Welcome Home

     "Where are you off to now?"
     "To the Ladies' knitting circle down at Walkley"
     "You're always out somewhere.  I don't like you going out after dark; you'll get mugged one of these times"
     "Don't worry, there's bound to be somebody else walking my way, or I can call a taxi.  I've got my mobile phone with me."
      "What time will you be home?"
     "Not vey late, probably about nine-thirty."
     "Well if it's after nine o'clock I shall be in bed.  Have you got your keys?  I can't lock up properly if you're still out.  I can't put the alarm on.  We might be burgled before you get home."
      "Don't be daft.  Nobody's going to burgle us.  You go to bed when you're ready, I won't be long after.


Nine o'clock came and Alf went to bed, grumbling about not being able to lock up properly.

     "I shan't be able sleep for worrying about burglars.  I'll take this mallet with me in case somebody breaks in."

     There were not many people at the knitting circle.  Mrs Parson's daughter had a new baby so she was missing.  Miss Leadbetter was away on holiday.  No one else was walking to Broomhill that evening.
     "Ah well," thought Kathleen, "I could get the bus, but I'll still have to walk up our road.  Perhaps I'd better phone for a taxi."
     Having ordered the taxi she said goodnight to all her friends and was left alone outside the church hall for the taxi to arrive.  She waited ten minutes but there was no sign of a taxi.  She tried to ring the taxi firm but could not get a signal on her mobile.
     "I'll just wait a bit longer and then get the bus." she said to herself.

     Kathleen  arrived home safely but well after ten o'clock.  She let herself in quietly and listened.  She could hear no stirrings from upstairs, so she went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea.  As she switched off the kitchen light and went accross the hall, there came a blood-curdling roar from a creature hurtling down the stairs and something hit her on the head.

     When she came round Alf was kneeling beside her, in tears.
    "Oh dear, oh dear, I didn't mean to hit you.  I told you it was dangerous to go out after dark."
     "I told you you'd get mugged." 

Ruth D.