Post by blossomgb on Dec 18, 2005 20:58:50 GMT -5
This story is true. Some ex's can be mean. And, TV Engineers may seem cold, but underneath...well....
23rd December 1997.
I was helping out at a TV shop in Liverpool when the call came. It was the sort of thing you'ld expect us to ignore, but somehow, I couldn't.
The caller was a single mum called Jayne. She'd been married, but some men just can't keep to one woman and she'd done what all women should do - divorce him!! So there she was, all alone, with a today crying little girl called Kate. The lights had gone out on the tree, and for some reason the child was inconsolable.
Now I don't know about you, but I always answer calls like this, because I hate kids being upset, especially at this time of year. So I bought a couple of sets of bulbs and made a diversion on the way home.
So at 5pm, I called with the bulbs and a tester.
'Come in, You know I didn't think you would call', said Jayne. She was the sort who didn't deserve to be cheated on, I thought as she showed me in.
A rather sad but quite beautiful child looked up from what she was doing, which was writing a last minute letter to you know who, about... the tree and what her father had said.
'You don't look like a tree fairy', she said.
ULP!! 'I'm not', I replied, looking at Jayne for help. 'I'm the fairyland engineer and it's my job to make sure that all the lights work.'
Jayne nodded and grinned at the girl. She seemed happy with this, thank heaven!
I got to work and soon got the lights working. Then I did a little something involving a bulb near the top to make them more reliable.
I turned to Kate for royal approval. She was grinning from ear to ear. 'Thanks', was all she could say.
I turned to Jayne, who was rooting in her purse!
'No need. It's Christmas', I said.
'But...'
'No Buts', I replied. 'Here you'ld better have these though', I added as I pushed the remainder of the bulbs into her hand.
'Bye Kate', I called as I headed for the door. Jayne followed to see me out. I commented on her abrupt change on the way and was told what her ex had said. Apparently, no lights on tree means no presents!! I stopped for a second, and pulled out my receipt book.
Hastily I wrote out a receipt and gave it to her.
'What's this?', she asked.
'Oh, something for you to give your ex. Gets you a few quid extra!'
Jayne laughed. And with them both smiling, I left.
The next evening, after the shop shut, we were having a last drink (Coke for me, I don't drink) in the pub. I was staring into space when the lads waved their hands in front of me.
'Steve are you OK', John asked.
'Fine. I was just thinking about something', I replied.
'Something technical, no doubt', he said.
'No', I answered. 'I've got to check something before I head for home. See You'.
With that I left the pub.
With the van parked at the end of the street, I could see the lights still on. I wondered about calling, but decided against it. You see it wasn't entirely the tree, and besides she had her own life to lead. And as I drove away into the night, I thought I heard bells.
Nah, I thought as I turned the radio on and headed home. You're hearing things, Steve.
Wasn't I....?
23rd December 1997.
I was helping out at a TV shop in Liverpool when the call came. It was the sort of thing you'ld expect us to ignore, but somehow, I couldn't.
The caller was a single mum called Jayne. She'd been married, but some men just can't keep to one woman and she'd done what all women should do - divorce him!! So there she was, all alone, with a today crying little girl called Kate. The lights had gone out on the tree, and for some reason the child was inconsolable.
Now I don't know about you, but I always answer calls like this, because I hate kids being upset, especially at this time of year. So I bought a couple of sets of bulbs and made a diversion on the way home.
So at 5pm, I called with the bulbs and a tester.
'Come in, You know I didn't think you would call', said Jayne. She was the sort who didn't deserve to be cheated on, I thought as she showed me in.
A rather sad but quite beautiful child looked up from what she was doing, which was writing a last minute letter to you know who, about... the tree and what her father had said.
'You don't look like a tree fairy', she said.
ULP!! 'I'm not', I replied, looking at Jayne for help. 'I'm the fairyland engineer and it's my job to make sure that all the lights work.'
Jayne nodded and grinned at the girl. She seemed happy with this, thank heaven!
I got to work and soon got the lights working. Then I did a little something involving a bulb near the top to make them more reliable.
I turned to Kate for royal approval. She was grinning from ear to ear. 'Thanks', was all she could say.
I turned to Jayne, who was rooting in her purse!
'No need. It's Christmas', I said.
'But...'
'No Buts', I replied. 'Here you'ld better have these though', I added as I pushed the remainder of the bulbs into her hand.
'Bye Kate', I called as I headed for the door. Jayne followed to see me out. I commented on her abrupt change on the way and was told what her ex had said. Apparently, no lights on tree means no presents!! I stopped for a second, and pulled out my receipt book.
Hastily I wrote out a receipt and gave it to her.
'What's this?', she asked.
'Oh, something for you to give your ex. Gets you a few quid extra!'
Jayne laughed. And with them both smiling, I left.
The next evening, after the shop shut, we were having a last drink (Coke for me, I don't drink) in the pub. I was staring into space when the lads waved their hands in front of me.
'Steve are you OK', John asked.
'Fine. I was just thinking about something', I replied.
'Something technical, no doubt', he said.
'No', I answered. 'I've got to check something before I head for home. See You'.
With that I left the pub.
With the van parked at the end of the street, I could see the lights still on. I wondered about calling, but decided against it. You see it wasn't entirely the tree, and besides she had her own life to lead. And as I drove away into the night, I thought I heard bells.
Nah, I thought as I turned the radio on and headed home. You're hearing things, Steve.
Wasn't I....?
