29th June. Chimneyman Returns.

Called in at The House With a Lot of Children And No Television, building work has progressed but is still ongoing, as it has been for the last eight years.

The eldest of the six has just finished sitting his 'Highers', when I was last working there he'd just started his first week of secondary school, consequently he and the five siblings have changed beyond recognition, I'm surprised any of them recognised me.

Five years isn't that long is it? The duration of World War II.

So imagine if you'd been taken prisoner during the fall of France and spent the entire time as a POW then finally after a series of adventures made it back to a remote house in Highland Perthshire.

First of all you're not sure which door to knock on, then a child appears but it's not clear which one,

"Is there anyone in?" (ie other than children)

"MUM! It's (..... ..........)

The Mrs might have been a little more care worn, in fact she's aged - precisely five years but not really changed, whatever that means.

The quality of the evening sunlight and the kitchen smells are the same,

"Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Only if it's proper tea"

"Earl Grey?"

"Err...no thanks, just Ordinary Tea"

I bet they said that in 1944: "I'd love a cup of tea" or

"Shall I put the kettle on?" or

"You know, you couldn't get a decent cup of tea anywhere in the whole of Nazi Germany ."

2 comments:

The Snoring Man said...

Not sure what you have against Earl Grey. Its the tea that won the war.

The Editor said...

You only drink it to follow the affectation of Captain Jean Luc-Piccard

"Tea - Earl Grey"

Quite.