The Brass Candlesticks Roly-Poly was spread out on the green velvet couch,
Looking magnificent.
He was relaxing as he looked about the room,
Filled with curiosities,
Bric-a-brac and all manner of odds and ends,
A lifetime's collection of treasures.
Anyone of an unkind disposition would simply describe this hoard as a pile of old tat-slash-junk.
Roly-Poly could never be described as unkind.
He had been passing by and decided to pop in on his old dear friend Victor Wainthrop,
The proprietor of the old Wainthrop Warehouse,
Where you're guaranteed to find what you're looking for.
Roly wasn't entirely convinced by this claim,
But nevertheless he did enjoy admiring all the interesting items.
Copper kettles hanging from the beams,
Colourful jugs stacked up on the shelves,
The glass cupboards filled with knick-knacks and ornaments,
Dusty baskets and even dustier books piled high on the floor.
From his vantage point at the back of the shop,
Roly-Poly was able to enjoy all the comings and goings.
It was a chance to sit back and watch the world go by.
A bell rang and the door opened.
Good morning,
Madame.
Victor Arthur Augustus Wainthrop at your service.
And what might one be looking for today?
Victor greeted all of his customers in this way,
With a flourish of Edwardian grandeur.
Dressed in a long green frock coat,
A white ruffled shirt and a tweed waistcoat that didn't quite match,
Victor's outfit was a mismatch.
Of garments thrown together without the greatest of effort.
His general aim being not to conform,
He just loved dressing up and needed no excuse to do so.
No matter what he wore,
It was always topped off with his signature belled top hat,
Complete with ostrich feather.
The middle-aged woman who had called in to the shop that day had seen something in the window.
For a moment her mind flashed back in time to an argument she'd had with her father about the very same brass candlesticks that were amazingly in front of her right now.
Yes,
To be clear,
The candlesticks on display in Wainthrop's window were the ones she herself had sold over ten years ago.
-"Wherever did you get these candlesticks?
" she gasped.
-"Oh,
These?
I picked them up on eBay.
They've been stuck in the stockroom for years.
I've been having a sort out and put them in the window this morning.
" Leila burst into tears.
-"Madam,
Please don't upset yourself.
" -"But you don't understand.
These candlesticks belong to my father.
I sold them.
And,
Well,
I'm ashamed to say,
Without his permission.
" We had the most terrible argument.
By now Leila was sobbing.
-"I don't know where he is now.
" Roly-Poly sat listening as she went on to tell Victor the whole sorry story and how she had wished she could put things right.
Victor was a sentimental old fool who was always ready to try and solve a mystery,
Especially one for a damsel in distress.
-"Well,
Surely it can't be that difficult?
" He smiled,
Looking straight at Roly-Poly.
-"Oh,
My!
Is that your cat?
" Leila squealed as she dried her eyes.
-"No,
My dear.
That is Roly-Poly.
No one owns him.
He comes,
He stays,
He goes.
He is his own cat.
" Leila sat down on the couch and right on cue,
Roly curled up on her lap,
Purring and looking for all the world that he had understood every word she had said.
-"He really is a special cat.
He knows everything,
If you understand me.
I bet he knows where your father is,
" said Victor.
-"How could he?
" Leila sighed.
-"Well,
Sometimes he goes to see the old people at Greenacres.
Maybe your father is there.
You never know.
" The next day Leila made her way to Greenacres.
It had to be worth a try.
In her bag were the two freshly polished brass candlesticks.
The staff told her that Mr.
Brown did live there and that he had often talked about his daughter Leila.
-"He's out in the garden.
Why don't you go and see him?
" said the manager.
Mr.
Brown was sat just out of sight under a big oak tree.
He was facing the other way as Leila approached him.
She placed her hand on his shoulder,
But she jumped back,
Seeing he was not alone.
Roly Poly was sat on his lap.
As she drew near,
He definitely smiled up at her.
-"Dad,
It's me,
" her voice broke.
-"Really?
Is it you?
" Mr.
Brown was overcome with emotion.
It was time for Roly to leave.
He tiptoed away under the fence,
Leaving them to their reunion.
He looked back to see Leila give her father the brass candlesticks,
And they hugged each other for such a long time.
It was time for another holiday.
-"Hmm,
" he thought to himself.
-"I think I might try Paris.
I hear it's very nice at this time of year.
" .
