This is for Amanda M. from your Secret
"Ruuueeey, Ruuueey, are you ready?" from behind the closed curtains came an impatient hiss. "Of course, I'm ready, but I can see that you aren't, Margot, get off that chair and get over by the tree. Do you want to spoil your Mum's Christmas play?"
Joey, sitting in the audience turned to her husband, Jack, and whispered, "I hope they do me proud. This is the first time I have ever included my favorite song in one of my Christmas plays". She sighed to herself. Jack, under cover of dimmed stage lights, rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. He was so tired of these wretched plays and all the emphasis that was put on bringing the Christmas message, he wished that just for once things would change.
The curtains slowly opened and spotlight of blue light began to sweep back and forth across the stage. Slowly two girls dressed in old fashioned clothing came in to sight. The music began to swell up as the girls began to sing the charming Twelve Days of Christmas.
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A peartridge in a par tree.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree.
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three Hench frens,
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree.
Jo sat up suddenly with a gleam of panic in her eye. She stared at the girls on the stage and looked around the auditorium in desperation as if someone, anyone, would stop the mayhem happening on the stage. Jack was beside himself with glee. He was attempting to hold back the laughter, but was making bugling noises out of his noise.
Margot and Ruey continued to sing....
"On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four balling cirds,
Three hench frens,
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five rolden gings,
Four balling cirds,
Three hench frens,
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six leese a-gaying,
Five rolden gings,
Four balling cirds,
Three hench frens,
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree.
Miss Ferrars desperate to stop the total destruction of her so carefully practiced Christmas play signaled to the senior who was in charge of the curtains. Mary Lou began to pull on the curtains to close them and shut out singing, but just as she began to pull on the curtains the long cords that she was pulling on suddenly erupted in a flurry and descended on top of her head. She frantically pulled at the cords but only succeeded in wrapping them more tightly around herself, as she stumbled with the weight of them she tripped and landed fully on Miss Ferrars. Miss Ferrars gasped for breath while Mary Lou began to gasp out her apology...
Meanwhile, Margot and Ruey continued to sing "their" version of the song.
"On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers rumming,
Eleven pippers piping,
Ten leaps a-lording,
Nine daddies lancing,
Eight milks a-maiding,
Seven swims a-swanning,
Six leese a-gaying,
Five rolden gings,
Four balling cirds,
Three hench frens,
Two durtle toves,
And a peartridge in a par tree!"
Margot winked at Ruey as the song they were singing came to an end. They took their bows to a deathly quiet auditorium, except for Jack Maynard who continued to bugle snorts of hysterical laughter. Jo Maynard was still staring in stunned panic at the two girls on the stage. Jack, stifling his laughter, leaned over to her and whispered, "That's all right my dear, this is far too much excitement for you, I'll get you home shortly and give you a dose of my own special blend of sleeping medicine." "Oh, Jack, what a solid lump of comfort you are." breathed Joey.
"Well, we're in for it this time, Margot" exclaimed Ruey ruefully. "Yes, we are," admitted Margot. "But, it was so worth it. Perhaps now Mother will start to include some up to date Christmas music, something with a better beat and that isn't so old fashioned, like the songs Elvis sings, or the one Bing Crosby does, or that nifty little number Gene Autrey put out on the charts, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."
Margot and Ruey confident in the ability to put an end to old fashioned Christmas plays headed straight to Miss Annersley's office. They knew that she would be summoning them, and they were prepared to face the music.
Meanwhile, back in the big house where are the Maynard's lived, Jack had give Jo her sleeping draught and she was sleeping peacefully. He then went down to the salon and poured himself a rum on the rocks. He mentally toasted his two girls and then settled down to his Radio One program - The Greatest Hits of Elvis.
