THE LAST CUSTOMERS ....

before Granny closes up for Christmas.

" So is everything ready for Christmas ? " asks Granny
" Yes " answers Zac " Mum said for you both to come round by 12.30 as dinner would be about 1.30 if that's okay with you? "
" Yes lovely" says Granny so pleased not to be having to make Christmas dinner!

" It will be so nice for Bruno to have friends to share Christmas with " Granny smiles
" Caitlin where are your shoes? " asks Bruno

"I left them at home " says Caitlin " I wanted to see what it was like for Bruno having to walk about without them "
" Really !" says Granny looking at Caitlin's skinny little socks " Those thin socks will never protect your feet!"

" I know that now! " sighs Caitlin " My feet are freezing and sore !" she looks at Bruno " Poor you I don't know how you do it!"
" His feet are wooden to start with ! " says Granny " Did you walk all this way child!"
" No she did not " chips in Zac " I had to give her a piggy back from two steps from the front door!"

"Thank you for caring!" says Bruno giving Caitlin a big hug
Caitlin hugs Bruno tightly " You are so brave "

Granny looks to the heavens! " Brave ! Bah! when I was a child , in Napoli ,we did not even have socks to wear ! Just our bare feet in the rain and snow over the rocks and the mountains ! You children of today are soft!"

"Really!" asks Caitlin in awe " over the mountains! Goodness your poor feet !"
" Yes we had no money for luxuries like shoes! " Granny warmed to her subject " even the church mice had more than we did !"
Zac and Caitlin were amazed at what granny was saying about her childhood.

After a few more tales of granny's hard childhood, Zac and Caitlin left for home, poor Zac carrying Caitlin, with a stagger down the road towards home!

"Right " says Granny " you head upstairs and get in the bath, I'll just lock up !"
" Must I have a bath!" moans Bruno
" Yes unless you want Santa to pass on by ! He likes clean children not grubby ones and you've been climbing all over the place getting down boxes today "

Grumbling Bruno goes up to run a bath..

Granny locks up and once she can hear the bath running, takes a small packet from under the counter and puts it out. Now she must hurry upstairs and find where she hid the monkey Minky ! She needs to get it ready for Santa to put in Bruno's Christmas stocking!

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