know it’s definitely meant to be”

So our offer was accepted, it had taken one day to find the house of our dreams but it was to be several months before we could move in properly.
The first thing we did after we sold the flat was to buy a second hand caravan that we parked in the farmyard which would be our home until the house was finished as we had decided we didn’t want to move in until absolutely everything was done although that would very much depend on the severity of the winter.
All of our furniture and worldly goods were put in the barn which we were using for storage.
Now as an accountant and a software engineer, Angela and I were of very little use in regard to the major work that was required but as project managers we were second to none.
We were very lucky securing professional help we needed, so many of them were between jobs or had another job that had fallen through and were unexpectedly available.
We employed a constant stream of them, builders, roofers, plumbers, plasterers, electricians, telecoms engineers and tree surgeons, and apart from our talents for project management were excellent tea and coffee makers.
On the practical side we were gainfully employed with clearing rubbish and shrubbery from the site and filling skips with anything and everything.
To all intents and purposes we dropped out of sight for the duration of the project and spent every available minute we had working on the farm.
Although we did make great use of baby brother Greg on several occasions, we were quite selfish and single minded really but we were even handed about it and we ignored friends and family alike, and we did feel guilty about it but if we could get everything done by Christmas we would be able to see whoever we liked whenever we liked..
Angela did touch base briefly with her parents by phone and we spoke occasionally to Dave and Emma but we didn’t see them after August.
Throughout October, we made great progress whipping a large section of the acreage into something resembling a garden and in November our hard work was rewarded when the turf was laid.
By the end of November we were able to get into the farmhouse and start decorating while the professionals made progress on the outbuilding conversion.
As we completed each room the carpets were laid and then we moved the furniture in room by room we worked our way through the house and we were counting the days when we could abandon the caravan forever.
We had both accrued quite a lot of holidays and lieu time over the last few years so we decided to use them up for the final push which meant we only worked about five days in December.
Then on the twentieth of December with great ceremony (A recording of a fanfare and a bottle of Cava) we took up residence in our dream home.
The next morning when we awoke for the first time in our own bedroom it was with a certain smug satisfaction after all we had achieved our target with four days to spare and a few pounds left in the budget, It was going to be the best Christmas ever.
“CHRISTMAS!” Angela shouted and sat bolt upright.
“What?” I said as she leapt out of bed
“CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS” she was shouting and running around like a headless chicken trying to dress and run at the same time she fell over twice.
I just looked on in amusement as she flitted from bedroom to bathroom in various states of undress.
Then she stood in the bathroom door and said.
“We don’t have anything for Christmas, no decorations, no tree, no cards, no food, no presents, no crackers, no drink we have nothing for Christmas.”
Then the penny dropped we had been so focused on getting in the house by Christmas we had forgotten about Christmas itself.
“OH GOD!” I shouted and then joined in the headless chicken dance.

So for the next three days we did battle at the mall amidst the throngs of Christmas shoppers and took part in the supermarket trolley dash filling the trolleys with enough food to feed a small army.
Then we wrote endless cards, wrapped the numerous presents, decked the halls and trimmed the tree.
So by the time darkness fell on the third day everything was done and presents stood in neat piles ready to be delivered the next day.
I opened a bottle of wine and we sat on the sofa beside the glowing fireplace and I put my arm around her and asked.
“Can we be smug now?”
“Oh yes I think we most certainly can” she replied smiling then she turned her head and kissed me.

On Christmas Eve morning we woke up late, well late for us anyway, it was 9.30am when we stirred and it was so quiet.
Angela snuggled up to me and I held her close.
“What time is it?” She asked sleepily
“Half past nine”
“Wow that’s late we’d better get on”
“It’s not that late” I said nuzzling her neck
“It’s too late for that” she said pushing me away.
“Go and put the kettle on”
“Ok” I said and got out of bed.
Angela got out the other side pulled on a T-shirt and went to the window.
I looked at her and wished we had stayed in bed.
She drew back the curtain.
“Snow!” she exclaimed and then Tigger was back bouncing all over the room squealing “Snow “ every time she left the floor.
I walked to the window and looked out on the scene, it had snowed heavily in the night and snow was still falling though more softly and everything was coated in five or six inches of snow.
“It just gets better and better” I mused
“Ok” I said as I turned from the window “What’s it to be, coffee in bed or play in the snow?”
“Play in the snow” Angel shouted and bounded across the room and launched herself at me wrapping her arms round my neck and knocking me backwards onto the bed.
She kissed me passionately on the mouth and asked
“Is there a third choice?”
So after we made love we got dressed in our play clothes and wrapped up against the cold and went out to play in the freshly fallen snow.

It was like being children again as we rushed around throwing snowballs and wrestling in the snow.
Where our newly turfed lawn used to be was a vast area of virgin white and we took turns making snow angels and then we built a snowman in the yard until we started to feel cold and wet and our bodies told us to act our age.
So we went inside and had hot showers and for lunch we had piping hot soup in front of a roaring fire.
After lunch Angela was pottering about in the kitchen washing up and such like and I dozed off in front of the fire.
I started to dream and in the dream I was woken by an icy blast of air from the patio door as it slid open and then a figure stepped through the door it was white and translucent and its outline was made of snow, it was one of the snow angels we had made on the lawn.
It walked towards me then stopped as it became aware of the heat from the fire.
Then it looked directly at me and spoke.
“You must help them, they need you”
“Who? Who must I help?”
“You must help your friends”
Then the snow angel turned and left the way it came.
Then I woke up.
“Well that wasn’t weird at all” I said out loud and gave a nervous laugh.
I stood up and walked towards the kitchen so I could tell Angela and then I felt something beneath my feet, I looked down and there was a patch of melted snow on the carpet.
“That’s odd” I said to myself.
It was odd as we hadn’t come into that room with our snowy shoes and it was the exact spot were the snow angel had been standing in my dream.
I moved again and as I reached the kitchen door I could see Angela standing motionless staring out of the window open mouthed.
I entered the room and walked up behind her and followed her gaze and on our snow covered lawn were a dozen snow angels all pointing in the same direction.
Then in an instant they were gone and Angela turned around and buried her face in my chest.
“Tell me you saw them as well; tell me I’m not going mad”
“I saw them too” I said reassuringly
Then I proceeded to tell her about my dream.
But we didn’t really understand what they were trying to tell us. Who were we supposed to help? And what were the angels pointing at?
They seemed to be pointing at what used to be the old out buildings which were now a house. But why we couldn’t fathom.
The only friends we had in common were Dave and Emma so it had to be them.
I phoned the landline and got the “out of service” tone.
Angela phoned Emma’s mobile - no answer so I phoned Dave’s and I got no answer as well.
“Well that settles it” I said
Angela agreed and if it wasn’t them who needed our help it would be great to see them anyway.
But just in case we were both completely barking mad we loaded their presents in the car.
As we drove past the snowman in the yard I was sure it had moved it was now facing the opposite way and its stick arm was pointing at the empty house.
I turned to look at Emma she was looking at the snowman as well
“It’s moved hasn’t it? And look where it’s pointing” she said.

As we drove up the road to their house it was obvious something wasn’t quite right.
To begin with there were no Christmas lights, and then there was virtually no light in the house just a dull kind of flickering glow.

We parked the car quickly and hurried up the path and knock on the door.
It took a while but then the door opened a few inches and a gaunt pale face peered through the crack with frightened tired eyes.
“Emma?” we both said at once.
Then the door swung open and Emma broke down and fell against me.
I scooped her up and carried her through to the lounge Angela followed me in and quickly shut the door to keep out the cold.
Once in the lounge we realized it was little warmer than the street.
There was a paraffin heater in the middle of the room and the only light came from candles.
I set Emma down on the sofa and she wrapped herself in the duvet that was laying there, two of the children were sitting on another sofa beneath another duvet reading books the youngest was asleep next to Emma..
Emma was a mere shadow of the confident self-assured woman I had last seen in August.
“What happened?” I asked and it all poured out of her.
She told us that Dave lost his job in September when they started a phased closure of the hospital and try as he might he couldn’t find anything else.
“At first I got a part time job, cash in hand you know, which helped a bit but then I fell off my bike and broke my arm and I couldn’t work”
“Why didn’t you call us?” Angela asked
“Dave wouldn’t let me” she sobbed
“What about Karen? Wouldn’t she help” I added,
“We had another falling out, we haven’t spoken since Easter”
Karen was her sister, they had never been close, but Emma had resolved to know her better.
“What about when we phoned you? Why didn’t you tell us then?”
“Dave was so ashamed that he couldn’t look after his family, he didn’t want anyone to know”
Emma went on to say that after that the bills just kept mounting up and then the phone was cut off, then the mobiles had to go and the electric was likely to be next.
“You should have called us then?” I said
“When it got so bad I didn’t know what to say”
I looked at Angela and I could tell we were sharing the same thought.
We had been so wrapped up in the farm we had forgotten our friends.
Emma continued.
“We owe three months’ rent, what will we do when the council evicts us?”
“It won’t come to that” I said and I looked again at Angela and she nodded agreement
In that moment the meaning of the angel’s message had become clear.
“No it won’t” Angela agreed
“Where is Dave now?” I asked
“He’s upstairs in bed” Emma sobbed heavily “he’s very ill but he won’t let me call a doctor, he hasn’t eaten for two days”
“Well he’s not going to get better if he stays here” I said “You can all come to stay with us for Christmas; we’ve got plenty of room”
I suddenly thought I may have overstepped the mark so I looked across at Angela.
And she nodded her approval and smiled.
“Then after the holidays when the other house is finished, you can move in there until you’re all well and back on your feet” Angela added
It was my turn to nod approval.
That was what the angels meant I was sure of it.
Emma Leapt off the sofa and hugged us both.
“We can sort things out with the council after Christmas so don’t worry” I assured her
“Now you go and pack some clothes and toys for the children” Angela ordered wiping away her own tears.
The logistics took a little thinking about it was obvious we couldn’t all get in our car and I was going to need help with Dave so I phoned Greg, he was coming to us for Christmas anyway, and between the two of us we transported everyone plus baggage and Molly’s cot.

Back at Angels Farm, Angela got everyone settled while Greg and I unloaded the cars.
As we took the last bags out of his boot I said.
“You do realize I’ve given your bed away to someone else?”
“No you’ve given it to someone who needs it more” He replied
“I’ll be all right I’ll sleep in the caravan”
Once we were all inside in the warm, Greg played with the children in front of the fire, Angela prepared some hot food and I called a doctor for Dave.

After everyone was settled in bed Angela and I were clearing up when we looked out the window and noticed it was snowing again. I opened the kitchen door and stepped down onto the patio Angela stood on the step behind me and wrapped her arms round my neck and kissed my cheek.
“It’s going to be a white Christmas” she whispered in my ear.
Suddenly the floodlight came on and illuminated the whole patio and stood at the edge of the lawn was a Snow Angel with a gentle smile on its face.
“Did we do the right thing?” I asked it
The Angel nodded.
“And the house is for people who need help?”
The Angel nodded again.
“We will use it well” Angela added
And with that the angel smiled again and then lay down upon the lawn and then the light flicked off.
The snow was falling fast now.
“All trace of them will be gone by morning” I said
“There will always be angels at the farm” Angela replied and kissed my cheek again.
Then we went back inside.

And so for Angela and me it had been an amazing year, a life changing year, a year never to be forgotten, beginning with love at first sight and ending with a miracle.
At first we chastened ourselves for being such poor friends, by being so self-absorbed in our own priorities that we forgot what was important.
But when we looked back over that eventful year we realized that we were merely adhering to a greater plan
Throughout the year we were being guided and steered towards our destiny by the angels.
The steered us towards St Lucy’s church in Brookley for our wedding and it was no coincidence that the farm went on the market the very day we began our search for a home.
Nor was it happenstance that a breakdown led me to take a diversion that took me past the farm so I would see the for sale sign and all those workmen being available just at the time we needed them.
Then finally in an area of the country that had not seen a significant fall of December snow for more than 50 years produces the snowfall on Christmas Eve in which we made the snow angels.
Though some might say we had been manipulated we chose to think we had been chosen and guided and we were happy to be so.
For the rest of our lifetimes we never saw the snow angels again but for all our days we were the angels of Angel’s Farm.