STORY AT BED TIME

[Henry100]

                                                                           THE CHIMNEY SWEEP,

He was old and very much known in the Little Welsh village, He'd been cleaning chimney from the age dot,

What he did know about every thing to do with chimney cleaning just was not worth knowing,

He told the kid's about the times when chicken's would be hung via rope down the chimney pot and it would be flashing it's wings all the way down cleaning soot as it dropped to the grate and then it would plucked for dinner,

His little shop was just for his chimney brushes and vacuum and you'd find metal  flue tubes for lining the chimney, Cowl's ,

He had gathered his tools for the job over many years, The shop window had his trade on the glass, "SOOTY AND SWEEP" chimney cleaning services, It was a name that brought many a smile to the faces who'd not seen his window or Van with the name and to add even more smiles he had a metal shaped chimney with brush poking out Mounted on the van roof,

He was a very happy go lucky man who lived alone "But" he had one small problem !!! He always put other's first and this was often taken advantage off,

He All way's did  a 100% job and because of this he'd seen many a competitor close down,

The Local Council used his service's as did he often get a phone call from the local Fire advice officer regarding a chimney fire the fire Brigade had attended and a chimney pot need replaces ASP. Again he would contact the fire victim and get the job done& sort payment out later  "such was his Nature.

He was proud to be a member of N A C'S  National  Association Of Chimney sweeps,  His van had the Logo proudly displayed on the Doors,

Christmas eve 11am and as the shop was being given a good brush and getting ready for a few day's rest the Phone rang,

Hello, "Yes this is SOOTY & SWEEP Chimney cleaning service, Can i help you ?"

Caller,  Oh am i glad  i have managed to get you, It's Mr's White , from the Social service dept, We have a sheltered house on our books and we have a family just moved in yesterday and last night they tried to light the fire and the room filled with smoke,

The fire Brigade we're called and it was not a fire but smoke that caused the fire alarms to go off, We have been told this morning that the chimney needs unblocking , This family has had a rough time (In fact they are not locals) Birmingham folk, Three young ones and a baby, Can you get to the house ASP  Please ,?

Sweep, Yes I am ready right this minute give me the address and phone number, ?

Caller,

No phone but the address is "Charming wood"  Hope avenue Dee side village ,

The name is Adler, T,

Now I will give you my mobile number as i am off to Tesco after this call and then home, But  Please ring me when you have cleared this chimney or I wont sleep tonight, As i have said this family have had a real rough time,

Sooty,

Do not  worry I am on my way good bye,

Caller, Thank you And merry Christmas,

The van was loaded and the shop locked up and the emergence number on the inside of the shop door facing out for all to see.

He new the area very well and he drove up & down the Hope ave but to no avail,  It was then he saw the post Lady trying to get out of her Pôst delivery van (These 7cwt van's we're not made for big women with a hand full of sorted mail)

Sweep with his normal smiling face Asked do you know of a house in this avenue called "CHARMING WOOD"?

Post Lady very red faced and sweaty replied, If i had a pound for every one who asked for directions/house names I would a lot richer than i am now,    Yes I do, It is that house next to the Police Station !!! It use to be number 13 Until the Social secrete S,A,S service made it a hidden address, It is  for battered wives , The main battered wives Hotel is full so they have got that old police house.

Good luck, And she wobbled to the letter box's a long that part of the avenue Being hounded by dogs barking at her and pissing on her vans wheels,

Sweep started to turn the van around so he was facing the correct way and he thought about the POST Lady saying she'd be much richer, He smiled to himself as he thought if i had a pound for every one who phoned me and asked "ARE YOU SOOTY OR SWEEP".

As he pulled up he could just see the net curtains twitching and a young girls face looking at him and then the curtain closed,

He pushed the gate open and walked passed the hedge that had not been cut for a long time, The name plate Charming wood was well hidden, He knocked and waited, and knocked again and after a while and a lot of noise coming from the inside the door opened and a tall very thin man looked at sweep and the baby he was holding started to cry, Yes the man said,

SWEEP. Hello i am the chimney sweep the social called and you must be ???????? He paused,

Mr ADLER is my name, can you come in the baby is cold and the kids are killing each other,

As they entered the living room you could feel the cold and as the Sweep had been burning fuel trying to find this "CHARMING WOOD. The engine was well hot as was inside the van,

Three faces we're all looking at the Sweep two boy's about 5 & 6yrs old and a young girl about 12yrs, The sweep being just himself had a natural way "He could talk to anyone, Kids, Old Grannies, Mad Dog's and Large post ladies, he would win them over in very little time, He could not remember the last time he cried.

The baby was still crying and Mr Adler "Said I will have to get this little one by the cooker to warm up, Would you like a cuppa?

The Sweep In-spite of really having a fancy for a cup of tea could see Mr ADLER had his hands full and thought he would wait until Mrs ADLER came home,

Not just now Thanks I better get this chimney going ASP,

MR ADLER Asked do you want this lot out of your way?  The Sweep replied NO they"re not a problem, I will keep an eye on them,

Both the boy's we're full of life and kept asking Questions as the Sweep pushed the clearing brush up the Chimney first,

One of the Lads Asked are you putting that brush up Santa's Bum??? His younger brother thought this was a great laugh and they fell about the settee laughing, The older sister still had that very cold look about her and told them off but she showed no friendly side to her, She just stared at the Sweep as he continued to push and twist push Harder and twist and then the brush cleared the blockage and he could feel the air coming into the fire place, His experience told him he was about 6 inch from the brush popping 

Out of the Pot, Looking through the window he could see the gate was still closed and he then said, Right lads it is said that if you see the brush popping out of the chimney pot and you close your eyes  & then cheer and make a wish!!!! and if you have been good?

Then that wish may be granted, Both lads shot up & off the settee and run to the door, MR SWEEP Opening the door said stand just there inside of the closed gate, As the Sweep returned to do the magic task he said to the young girl, "Do  you have a wish you would like to make?  She looked up at him "very stern & cold, And said Yes and then she joined her brothers outside in the cold all three holding hands and just waiting for that chance for their lives to change, The sweep pushed that brush up and felt it enter the cold late afternoon air  And as had been done many many times He heard the sound of youth of young kids cheering and before he could get the brush back down the chimney "Two little boys we're telling their Dad of this magic wish and now they would be getting that train set he said "not this year lads" would be coming "TOMORROW Dad yes tomorrow, They took dad outside to show him the hole the brush jump out of,

The young girl now sat on the settee very close to the Sweep who was finishing up the smoke test and she looked at him and he could feel she wanted to say something,

The Sweep asked  "Did you make a wish ?  She replied Yes, I want me mum Back,

The first time in many years the sweep drove home with tears running down his face as he could hear that young girls wish.

Just after Christmas some one managed to talk a large Post Lady to deliver two late surprises to CHARMING WOOD?

THE END.