25th Blog Post - The Little Curious Shop

Here's my 25th blog post, and I can't believe it.  I hope that you will enjoy this piece and it fits in well for Christmas.

The little girl of seven years of age was running up the street, full of joy.  Melissa enjoyed running through these busy streets as it enabled her to escape the ever watchful eye of her stepmother, Mrs Wragg.  It wasn't often that she was brought here into town, and Melissa will always try to enjoy as much as possible.  Right now, she has managed to escape once more and was running free through the city streets, full of its modern shops and retailers.
     It was here that she noticed the shop.  Compared to the neighbouring shops, it was small and looked a bit of place.  It had Birds and Sons written in gold lettering over the shop window.  The window looked old, but it was full of wonderful site that made Melissa become filled with joy.
     In the shop window display, there was dolls in pretty dresses, toy soldiers standing to attention, fancy clocks that marked the time with singing choirs and birds, wooden puppets with smiling faces dangled from above and near the front and at the back of the window display, there were trains steaming along railway tracks pulling coaches and trucks in and out of tunnels, round mountains and across bridges.  It looked like an old-fashioned Victorian toy shop.
     And, of course, Melissa wanted to go inside.  And so she did.
     A doorbell rang above her head as she entered the shop, and the sight amazed her more.  There was beautiful crafted wardrobes, tables and chairs.  More toys of all sorts, but none of them modern.  It was like she had entered a new country.
     "Hello?" Called a voice.
     Melissa turned to face the counter as a white bearded man entered the room.  As soon as they saw each other, their smiles brighten.
     "Good afternoon, young lady."  The man bowed.
     "Good afternoon, Mr...?"
     "Bird.  Ishmael Bird."
     "What a strange name."
     "I know," Mr Bird chuckled, "my father gave it to me.  What's your name. young lady?"
     "Melissa."
     "Please to meet you Miss Melissa."
     An elderly lady came in behind Mr Bird, "Hello there."
     "Hello Mrs Bird."  Melissa waved.
     "And what can we get you?" Mrs Bird asked as she came round the counter to Melissa.
     "What have you got?"
     "Would you like a doll?"
     Melissa couldn't contain her excitement, and for the next fifteen minutes, Mrs Bird showed the little girl what must have seemed like all the dolls, but Melissa just couldn't make up her mind.
     The doorbell rang again and a tall young man entered the shop.
     "There you are."  Mr Bird greeted him with a smile, and both embraced each other.  "Did you get the wood I asked for?"
     "Of course Grandpa," the young man answered, "and it will be here first thing tomorrow."
     "At a boy."  Mr Bird clapped his hands.
     The young man noticed Melissa, "Who's our visitor?"
     "This is Melissa, Melissa this is my grandson, Frederick."
     Melissa approached with a smile.  "Pleased to meet you Mr Frederick Bird."
     Frederick laughed, "Oh that's not my name, it's Frederick Roberts.  Bird was my mother's family name."
     "Sorry about that."  Melissa spoke.
     "It's alright young lady."  Frederick then looked at Melissa really hard, "Have we met before? You look familiar."
     "I don't think so."
     "It's alright, I rarely see any I know these days, I suppose, I see them in everyone I meet."
     The doorbell rang, and Mrs Wragg entered the shop.  "So this is where you're hiding young lady."  Her thunderous voice echoed in the shop, even the puppets were rattled.  "What do you mean, running off like that?"
     "I'm sorry."  Melissa said sadly.
     "I should think so."  Mrs Wragg's voice was deep, and it didn't match her fair looking face.  "What did you have you eyes on, then?"
     Melissa returned to Mrs Bird, and picked the smallest doll and brought forward.
     "Would you like to have it?"
     "Yes please."
     Mrs Wragg's face, brightened up so quickly and her personality had changed so much, Frederick and the Birds couldn't believe that she was the same person who entered the shop less than five minutes ago.
     "Do come again."  The three called as the visitors.
     "I hope so."  Melissa called back as the doorbell announced her departure.
     "Oh we're sure you will."  The Birds nodded.

     She will, but that's another story...

I hope that you've enjoyed this piece, and that you found it enjoyable for the time of the year.  Merry Christmas.