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        Stories & Imaginings >> Cookies & Drabbles >>  Advent Drabble No 18
        
(Message started by: Carolyn P on Dec 18th, 2003, 8:20am)
Title: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 18th, 2003, 8:20am
The chapel at Our Lady of the Snows was full. There was a discrete murmur amongst people who had not seen each other for years; friends of long time standing quietly swapped news of each other’s grandchildren and yet the occasion stopped this latest reunion being all that they would have wished.

It was perfect weather for a reunion; the sun was blazing down, making this one of the Platz’s hottest summers on record. This afternoon there was a slight breeze, just enough to make the heat bearable. The wild flowers that always abounded on the Platz were out in force and different scents were carried into the chapel on every fresh gust. There was a distant sound of children shouting, the village children free from school and making the most of the opportunity before their parents hushed them, reminding them of what was happening in the small private chapel.

The party from Freudesheim was smaller than might be expected. His eldest children, Len and Con, Steve, Charles and Mike, surrounded Jack. Margot had been unable to be contacted and for the moment was still in blissful ignorance, her order had sent her deep into the Peruvian Rainforest and it took weeks to get even an important message like this one to the remote village she was working in. Jack did not mind. What hurt him was the absence of Felix and Felicity, both of whom had refused to answer his telephone calls. Dick Bettany had assured him that they had been informed of the news, but said that they had not invited him into the house they shared on the edge of Dartmoor, but had listened to him in a stony silence and then shut the door in his face. Their cutting off from the family had been final.

Cecil, Geoff and Phil had already gone to the chapel, Geoff speaking for all of them when he said “Can’t do the whole following the coffin bit, we’ll wait at the chapel and slip in at the back. Don’t worry Papa, I’ll keep an eye on the girls.” Jack, knowing his youngest daughter’s frail constitution and proclivity to emotional outbursts had agreed, relying on Cecil and Geoff to help her as they always did.

The priest broke into the family party with a small cough and Jack went over and shook his hand, before holding tightly onto Len and Con’s hands as they moved off, the priest first, preceding the coffin, the Jack and the two girls following their mother to her last resting place and the three boys close on their heels. The procession slowly wound through the garden, out of the front gate and along the Platz for a few hundred yards before going down the long lane that led to the entrance to the school grounds at the back, near to the chapel itself.

Jack was touched as they entered the school grounds to see that a line of schoolgirls stood either side of the path, heads lowered and falling in behind the boys as they passed. They entered the chapel, hearing the priest intone the familiar words, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” The bereft family followed the priest to the front of the chapel and took the seats reserved for them. The school quickly filed into seats at the back of the chapel and the funeral of Josephine Mary Maynard began.

 
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by LulieCat on Dec 18th, 2003, 8:29am
*snatches a tissue from the box, remember that it probably isn't there and digs around The Handbag instead*

I wonder why F&F have cut themselves off from the family? Come on Rachel do your best (or should that be worst?  ;) )
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Elinor on Dec 18th, 2003, 8:33am
Carolyn - that's very moving and so well-written ...  :'(

... but then I remembered that Rachel will be completing it and I'm half-expecting it to be a hoax with Jo leaping out of her coffin at the last moment!

Can't wait to see what Rachel does with it - I would love to know what Felix and Felicity's problem is .....
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Pat on Dec 18th, 2003, 9:08am
That is leaving Rachel an opoen door with a vengeance!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by xanthe on Dec 18th, 2003, 11:09am
*sniffles* Carolyn that was so moving...

*wonders what Rachel will do with it*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Esmeralda on Dec 18th, 2003, 2:39pm
Carolyn, that is really touching.  Thank you.
Can't see what Rachel is going to do - surely it would go against the grain for her to actually resurrect someone? But I'm still looking forward to it.
On the other hand, I'd quite like to see more of this from Carolyn's pen too - if you feel like writing another short story Carolyn?
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Susan on Dec 18th, 2003, 2:48pm
Very moveing Carolyn! Hoping I'm wrong about what I think is F&F's problem but knowing Rachel she'll come up with something no one else thinks of.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 18th, 2003, 3:47pm
This is one that I might do something with at some unspecified future date. I was a little worried about posting it after the memories story earlier this week as that was so wonderful, but as I said a few weeks ago, what is written is written.

This is actually one of my favourites, but I always did like funeral scenes and had to do at least one for the advent drabbles. I cam claim the body this time!

Susan, what did you think was going on with F&F. I haven't actually decided, and only have an inkling?
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Ally on Dec 18th, 2003, 3:50pm
That was so sad and moving, and yet another differnt idea (I don't know how you manage it) But I'm really wondering where Rachel will take this, like Rachael I can see Joey jumping out of the box!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Esmeralda on Dec 18th, 2003, 3:54pm

on 12/18/03 at 15:47:07, Carolyn P wrote:
This is one that I might do something with at some unspecified future date. I was a little worried about posting it after the memories story earlier this week as that was so wonderful, but as I said a few weeks ago, what is written is written.


*Looks hopeful.

*Hopes that the Memories story isn't lost forever.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Chloe on Dec 18th, 2003, 5:10pm
:'( Carolyn it soooo sad  :'(

Rachel please let here be a happy end  :)
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by LauraT on Dec 18th, 2003, 7:55pm
Oh no! Thats so sad! And it's basically a story in itself already! I really want to know what happenned to the Fs....Rachel where are you?!  ???
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by catherine on Dec 18th, 2003, 8:46pm
Very moving, Carolyn.   :'(

*wondering what Rachel's take on this is going to be*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachels Little Helper on Dec 18th, 2003, 9:28pm
Just to let you all know,

Rachels second half may be a little delayed today - I haven't told her what to write yet. She should post a reply by midnight. Probably even midnight tonight  :)

DTU
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by LulieCat on Dec 18th, 2003, 9:32pm
Poor Rachel, being delayed in such a fashion  :o

Come on, Little Helper, live up to your name and help our Rach a bit by telling her what to write, without delay.

*sends Rachel a hug and commiserates with her on the 'help' that is available nowadays  ;)*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 18th, 2003, 9:39pm
I saw RLH had registered about a week ago, and she wouldn't tell me why!

I didn't know she hadn't finished this one or I would have left it until Sunday.  Sorry peeps.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by catherine on Dec 18th, 2003, 9:46pm
Never mind; it won't do us any harm to wait for once!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Vikki on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:11pm
*hopes Rachel's Little Helper comes through for us all!*
Carolyn, the beginning is very moving and teariness inducing! :'( :-*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:15pm

on 12/18/03 at 22:11:14, Vikki wrote:
Carolyn, the beginning is very moving and teariness inducing! :'( :-*


Glad you like it.

Good job Chloe refilled the tissue box.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachel on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:50pm
** So which of you silly beggers is claiming to be my helper?!? I'll have you know I was OUT this evening! **

The subdued atmosphere disappeared the moment the priest opened his mouth and shouted to the rooftops “Hallelujah! The pregnant doggy is dead!”
The congregation jumped to their feet, cheering and sobbing with relief. Jack Maynard handed out party poppers, whilst his children poured everyone triple measures of brandy. This, of course, was the reason for Felix and Felicity failing to turn up – they couldn’t stand the taste of brandy.

“! Hic !” said Jack Maynard as he reached the bottom of his fifth glass – saying nothing about the twelve bottles drunk the night before in the private party. He turned blearily to see who had tapped him on the shoulder and saw his own hand. Attached to his hand was his sister in law, Madge Russell. She had foregone the brandy with a frown, always having been a devout whiskey drinker.

“Jack,” she cooed. “Ishnut tit wonnurflul! Ib so harpy! Jisht ve besht day ovvvvvvv my lyeeeef! Ninecheen dayzzzz ago iduh forrrt vis imposhshshshshshibubble!”
“I know Madge,” replied Jack as he slowly passed out landing in the font.

The door to the chapel opened slowly, and a girl’s face peered round, distraught. Seeing the drunken debauchery taking place within, she was shocked. She had thought it was due to start a half hour later.  Robin Humphries, for it was she, walked slowly down the length of the chapel, coming to a halt before the coffin laid on a trestle before the altar. With a whoop of delight, she leaped on top of the coffin, and proceeded to tap dance to the tune of “Agadoo” (including arm movements). Unfortunately she was moving to the rhythm of Beethoven’s Sixth. It didn’t spoil the effect.  

·      * * * Pause for CBBers to sing a chorus of “Agadoo-do-do, push pineapple, shake the tree” with appropriate actions (optional) * * *

After a few hours (who knows? It might have been days, but hey! Who’s counting when you have such a great thing to celebrate!), and a change of priest, the party moved outside into the graveyard. This was obviously the cue for everyone to start making the traditional jokes about the two parrots sat on a perch.

After a short delay for the Maynard kids to go and drag their father away from the cleaning lady who he was attempting to seduce in the broom closet, the priest gathered everyone around the open grave. The coffin was being brought outside, and everyone tried to avoid looking at the heap of earth covered in green cloth in case they betrayed their eagerness to get it all over and done with.

The pallbearers, handicapped by the fact that they all had a different version of “forwards”, were also hindered by the surprising weight of the MDF box. They had all known Joey’s fondness for cream cakes through the years, but judging by the weight on their shoulders, she’d eaten ALL of them. The coffin slipped, but was caught just in time to be dropped completely by a simultaneous lurch to the left to compensate the slip to the right.

The lid of the coffin sprang open. The pallbearers looked inside and gasped with shock. The green cloth covering the pile of earth gave a ripple at this point, and a quavering voice struck up an alternative version of “Shtand By Your Mhan!”

Joey crawled out from under the cloths and looked blearily round at everyone. She smiled as she stood upright and asked “Did I last longer than David Blaine?”
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachels Little Helper on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:53pm
I *knew* you had it in you. Ra ra ra.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Lesley on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:54pm
It had to happen - a resurrection!!! Thank you Rachel! 8oo
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachel on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:54pm

on 12/18/03 at 22:54:09, Lesley wrote:
It had to happen - a resurrection!!! Thank you Rachel! 8oo




It's NOT a resurrection! She never died!















Yet.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by xanthe on Dec 18th, 2003, 10:57pm
8oo Thank you Rachel 8oo

just what I needed...  ;D
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Vikki on Dec 18th, 2003, 11:08pm
*weeps with laughter and clutches aching sides!*
Thank you Rachel, I needed that! :-* 8oo

By the way, congrats to whoever came up with Rachel's Little Helper!!! ;D
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Abi on Dec 18th, 2003, 11:15pm
*rolls around on the floor, hiccoughing with laughter and sobbing weakly*

Brilliant as ever Rachel! 8oo 8oo 8oo
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Esmeralda on Dec 18th, 2003, 11:23pm
Thanks Rachel - hilarious!  Made up for not being able to drink tonight!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Pat on Dec 18th, 2003, 11:37pm
That was great!  Steve was reading over my shoulder, and he was cracking too!!  We all needed a really good laugh after the TEM!!!!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Susan on Dec 19th, 2003, 12:25am
Oh Rachel I'm still giggling.  The mental image at the end will stay with me a long while.  I'd love to have seen the faces of the family.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Kathy_S on Dec 19th, 2003, 1:47am
I've finally remembered the song these Advent drabbles put me in mind of.  Well, not today's denouement, exactly, but in general....

Here is the link:
http://members.aol.com/quentncree/lehrer/irish.htm


*giggles*

Edited to say:  Go to the bottom of the page for the words.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 19th, 2003, 3:08am
Fantastic, Rachel! That was absolutely hilarious!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by LulieCat on Dec 19th, 2003, 8:10am
Why oh why must I read these at work? *chokes violently on muted screams of laughter and grabs one of the bottles of brandy to revive me*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 19th, 2003, 8:16am
*snatches back the brandy and replaces it with a glass of water, patting Lulie's back*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by LulieCat on Dec 19th, 2003, 8:28am
*drains the glass of water, snatches back the brandy and refills the glass*

Actually I hate brandy, but in desperate circumstances...
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachael on Dec 19th, 2003, 8:57am
8oo

OK - I take it back - THIS is the best one yet!!

LOLOLOLOL!!

Hilarious! Thank you, Rachel - great start to my day!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Ally on Dec 19th, 2003, 10:04am
What a whirlwind these drabbles take us through from sadness to hilarity ~ its quite exhausting!  That one was one of the best, but is Joey indestructable?
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 19th, 2003, 10:09am
Drat! I really thought I had killed the woman!  :P
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Pat on Dec 19th, 2003, 10:27am
I at first you don't succeed.....!!   ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 19th, 2003, 10:55am

on 12/19/03 at 08:28:44, LulieCat wrote:
*drains the glass of water, snatches back the brandy and refills the glass*

Actually I hate brandy, but in desperate circumstances...


*grabs back brandy, pours the contents of the bottle out of the window (not noticing Rachael standing below with her mouth open) and hands back the empty bottle to a crestfallen Lulie*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachael on Dec 19th, 2003, 12:16pm

Quote:
*grabs back brandy, pours the contents of the bottle out of the window (not noticing Rachael standing below with her mouth open) and hands back the empty bottle to a crestfallen Lulie*


8oo I'm sure that's libel!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Emily on Dec 19th, 2003, 12:48pm
It's OK, you don't have to pretend to complain, just to keep hold of your respectability, not around us!  :-*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Chloe on Dec 19th, 2003, 2:01pm
Yay thanks Rachel just what it needed a happy end!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by catherine on Dec 19th, 2003, 4:42pm
8oo

Only you could produce that, Rachel!  Hilarious!!

Kathy - I do like your link - the tune is catchy and the words very well suited to these drabbles!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Vikki on Dec 19th, 2003, 5:45pm
*wonders if Rachael is feeling okay after all that brandy!*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 19th, 2003, 8:56pm
What, you're objecting to having drunk the brandy?
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachael on Dec 19th, 2003, 9:50pm
Hello! *hic* ]

Thanks for your *hic* concern, Vikki!

Have high tol  ....er...ance  for bran ......... dy zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 19th, 2003, 9:52pm
*feeling guilty, tucks a blanket around Rachael and leaves her to sleep it off*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachel on Dec 19th, 2003, 11:39pm
** Sneaks in and does something both interesting and festive involving Rachael, a Travel Kitten and a large box of luxury christmas crackers **
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Carolyn P on Dec 19th, 2003, 11:44pm
Rachel I have to ask, although I may live to regret this, what exactly is a travel kitten?  ??? ::)
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Lesley on Dec 19th, 2003, 11:47pm

on 12/19/03 at 23:39:02, Rachel wrote:
** Sneaks in and does something both interesting and festive involving Rachael, a Travel Kitten and a large box of luxury christmas crackers **


Looking forward to Rachael's reaction to this in the morning!8oo
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by xanthe on Dec 19th, 2003, 11:50pm
*giggles*

Ra-aaaa-chel!  honestly!

(and yes, what IS a travel kitten??)
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachel on Dec 19th, 2003, 11:52pm
Honestly! You mean to tell me that not one of you has or has had a Travel Kitten(TM)?

I will bring some to the Gathering.
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by xanthe on Dec 20th, 2003, 1:01am
Um *looks a wee bit worried by this, er, generous offer* how kind of you Rachel...
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachel on Dec 20th, 2003, 1:30am

on 12/20/03 at 01:01:08, xanthe wrote:
Um *looks a wee bit worried by this, er, generous offer* how kind of you Rachel...



Only a "wee bit"?



Damn, must be losing my touch!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Vikki on Dec 20th, 2003, 1:39am
*is worried by the travel kittens!* :o ???
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 20th, 2003, 7:21am
*wishes we could learn about them now, rather than waiting until March*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Vikki on Dec 21st, 2003, 2:50am

on 12/19/03 at 23:39:02, Rachel wrote:
** Sneaks in and does something both interesting and festive involving Rachael, a Travel Kitten and a large box of luxury christmas crackers **


*is still waiting to see Rachael's reaction!!*
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 21st, 2003, 3:41am
I just wish we actually knew what Travel Kittens were!!!
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by Rachael on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:33pm
All right, all right, I'm here!!
(just took a while to recover from last night's Xmas Do, that's all, and no brandy involved!!)

(Patience is a virtue, Miss Vikki!  ;))

As my imagination is somewhat elementary compared to Rachel's I am at a loss as to how to react ... although it does sound painful!!

*wondering whether there's room for assorted CBBers, plus Rachel's menagerie and travel kittens*

*also wondering why no one took the hint after Lesley's Nemesis!!  ;))
Title: Re: Advent Drabble No 18
Post by KB on Dec 22nd, 2003, 3:47am
*worries what WAS involved, if brandy wasn't the culprit* ;)


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