The Jewel Thief

Uncle tells a Story

"I don't know. I'll go ask him. He's out in the garden."

Maddie comes back a few minutes later with Uncle. "There are some games in a cupboard under the television," he says.

"You have a television?!"

"Oh of course, I haven't ever shown you! You see this black tarp covering something over here?" We nod. He is gesturing to the mysterious box-shaped thing covered with a tarp that I have been wondering about ever since we first arrived. "Well"- Uncle lifts the tarp – "here is the television!" Underneath where the tarp used to be was a box-shaped metal thing with a dusty screen, supposedly the television. I have never seen one before and it is amazing. I had only been to the cinema with Granny once but this is far better since we can watch it anytime we want. Underneath it is the cupboard Uncle had mentioned. "And here are all the games. I have Monopoly, Clue, chess, checkers, Old Maid, and regular playing cards. There are also some toys, like my old toy soldiers and some old dolls. We can also go buy you some Barbie dolls if you would like. I heard they're a great hit."

"What are Barbie dolls?" Maddie asks.

"They're a new type of doll that Mattel just came out with. They're little plastic dressing dolls. Even I find them rather pretty."

"I don't know. Maybe we can get some other toys." I suggest.

"We'll have to see. Oh, there's one thing I haven't mentioned. My old rocking horse is in the attic! I'll go fetch it."

Uncle comes down soon with an old rocking horse. I tell Uncle that it's nice but we grew out of rocking horses long ago. Uncle looks a bit sad and takes it back upstairs, muttering something under his breath that sounds a bit like "Charlie". Who is Charlie?

"I wonder why Uncle has so many toys," Maddie asks me.

"Maybe they're just his from when he was a kid."

"But he wouldn't have dolls," Maddie persists.

"He said he thinks dolls are pretty though."

"He was saying that about Barbie dolls. The ones he has are rag dolls. And why would he be so eager to give us his rocking horse? Let's ask him." Maddie decides.

"I'll ask him." I say as Uncle gets to the bottom of the stairs.

"Hmm?" Uncle says, "What?"

"We were just wondering why you had so many toys and games."

"No reason," Uncle muttered and then quickly looked away.

"No really, why?" Maddie prods.

"It's nothing, I said! Most of them are mine from when I was young." He says, raising his voice.

"But why the dolls? And I heard you say something, like "Charlie'. Who's Charlie?"

Uncle's eyebrows twitch. He stares at us for a minute. Then he speaks.

"I...Oh, all right, I'll tell you. Years ago, up until 1948, I had a wife."

"We know that." I say.

"Yes, but I also had a son of eight years."

Maddie and I look at each other and gasp. We did not know this!

"What was his name?" Maddie asks Uncle. But I think I know the answer to that question. My suspicions are confirmed when Uncle answers.

"Charlie. Charlie Murgatroyd. Charles was his given name though."

"So the games and toys were his?"

"The soldiers used to be mine and the dolls used to belong to Caroline, my wife. And of course that rocking horse was mine too. But the rest we bought for Charlie, yes."