In the large cottage garden of Ann Martin, Charles now 11 lay in relaxed mode, his farther away in what came to be known as the great war, his mother Ann was consoling her self in her Sunday best having tea on the lawn, the sound of the horse and carriage that brought them from church was fading in the distance as Charles settled at the all too delicate table, "run up to the house and fetch my paper would you Charles"he promptly complied.
On his return the birds were in fine tune, a mild distant hum of a bee and rustle of infrequent breeze caught his ear, he perched himself back down, and while his mother sipped her tea he began to notice a single tiny greenfly landing on the edge of the lace tablecloth, he stared through its wings and in amazement at its seemingly impossible journey to the empty sugar plate, and in that moment Charles was as delighted as he'd ever been to see it had made it, and upon sucking in a breath to tell Ann...as if in super slow motion the paper came floating down upon the whole scene,..the tiny fly took off backward to escape the on coming draft but was caught up in the force and speed of it..CRASH..the plate flew up several inches now in real time, and upon landing held an almost invisible pale green spec which his mother scooped to the ground with the paper "dreadful things"she said.
Charles ran off and pretended to be interested in his ball, while another piece of his Innocent childhood died.
Charles now aged 22 was sitting in a village cafe with a little time on his hands when he noticed a young lady coming in, she sat near the rear window, a spot he had chosen many times, she hadn't wanted anything more than to sit down really, but felt obliged to order, while waiting she spotted a ladybird walking along the top edge of the menu as if it were a Minni circus act, she smiled, and gently walked outside with it and blew her breath in time with a lift upward and brought the menu back inside just as the waitress appeared, who gave her an odd look and said "what would you like dear" Julie smiled and nodded her head toward the door, "oh i don't think I want anything thank you" the waitress muttered a courtesy and wondered away as the little bell over the door announced Julies departure.
Charles had witnessed the whole visit, he was almost convinced that it was all part of his elaborate daydreaming, until the bell shook him otherwise, he leaped to his feet in unhesitating pursuit.
Charles now 55, was just finishing telling his grand daughter Wendy a story when Julie came in, "tut yes, yes, and that's how we met, come on now, let the girl sleep!" ..
Wendy said "will you take me to one of those old shops with a bell above the door"
"of course dear, you go to sleep now! "
