NO SALE?

The village shop is bustling again with customers.

Granny Fortuna is serving at the counter and appears to be having a disagreement with Hattie!

"But I love this big tea cup Granny why can I not buy it? "
" Mm because it's already sold " says Granny hurriedly " and it's far too big for a little thing like you!"
" It's not granny " says Hattie " I love big tea cups and I'll grow into it !"
Granny looks harried " I'm sorry but it's sold Hattie "

"Oh Look!" Hattie says excitedly " There's another one over there ! I'll have that one please"
Granny looks over to where Hattie's pointing " Drat !  I mean oh dear I'm afraid that one only comes with the Elephant and is a One of a kind so costs £100 ! "

"One hundred pounds! " gasps Hattie " But I only want the tea cup !"
" I know Hattie but it's a special anniversary of....... " Granny tries to think quickly " of.... Elephants that love tea !"
"Elephants that love tea! " repeats Hattie in amazement
Realising just what she said Granny carries on warming to her subject " Yes Tea loving Elephants ! " she states with the authority of one who KNOWS!

Hattie is not quite believing Granny's words " Tea loving Elephants? I've never heard of it! "
" Well that just goes to show that you don't watch the right programmes or read the right magazine articles " smiles Granny quite smugly I have to say " It's a little known fact that the Elephants in Backestan , in the province of Bytheway in deepest rural India, where the Elephants are look on as gods, that they are fed large cups of tea at four pm every afternoon !"


Hattie stares at Granny ! Backestan..... Bytheway.... She knows she's making it up but how can she call Granny Fortuna a big liar !

" So " say Hattie slowly " I cannot buy just the large tea cup without the tea drinking Elephant of Backestan! "


" That's correct " smiles Granny with relief " and to make up for it you can have one of my lovely Granny Fortuna Strawberry cupcakes " she places one on the counter for Hattie.


Hattie looks at Granny and smiles " That's okay Granny I've gone right off CUP cakes !" and turning walks out the shop, not quite slamming the door!


Granny Sighs heavily thank goodness I got away with it !.

"Next " calls Granny

Ginny who is in the queue with Libby says in wonder " Fancy that tea drinking Elephants!"
Libby agrees " How strange but then they do grow tea in India "
"And China " adds Ginny
"Yes and China but they don't have elephants but they do have Panda's "

" That's true " says Ginny " and Edward our panda drinks tea !"
" yes he does " says Libby getting excited " and he likes to have a cup at four pm!"

" Oh goodness yes he does!" Ginny agrees
"I wonder if it's not just Elephants in Back...where ever Granny said but also Panda's in China!"


"I'm going to ask him when I get home , Edward would know"  the girls nod in agreement

They carry on talking quietly while their sister finishes her shopping and it's their turn to be served.

Finally it's closing time and Granny locks up. Bruno walks up and asks " Should I put the spotted tea cup in the sold pile and who do I deliver it to!"
"What sold teacup? " asks Granny " We sold a teacup? when? "

"You told Hattie she could not buy the teacup because it was sold! " Bruno tells Granny " and then you said the other cup was for sale with the Elephant and you never told me that! I could have sold them separately !"


Granny looks guilty " Well I don't tell you everything! and yes move the teacup to the back shelf by the Elephant cup and I'll deal with them!"

The spotted teacup is still on the counter and still marked up for sale!

Bruno seeing this decides he knew something was not quite right!

Has Granny walks away saying she needs to ring James about cups Bruno says loudly " And if you think Hattie fell for all that nonsense about Tea drinking Elephants your losing your marbles! "


Granny pauses and then hurries away least said and all that!




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