After all why do we put dolls in dolls houses unless they
have a place, a story and want to be seen?
Life in a Miniature
Village- by Vera Brierley.
It
was a wet and windy November day when a vicar arrived in the village; he was
taking up his new post as the resident vicar He was quite excited about it all.
It wasn't a small village as there seemed to be quite a few houses and shops so
he should have a full church this Sunday.
He parked his car outside the vicarage and glanced around,
he could see the curtains moving across the road and a elderly lady was trying
to peep to see what was going on
The van removal people arrived so he left them to it and was
about to make his way down to the church to have a look round, when a voice
shouted "Are you the new vicar"? I am Granny Duckles I live across
the road "where is the family" she said "are they coming on
afterwards” she could not breath for trying to ask so many questions.
"Oh I am not married" the vicar told her, she butt
in and shouted to the postman who was passing "Morning Mr Postie how are
you today any gossip?” “no granny Duckles no news" off he went as quickly
as he could.
Granny Wareing was soon passing on news of the new vicar's arrival to Granny Sumner over a little tea time treat.
The vicar said good bye to Dottie and Nora who owned the
second hand shop,
“See you in church ladies” they just nodded he wondered if
they could talk or not as no words had been exchanged between them.
He walked up the hill passing small cottages and big houses
and more shops and was curious as to who lived in them. He arrived at the
vicarage just as the removal men were just finishing. “Well that’s all done now
vicar we will be on our way hope you will be happy here” the vicar thanked them
and watched the van go.
He entered the kitchen to make a drink, he looked around -
'how on earth am I going to get all this tidy' the removal men had done what
they could but it was all over the place he sat down to drink his tea.
The doorbell rang ''oh dear who on earth could this be' he
went to the door and granny Duckles from across the road was stood there “hello
vicar” she said “do you need any help as I used to clean here for the last
vicar I am available if you need it”. He really did need the help so said “yes
when can you start” she pushed her way past him and headed for the kitchen. “My
goodness what a mess you have here” she said “it won’t take me long to get
sorted but first I always have my cuppa” she made her tea and her mouth never
stopped talking or asking questions “have you no family then” she said stirring
her tea “No “
The vicar said “only a sister and she lives far away” “Oh
and what do they call her and is she married” “her name is Sophia and she lives
in London!” “Oh I see” granny Duckles replied.
The vicar asked “do you know who does the flowers in the
church” She said “now look vicar I will come back in the morning to see you and
get this place all ship shape for you don’t worry it won’t be looking like this
tomorrow it will be lovely “ and off she went again.
Granny Duckles seemed to be here, there and everywhere, just
now she was making him quite dizzy! After closing the front door the vicar went
back in the kitchen and sat down to drink his tea. 'When I have had this I will
go to bed as I am quite tired, what a day it’s been'
The Morning came round so fast, the sun was shining through
the window because there were no curtains but it was very cold, it was
November. He climbed out of bed and looked out of the window there were a few people walking about, making
their way to work, the milk man was
delivering milk, the postman had his mail in the basket on his bike, they all
seem to know one another.
The vicar also spotted Dottie and Nora pass going to open
their shop up, lots going on and not quite 8am.
The vicar had seen enough from the bedroom window; this is
not going
To get my work done he mutters to himself as he made his way
down stairs.
He looked around all
boxes piled high everywhere. He had to write out his sermon for the coming
Sunday. But there was not enough room to swing a cat so he decided to go into the kitchen and
Make him a drink along with some toast and then he walked
around the rooms looking at what had to be done. He had expected the nosey
grandma Duckles there but she was nowhere to be seen, at least he could have 5 minutes
to himself.
The doorbell rang that must be, granny Duckles but when he
opened
the door Mr Postie was there “Hello and welcome vicar to the
village, I have a registered letter it needs signing for” “are you sure it’s
for me?” the postman nodded, said “yes sure” he replied so the vicar signed for
the letter and said “thank you” to the postman who wheeled his bike as quick as
he could, went straight across the road to Granny Duckles house.
The vicar could see her as he was closing the door; she was
looking out of the window. The vicar was a bit curious as to why the postie had
gone straight across the road.
Looking at his letter, the vicar just could not think who
had sent the letter? maybe it was from the bishop.
He sat down, opened the letter, “Oh no!” he spoke out loud
“No No No” it was from his sister Sophia saying she may be paying him a visit. But
he had fallen out with his sister 3 years ago over her going to live in London.
Sophia was a very 'flighty girl' which the vicar did not like, especially with
him being a vicar!
Everyone was beginning to talk about them that is why he had
to move to another village. He hoped it was not going to start again; He popped
the letter down on the settee and said a prayer. In walked granny Duckles
without knocking and said “morning vicar, had a good night’s sleep did you oh
and who is the letter from?” how on earth did she know I had got a letter? Bet
it was the postman; he had never in his life known a nosier lot. “Oh none
special” replied the vicar. “It’s from London isn’t it vicar or so Mr Postie
told me.”
The vicar kept quiet grabbed the letter and pushed in his
pocket “I have to go out now granny
Duckles, so here is a list there for jobs that want to be done “ he grabbed his
coat and hat and went out of the door. He walked very quickly and went into the
church, he was greeted by a few people from the village one of them was Granny
Waring and another was Dottie from the
Second hand shop. Also
there was a new face “hello” the vicar said “and who are you?” “I am Mrs Pearce
from the big house across the road, pleased to meet you vicar, so what have we
planned for today “ “well carry on what you all usually do and I will go into
the vestry have a look around” and off he went .
The 3 ladies started to chitter and chatter to one another
wondering what was wrong with him, “he didn’t seem so friendly to me” Dottie
said “He may be a bit tired” Granny Wareing said “any way if something is wrong
Granny Duckles will let us know, come on let’s get these flowers done and then
we can go to the cafe for our coffee, we have to meet Nora and Granny Duckles
there at 11 o'clock.
Life in the village was starting to settle down at last the
vicar was starting to get to know all about the people who lived there his
sister Sophia had arrived and had settled in as well not a lot was said much
between her and her brother but at least they was talking a little to one
another and it was a bit of company for the vicar as well, as it was a big
house the vicarage and it did feel a bit more like home now.
The vicar was on his walk round the village like he normally
did and came across one of the shops it had been taken over by new people he
could see that they were doing it all up there was new paint on the windows and
door it looked very smart a bit more up market, he then glanced as above the door was the name of
Asquith and Alder selling Edwardian clothes he peeped through the window but
could not see any one around so went on down the hill they will most likely
introduce themselves to me when they move in
it looks a fine shop
The vicar got to the bottom of the hill and popped in to see
Nora and Dottie who now was so friendly with him as at the beginning never
spoke a word but now could not stop chatting Hello vicar do you want a cup of
tea Nora asked No it ok just on my rounds but thank you all the same he said
Now we are having a competition he told the two ladies will you be joining in
Nora got a bit excited about all this and could not control herself ,Oh tell us
all about it please well I would like all the village to decorate their house
or shop up it can be either inside or out it’s up to them and the best one will win a prize well the
ladies was so excited about all this now think about it and let me know as
pictures will be taken and displayed and the winners name will be called out at
the Christmas party we will be having in the hall he said goodbye to them they
was too excited to even see him leave
The next call was at the Duckles house now what would granny
Duckles think to all this and not knowing the first we will see the vicar
lifted his hand to knock on the door but the door opened come on in vicar she
said your cup of tea is all ready for you Oh cannot stop long granny he sat
down and began to tell her about the competition and he did mention that he had
told Nora and Dottie about it ,which I don’t think went well as she is always
the one to know first but she soon bucked up and said put my name down vicar I
will do it she asked what the prize was he said oh and that’s a big secret.
The days and weeks passed by and it seemed that everyone in
the village was talking about the decorating up of the houses and shops in the
village, the vicar was pleased that every Sunday he was getting a full
congregation in church even if there was a lot of whispering about what they
was going to do for Christmas the vicar could hear all this through his sermon
but let it go as at least the village was all getting together.
The church service was over and he shook everyone’s hand as
they left and had a natter with each of them and then decided to make his way
back to the vicarage for lunch I wonder what Sophia had made something nice I
hope
He then passed Mrs
Jones on his way home she had just
picked her two children Debbie and William up from
school and pushing her baby Kelsey in the pram Good day vicar how are you are you settling
in alright she asked Yes fine Mrs Jones and you are you ok yes vicar she spoke
but looked a bit sad anything wrong he
asked Well my hubby has to go away for a while on business and these children
are a real handful just now and he may be away until after Christmas so I am
going to be kept very busy now if you need any help I am sure my sister will
help out with them just let us know by the way will you have time to decorate
your house up Oh don’t know about that she said the children was running around
never stood still in fact they was making the vicar quite dizzy , must go speak
later he said to her .
As he opened the door he could smell the dinner well that
smells good he shouted yes I have made us a roast dinner Sophia replied she had
her hair all up and a pinafore on it was funny to see his sister in a pinafore
never had he seen that before she was always the one to be dressed up to the
nines , they sat down across from one another he did wonder if he dare ask what her life had been
like this last few years in London he didn’t have to ask as she started to tell
him she said you know when I said to mum I wanted a better life and went to
London well t is not all it was made out to be I ended up being a mistress to a
gentleman he set me up in a house and he
used to pop in every now and then , well the vicar was sat with his mouth open
he could not believe what she had just said you what he shouted no don’t shout
let me tell you it all the vicar sat down again in his chair and listened to
what she had to say well the long and the short of it is she stopped speaking
go on tell me he said well I am having his child the vicar got up and went
upstairs please listen to me she said to her brother I have heard enough you
can pack your bags and leave I have nowhere to go she cried well just go
anywhere you are not staying here and slammed the door behind him .
He could not believe what she had just told him he said a
prayer as if that would do any good.
Christmas had come and gone so quick all the villages had
pulled together and had trimmed their houses up so lovely it was a shame to see
all the trimmings taken down and everyone getting back to a normal village life
again Granny Duckles was as busy as before trying to get to know everyone’s
business again the vicars sister had just confined herself to her own room and
not a word was exchanged between them he did notice how much weight she was
putting on though ,He made his way down the road to the church exchanging a
word with the early morning people going to work He waving as he passed the
second hand shop as they was always up and around early morning he shouted to
the sisters it’s a cold one this morning Nora looked up and glanced at the
vicar she did like him a lot but not a lot of words was ever spoken between
them other than Morning she did want to get to know him a bit more but that
was not to be as vicars did not do that
she thought .
The church looked so cold and dismal after all the festive
things had been cleared away but it would soon be Easter the next holiday so
the daffodils and tulips would be put in to make it a bit more brighter .
What on earth is all that noise outside he could hear the
shouting come quick vicar he dashed to the door and there was granny Duckles
running down the hill so out of breath quick vicar What on earth is the matter
he said it’s your sister I let myself in to do the cleaning and found your
sister on the floor she has given birth to a baby come quick he ran as fast as
he could and ran straight upstairs and saw his sister sat there in her chair
holding a baby are you alright he said she
started to cry yes ok now I am so sorry for bringing this trouble on you
she said he said don’t worry we will get it all sorted out he went over and
looked at the baby what a pretty baby it’s a girl she said granny Duckles
looked so happy what you going to call her she asked I think I will call her
Maria, Sophia said that’s a pretty name
granny Duckles said she is a lovely baby and who is the father she asked
the vicar ushered her out of the room
have you some work to get done .
