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‘That’s what’s wrong these days Too much reliance on electronics Especially the children Even… but that’s because his mother doesn’t kno to control him He never plays on that device in ly ‘I remember when there was none of that Children listened and played outside in the street and they didn’t act up if they kneas good for theaudy … Americanisation of Christain ‘Really Lights On the outside of the house!’
Jack couldn’t resist ‘You should see the houses on Cedar Avenue,’ he said, in a conspiratorial whisper ‘One of them has a full set of Snow White and the seven dwarves lit up on their roof’
Mrs Teasped with predictable horror ‘But … that’s not even festive!’
Jack shrugged ‘Well, there’s also one with the Nativity Maybe you’d like that one more’
‘I sincerely doubt it’
So did Jack ‘Anyway …’ He glancedMrs Teht ‘If you could just …’ He shook the electronic pad again
‘Humph’ Mrs Templeton scrawled a few lines across the screen, and Jack decided that was good enough He handed her the parcel, along with a few Christmas card-sized envelopes on the top She scowled at theood, old-fashioned Nativity scene for a Christmas stamp? I ask you’
Jack quite liked the cartoon Santas, but Mrs Templeton had already shut the door before he could say so
‘Merry Christh the closed door ‘You miserable old bat,’ he added under his breath
This wasn’t what he’d expected when he’d moved to Maple Drive Fresh out of the arned to an area of the suburbs with nice, neat houses, friendly looking front doors and well-kept lawns, he’d thought he’d stu for Somewhere peaceful, friendly, and properly British The sort of place he et invited in for the occasional cup of tea or a biscuit Or, at least, soht make new friends, and find a new community to replace the family he’d left behind when he left the forces
He was so sure this hat he was looking for, he’d even rented one of the se of the estate, just at the corner of Maple Drive
It hadn’t taken long for the illusion to be shattered
Maple Drive ht look like friendly, cons and hedges tri The street was filled with curtain-twitchers, busy workers who left post-it notes asking hi places, and Mrs Templeton In three months, he could count the nuhbours on one hand – andstandards of the postal service He doubted anyone on Maple Drive even realised that he actually lived there too
With a sigh, Jack trudged back along the street, away from Mrs Templeton’s house at the top of the cul-de-sac He dropped a few cards through the letterbox at number 11, the McCawleys’, and was about to cross the street to deliver the s for Holly Starr at nu shining on the driveway Frowning, he bent down to pick it up He held the sers and considered it It looked like the sort of key that ht open one of those padlocks that came in Christ Probably nothing ih number 11’s letterbox to land on the cards At least that way, they’d find it in case they needed it
With a satisfied nod, he marched across the street to number 12 After all, it was Christ presents to Holly Starr was basically the only present he expected to get this year
Maybe he’d even tell her he liked her icicles
I scas, I stood about asPerdita Although, cars couldn’t clihtly better chance …
Either way, by the tione Off to ferry, France and chateau Leaving me behind
Alone
This, I decided, was sis werepuppy, I’d always been with people To start with, there were h, there was Daisy and Oliver and Bella, and tiny Jay in his buggy They took me hoain Oh, maybe a couple of hours when they were all out but, to be honest, in a house with so many people the occasional hour to doze away by myself wasn’t a hardship And most of the time, there was always someone around to scratch my ears, rub my belly, or refill my food bowl
But not now They’d packed up everything – even the box of interesting s back, not for a while, anyway It was just like ent away ca bed couldn’t keepin it with me) or e used to visit Granny and Grandad down by the seaside They’d meant to take me with them, I knew But how had they not noticed I wasn’t there?
How could they have left me behind?