Letter From America: A Tyre And Attire
...By one of those unfortunate happenstances, Joshua not only found the tyre, but he also found it fascinating. The next time I saw Joshua he looked a sorry sight. He was always immaculately dressed and spotlessly clean. Except when he wandered in through the back door with his clothes and his person covered in nasty brackish water. He had stood on the edge of the tyre and it had flipped up and delivered several gallons of muddy slime, most of which stuck to him like glue...
Ronnie Bray tells a heart-warming tale. For more of Ronnie's satisfying words please click on Letter From America in the menu on this page.
… he shall wash his clothes,
also, he shall wash his flesh in water,
and he shall be clean.
Leviticus 14.9
His name is Joshua. If you called him Josh, he would immediately add "-ua!" without smiling. He was three years old, small for his age, but intelligent and friendly. His mother struggled alone with the burdens of life, and Joshua followed behind her.
I was custodian of an ecclesiastical complex that housed a Family History Library, open to anyone who wanted to discover their roots and make their family tree. Joshua’s mother worked there one day a week as a specialist, steering clients through the murky but fathomable waters of genealogical research. During these times, Joshua roamed the building and its extensive grounds, or took an interest in what I was doing, conversing freely, using his extensive vocabulary and his dazzling powers of expression.
Round the back of the church building there was a garage that housed garden maintenance equipment, and whatever else time and tide had carried into it and forgotten. Outside on the grass, was an old car tyre, probably brought in for some outdoor game years before, and left to fill with garden detritus and rainwater.
By one of those unfortunate happenstances, Joshua not only found the tyre, but he also found it fascinating. The next time I saw Joshua he looked a sorry sight. He was always immaculately dressed and spotlessly clean. Except when he wandered in through the back door with his clothes and his person covered in nasty brackish water. He had stood on the edge of the tyre and it had flipped up and delivered several gallons of muddy slime, most of which stuck to him like glue. He looked a sorry sight, but it was not an occasion for laughter. If his mother saw him in that state, he would not be able to sit down for a week!
I took him into the kitchen, took his clothes from him and put them into the big sink to soak, then washed the little lad down until he was clean and pink again. Then, I sneaked him into the boiler room which was always good and warm and dried his clothes on the hot air ducts. As I dressed the grateful tot I promised that I would not tell his mother.
In fifteen minutes, he was as good as new. I popped him into the genealogical library where his mother greeted him with a flat "What have you been up to?" He looked at me, so I said to mummy, "He’s been watching me work." I didn’t tell her that my work included laundering and degreasing her boy.
Afterwards, whenever Joshua and I met in company, we smiled at each other without speaking, knowing that we shared a dread secret that made us brethren. We never spoke of the incident to anyone, not even to each other.
There are times when it is necessary to save a child by taking expeditious and extraordinary action, and never telling it – ever! Well, at least not until the tot enjoys the independence of being reaching his legal majority. Happy Birthday, Joshua, and don’t jump on any old tyres!
Copyright © 2005-2008 – Ronnie Bray
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Read Ronnie's Stories at:
http://www.2theheart.com/author_ronnie_bray/ [Various Stories]
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/voices/011024summer.html [Story: "The Last of the Summer Fruit"]
http://bonzer.virage.net/?s=bray [Story: "In Death's Dark Vale"]
Re-Told Yorkshire Tales Volumes One Two & Three by Ronnie are now available on MP3 - CD at eBay:
Volume One - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220215534376&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=012Volume Two - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220216174077&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=012
Volume Three - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220216477795&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=012
