Tuesday, February 16, 2010

This is Willow's fault!

Willow's started a new blog -- "Magpie Tales" -- where she posts a picture of an object from her electic mix of household objects and invites people to write about it. It should be a bit of fun.


an interesting jug


It was a dark and stormy night. The curtains had been closed against the howlings of the wind and the lashing of the rain against the casements. I had settled myself down in the chair by the fire, the better to read the "Strand" magazine. Every so often the fire guttered in the draught and disturbed my reading. As the spirit bade I would break off to pour myself another cup of tea. I was generally content despite the storm.

I don't know when I first noticed the noise. There was a faint sound outside, like the footfall of cats in the snow. I dismissed it as a product of the storm. The soft, metallic clink could just have been the wind catching the door knocker. I sat back and resumed my reading.

The knock on the door was unmistakeable. Soft, to be sure, but a knock. It was swiftly followed by a series of more urgent raps. I jumped out of my chair and went to the door. There was something strange about the knocks. They were weak and seemed to come from the base of the door. Was some injured body lying on my doorstep, hoping for succour? And then they stopped and I heard the faint foot steps once again.

I opened the door. On the doorstep was a small pewter jug, wrapped in a swaddling cloth. Pinned to the cloth was a ragged piece of paper. An illiterate hand had left a note:


"Please look after this jug. His name is Dennis. I am too poor to look after him."

I brought Dennis in and treated him as if he were my own. My wayward daughter fell in love with him. And the rest is history...

23 comments:

Barlinnie said...

Very good sir, and kudos for the use of the words "swaddling cloth".

Lulu LaBonne said...

Is this the jug that was a Menace as a young lad?

savannah said...

just read berowne's ode to a jug, sugar! well done! xoxox

Ms Scarlet said...

Rub the jug!!!!
Release the genie!!
Sx

Tess Kincaid said...

I laughed out loud when I came to the Dennis part. This was a fabulous bit of writing, Kevin. Really fun piece.

RNSANE said...

Very good...a bit of mystery, as well as humor!

Kevin Musgrove said...

Jimmy: thank you sir.

Lulu: complete with catapult and fierce Gnasher, none of this namby-pamby modern rubbish

Savannah: ta. I'm looking forward to seeing the other entries.

Scarlet: you live dangerously, girl!

Willow: ta. And thanks for the idea.

Hello and welcome, Carmen, and thanks!

Catalyst said...

Loverly!

Vicki Lane said...

Ah, Brit silliness. I love it! And the perfect opening line.

Peter Goulding said...

Settling down to a good Gothic horror story and then "His name is Dennis"
Still laughing.

Ronda Laveen said...

Oh, Dennis! I trust he and the wayward daughter produced some itty bitty jugs.

Very fun and engaging piece, Kevin.

Brian Miller said...

ha. that was a fun piece...

Unknown said...

Nice, I anticipated something more sisinster with the setting but then the cup o' tea was soothing...a mug named Dennis! :)

Joan Tucker said...

Yes yes yes

Pat said...

That's a Dickens of a good story:)

PattyF said...

Dennis! What a fun twist on Willow's prompt!

Gadjo Dilo said...

Much lower maintainence costs than that Paddington bear, I'd imagine.

joanna said...

Oh how clever you are -- well done,,

joanny

Kevin Musgrove said...

Many thanks all!

That was fun. Thanks again to Willow.

chiccoreal said...

A classic piece of the Horror genre. What? You never heard of the Dennis of the Pewter Pitcher tales? Pure Genius! Thanks for the laughs today!

Kevin Musgrove said...

Chiccoreal: many thanks!

I'm feeling guilty about falling by the wayside on this. I'm hoping to catch up with myself over the weekend.

Anonymous said...

So this makes your grandchildren juglets?

Kevin Musgrove said...

Elizabeth: they're juggins.