Magic Granddad ~ Part 2 of 3

Magic Granddad ~ Part 2

By Len Morgan

Jack was the first awake, he yawned and stretched.   He felt a bit stiff.   The carpet wasn't hard but the floor beneath it was.   The sleeping bag was snug and warm, and he didn't really want to get out, but he could hear somebody or something rummaging around in the next room and his curiosity was piqued.

“Who do you think it is?” asked Tina echoing his thoughts.

Jack turned towards her, and saw her face peeking out from the hood of her sleeping bag, she looked just like an animated Russian doll; the type that has one small doll inside another, inside another…  He smiled with amusement.

“It’s probably Scruffy, Granddad's border terrier,” he answered after a moments thought.

“Let’s go and have a look,” she said on impulse, shedding her sleeping bag like a cocoon.

Jack stood up, unzipping his bag from the inside.   As the two halves separated Tina chuckled loudly.  

“It looks just like a banana skin with you inside it as the banana,” she yelled.

“You got to the green one first, I didn’t get a choice, it was yellow or nothing,” he said defensively.   “Maybe we could swap tonight?” he said hopefully.

“Let’s go find out who it is,” said Tina dodging the question.

They padded barefoot into the hall.   They could see the end room door was ajar, and they clearly heard the noises coming from within.

“What are you doing Granddad?” Jack asked politely.

“I’m looking for some film to put in my camera.”

“Why don’t you look in the magic cabinet that Mum told us about?” Tina asked helpfully.

“That was just a story,” Jack sneered scornfully.

“That’s where you’re wrong clever clogs,” said Steve.   “As it happens, that’s a very good idea Tina, and that’s exactly what we will do!   Back to your rooms and get dressed, and I’ll race you – OUCH!” he hopped on one leg holding his big toe…   “Kicked the f#*@lipping door jamb!” he cursed.

The twins spasmed with laughter.  

“Tut-tut!   language Granddad,” Jack admonished him, with a waggling finger just like Dad.

“Not in front of the children,” Tina snickered, mimicking Mum.

“Excuse my French!” said Steve, seeing the funny side of it.

“What’s all that noise?” Karen asked in a sleepy voice.

“We’re off to the magic cabinet, to get some film for Granddad's camera,” Tina replied, pulling on her shoes. 

“Are you coming Mum?”

“No thanks' Jack, I think I’ll settle for putting the kettle on and starting the breakfast; our things will be arriving today.   Hot buttered toast and marmalade with hot sweet coffee, MMM!” she disappeared into the bathroom.

“I win!” Steve yelled taking the stairs two at a time…

“That’s not fair!” the twins complained bounding down after him, “We were ready, but Mum was talking to us!”

“Tough!   You lose,” he laughed and tousled their hair.

“Where’s the magic cabinet?” asked Jack.

“It’s in my shed, at the bottom of the garden, follow me.”  He led the way, with Scruffy yapping at his heels; he wasn’t going to miss out. 

They charged across the lawn like a herd of wild buffalo.

.-…-.

“Tch, tch, tch,” clucked Mrs Williams at No. 49, shaking her head.   “Barking mad that man,” she said to herself in mock disapproval, “nothing but trouble.   Always was, even when we were at school, he was always instigating trouble.”   She’d always secretly envied his free spirit and refusal to grow old gracefully; he always did as he pleased.    Even when her best friend Esther – Steve's wife - was alive he would still be off gallivanting here and there.   She recalled with a rare smile, Esther used to say; ‘He’ll grow up one of these days’, but of course, he never did.   She wiped away tears, from beneath her eyes, where had the years gone?   She missed Esther and their endless chats.

“Morning Joan, these are my grand children, Jack and Tina, do you feel like coming out to play?” he asked grinning from ear to ear.

He’s seen me she thought, and cocked her snook at him, turning away from the window, too quickly.   “Why do I always do that!” she said angrily, “why do I let him get to me?”   Truth was she’d love to say yes!   But it’s not the done thing for the secretary of the Women’s Institute.   She shook her head sadly, “not the thing at all.”

She’d been lonely, since George passed over, despite her many activities.

“My biscuits!” She cried aloud, sensing disaster with the quivering tip of her nose.

.-...-.

“Now then, let me see.   Where did I put that shed key?”   Steve searched through his pockets in vain. 

 “Ah I remember, Tina has it!”

“I do not?” she said indignantly.  Reaching behind her ear he produced a brass key.  

“Would you mind opening it for me Jack?   I’m all fingers and thumbs today.”

Jack too k the key and fumbled with the lock ‘CLICK’.   “There you are Granddad,” he said.

Steve turned the light on, and they viewed his cluttered workshop.  There were cabinets, cupboards, tables and workbenches, but his tools hung neatly in racks all around three walls.   There were lengths of wood, sheets of metal, metal tubes and plastic pipes in bins.   There was even an assortment of wheels in various sizes.   The floor was covered in sawdust and shavings.   The grimy windows were covered with whitewash.   Not the sort of place Karen would want her children to play in.

“These tools are not toys,” Steve warned them.   “They can be dangerous if you don’t use them properly.   Don’t touch anything before asking.   If you have any questions you want to ask, about anything, I will give you an answer if I can.

Tina looked uncertain, “which one is the magic cabinet,” she asked?

“This one!” said Jack at once, his hand resting on its metal handle.

“No, this is it,” said Tina with equal certainty placing her hand on a small white wood cabinet with a strangely carved handle in the shape of a blackbird.   It was 3ft x 2ft x 1ft and stood on a bench all on its own.   Carefully, she took hold of the handle and turned it, then pulled, then pushed it.   Nothing happened.   Tina turned and tugged, a little harder, then very hard, but still, nothing happened.

“Did you use the magic knock, and ask politely for what you want, using the magic word?” Steve asked.

“You didn’t tell us we had to do that,” said Tina shaking her head.

“That’s why they are secret!” he whispered.

“So are we going to do it or talk about it?” Jack asked impatiently.

“Well…”

“Oh please Granddad, do show us,” she pleaded.   “CAN WE HAVE SOME FILM FOR GRANDDAD's CAMERA – PLEASE!” she asked.

“That, was the magic word, now for the knock,”:

 Tap ta-ta tap tap,

Then from nowhere came the response:  

Tap tap,

 Slowly, and silently the cabinet slid open.   Their eyes went wide with surprise, for inside were three rolls of 35mm film.   Tina removed them reverently from the cabinet and Steve loaded one into his camera.

“Can we wish for something else now?” asked Jack.

“Such as?” Steve asked.

“I would like a ‘Gold Cross’ pram for ‘Linda blue eyes,” said Tina hopefully.

“I’d like a pair of skates,” said Jack.

“That is a shame because you’ll both have to wait, the cabinet is getting old, and only grants one wish a day now, and it only provides things that will fit inside it!”

“So tomorrow, we can ask for a pair of skates each?” asked Jack with a cheeky grin.

“Oh yes please,” Tina added, “but what will Mum say?”

“Leave your mother to me,” said Steve firmly.

.-…-.

They returned the following day and made their wish…

“What are they?”  Tina asked wrinkling her nose at the smell.  Steve smiled in amusement “what you have there are two pairs of skate…”

“Skate?” said Jack in disgust.   “Who asked for fish?  Definitely not me!” 

“What use are fish to us anyway?” Tina added turning away.

“I- I’m sorry,” he stammered, “but that’s how magic works sometimes…” he tried to explain “You have to be specific.   Ask for exactly what you want!   Two pairs of TYCHO roller skates one size 9 the other size 11, with adjuster keys…”

“Thank you for explaining Granddad, but what will we do with these.  Can we send them back?”

“Shhh!    You may confuse it, or worse still hurt its feelings, it is only a cabinet after all.   I think it would be better if we simply accepted gratefully,” he said removing the fish and closing the cabinet door.   “Why don’t you ask your mother?”

.-…-.

“Well,” said Mum rubbing her nose, “we could always fry them in batter, and have them for dinner with salt, vinegar, and chips?”   She turned, giving her father a withering stare.

“It wasn’t my fault Karen!” he pleaded defensively.   “They weren’t specific…”

He shrugged, holding his arms out in supplication, “you know magic, Karen…”

“I know you!” she answered sharply, and then she broke into a smile.   “So it’s fish and chips for lunch – compliments of Jack and Tina?”

“Yea!” They yelled, their disappointment forgotten.

.-...-.

“So!  Tomorrow you start school at Felton Primary; are you excited?” He asked, drying the last of the breakfast things.   Their faces confirmed what he already knew.   “We have three rolls of film and a lovely day.   Why don’t we take some photographs?   I have an idea; if I can get the right shots we could make use of them at the weekend.”

“That’s a nice thought,” said Karen, “I’ve always fancied myself as a model.”

The twins laughed as she paraded up and down in her apron.

“We could take some in the house and some in the garden…” said Tina.

“Some in the car and I’d like everyone to pose for a close-up portrait.”

Steve shot a roll of film, then the twins shot a roll – several involving sleeping bags, and scruffy.

“Just one roll left,” said Mum.

“Let’s go to the park,” Jack suggested.

“Yes, we could take some on the swings, and the slide.”

.-…-.

At twelve o’clock, they handed their films in at a shop in the High street.

“That will be £4.50, and your photos will be ready for collection in one hour, thank you for using WONDER SNAPPS,” said the cheerful young woman behind the counter.

.-…-.

  They went into a Café Steve called ‘the greasy spoon’.   Mum had egg-chips-beans-bread & butter, and a mug of tea.   The twins had burgers and chips, with frostie cola. 

 “I’ll have the all-day breakfast with black pudding, button mushrooms, and a nice cool glass of cow juice,” Steve said.

“He means milk,” Karen whispered as Tina opened her mouth to ask.

Later, they sat outside the library, laughing at their pictures.   Tina particularly liked one of scruffy begging for titbits.

Steve selected the five best portraits, and while Mum and the twins registered, for library membership, he took them to the photocopier and made A4 enlargements.   Later, he visited the art shop and made several purchases, but would not reveal what he was up too.   “It’ll be a surprise,” he said mysteriously.

That night, while the twins were tucked up tight in their beds, Steve’s shed light was on into the early hours.   

.-…-.

 “Mum says, breakfast is ready and, your eggs will go hard.”

“Coming!” he said pulling on his clothes.   He could hear scruffy and the twins dashing down the stairs. 

“You lose…” he heard Tina call.  

He smiled; the old house had certainly come alive again since their arrival.   He hadn’t felt this happy in over five years.   Not since… ‘If only she could see them’ he thought, smiling again, yet his eyes had filled with tears.

.-…-.

 Steve sat at the table, sipping his second cup of tea, reading the paper.

“Haven’t you finished reading that old newspaper yet Granddad?”  Tina asked impatiently.

“Just let me finish this paragraph,” He smiled, he couldn’t contain his amusement.   “Alright, alright,” he said putting it down “come on then, down to the shed, and I’ll reveal my surprise.”  

“Yes!” They yelled in triumph.   Scruffy followed yapping excitedly, with the twins close behind.

“Can I come too?”   Karen called from the kitchen door.

“No!”  the twins said in unison.

“Yes, of course, join the party,” said Steve over his shoulder.   “Ok!   Who’s got the key?” he asked accusingly.

“Me!”  Jack said.

“Me!”  Tina giggled.

“Yap, rar, rar, yap,” added Scruffy as Karen arrived breathless.

“Give me the key woman.”   He demanded, plucking it from behind her ear.

“Here Tina, it’s your turn to open it,” he said glancing towards the kitchen window of number 49, Joan smiled and waved at them, Steve and Jack waved back.

“We must ask Joan over for Sunday lunch,” said Karen, reading his mind.

“That would be nice,” said Steve with a twinkle in his eye.

Tina pushed open the door and switched on the light.

“Wow!”  Jack gasped.

“That’s me!” Tina exclaimed.

“They’re brilliant dad. You’ve obviously been working very hard.”

On the facing wall, were two life-size portraits one of Jack and one of Tina.

“You didn’t tell us you’re an Artist,” Jack said in awe.

“You didn’t ask,” said Steve flattered.   “But really, I simply know some effective methods of getting a likeness onto paper, that doesn’t make me an Artist.   I’ll show you how it’s done then you can judge for yourself.”

“Do you think we could?” asked Tina.

“I’ll tell you what!   You can do portraits of your Mum and me.   If I can do it, I’m sure that you and Jack can do at least as well.” He answered with confidence.

“I thought you threw away all your art stuff when Mum died,” said Karen.

“No, I just put it away for better times.   Times I thought would never come again,” he added quietly.   “There are two easels; I’ve taped a sheet of watercolour paper to each, with a piece of carbon copy paper, over it, and one of the photocopies I made at the library on top of that.   All you need to do is draw the outline of the main features – head, shoulders, ears, eyes, nose, lips hairline and any clothing.”   He watched as they followed his instructions.   “Now remove the copy and carbon paper…”

“That’s great!” Jack enthused.  

“I’ve mixed flesh tints, and all the other colours are on your pallet,” he explained.   For shadows, you mix a tiny dab of blue with the flesh colours, and a little white for the highlights.  Don’t forget to wash your brushes before changing colours, or the paint will get muddy,” he demonstrated.  “Use the colour photos, I’ve taped to the side of your board, for comparison when you’re mixing colours,” as they started work he took Karen’s arm, I think we can go back to the house now and let these two Artists get on with their work.   Call us when you’re finished or if you need any help.   Don’t rush, take your time and do a good job.   It took me two hours to paint each of your portraits.”

.-…-.

Both Steve and Karen liked their portraits.   All four pictures were hung in the dining room so they could be seen and admired by friends and family alike.   The twin's work, of course, had pride of place on the mantel shelf.

during the following week, the twins became secretive.   They requested, and were given access to the shed but, when asked what they were doing they simply said: “It’s a secret!”

Steve was aware that they had been searching the house for something, but they wouldn’t say what.   He spied them talking to Joan Williams at No.49, but when he approached them they just clammed up.   Later, when he made polite enquiries of Joan she smiled and told him to mind his own business.

Karen knew they had raided their money boxes, and assumed it was to buy each other a birthday present.   They asked her permission to go out with Joan after school on Friday, explaining that it was personal and she wasn’t welcome.

“Would you like Ice Cream Sundae’s tonight?” Steve asked.

“Better not,” Jack replied, “we’ve got a lot of work to do…”

“A school project,” he enquired.

“Yes a project,” Tina answered.

“Will it take long,” Steve asked, “only I need to use the shed for a project of my own at the weekend.”

“Tomorrow,” said Jack.   Then, they wolfed down their tea and dashed out to the shed.

“What are they up to?” Karen asked.

Steve shrugged “they said it was important and a surprise.”

“Don’t you think we should take a peek?”

“Do you want to tell them we don’t trust them?” Steve replied.

“Just a little peek…   They are only seven…”

“Best not,” he said “trust is a double-edged sword, they have earned our trust, and we have to respect their wishes.   Besides, Joan wouldn’t get involved in anything underhand; she’s secretary of the Women’s Institute don't you know?”

To be continued/...