Photographers share an image that says MEMORY.
Life was boring
in the city on a hot sultry day. Rain had been scarce, it was high summer and
Julie and Jack had one of those local holidays.
“Let’s go somewhere”. Julie wanted to get out into the country, away from the bustle and heat of the city.
“Any suggestions?” was the answer from Jack.
“Give me the newspaper. Perhaps I might find something. Yessss, that’s it. Let’s visit the castle where my grandmother grew up. I heard it has been completely renovated and is now open to the public. They have beautiful gardens and at the moment it is the annual antique fair. Perhaps I might find something useful.”
“You mean like the long lost family jewels” was a sarcastic answer from Julie’s husband.
“Ok, just because grandmother was born in a castle, you don’t have to get jealous. The family were just farm labourers but they have a few ancestors in the local grave yard.”
“No Julie I am not going on one of your graveyard tours. I don’t mind going out to the country, get some fresh air, and sit under a nice shady tree somewhere in the gardens of the castle, but I am definitely not looking for long lost relatives in the local cemetery.”
Eventually Jack and Julie climbed into the car and departed for the country. After a drive of two hours they eventually arrived at the castle. Jack headed for the gardens, seeing a nice bench under a tree in the shade, but this was not Julie’s idea of a day in the country.
“Jack I did not drive this far to sit under a tree. I can do that at home. The antique market is in full swing and I want to see if there are any bargains.”
“But Julie….”
“No, buts. You can sit under your tree sniffing rose scent after we have finished with the market.”
Actually Jack was not sniffing anything, just recovering from the long drive and was thinking about heading for the restaurant for a nice cool beer. When Julie had decided to do something it was done, so he walked behind her, similar to the sheep that follow the shepherd.
“There are some nice ornaments on this stand” said Jack, giving himself a push to show some enthusiasm.
“Yes, and look Jack, I HAVE FOUND IT AT LAST.”
Everyone looked around towards Julie and Jack was a little embarrassed.
“You don’t have to shout, I can hear you perfectly well. What have you found at last?”
“The second tiger.”
“Huh”
“I have one just like this and grandma always said it belonged to a pair, but the other one went missing. Granddad said he dropped it and it broke, but granddad never did like those tigers. He always said they would follow him with their eyes and would glow in the dark sometimes. Grandmother said he was just being superstitious. One day there was only one tiger there, the other had disappeared. It was rumoured that granddad sold it to an antique dealer, but who knows. Now I have found the second tiger to match the one I have at home.”
“But we don’t have one at home” answered Jack.
“Of course we do, it’s in the attic. Cannot put one tiger on its own on display: but now I have the second.”
“How much does this cost?” Julie asked the saleslady.
“Fifty pounds” was the answer.
“How much?” said Jack in a rather shocked loud voice. Everyone looked in their direction again, but Julie knew what she wanted.
“Can I pay by credit card” she asked.
“No problem” and Julie determined to buy her second tiger, paid with her card.
The lady that sold it to her gave Julie a strange look, so Jack thought, but the sky was beginning to darken and it looked like a storm was brewing.
“I think we should start making our way home” and Jack moved towards the car.
Julie went with him, clutching her newly found tiger to make sure it would not get wet. The rain was now falling in large drops, and a bolt of lightening lit up the sky. They arrived at the car and Jack started the engine. He pulled out of the car park and they were on their way.
“Jack, you are driving too fast”, but Jack put his foot down on the accelerator and picked up some more speed.
“Jack, slow down, we are not in a race.”
“There was no reply from Jack, he just drove faster, raindrops bouncing off the car, thunder crashing around them lightning illuminating the road ahead. One bolt of lightning struck a tree lining the road, but Jack did not stop. Julie was becoming worried. She glanced over to Jack and his face had a mad expression. She was frightened; it was as if he was possessed by something. The parcel containing her tiger was also acting strange, she could hardly hold it. It seemed to have developed a life of its own. Suddenly the packing tore, the tiger jumped out and was on the floor of the car. At least it seemed to Julie that it had jumped, but she put it down to the storm, rain and speed they were travelling. It was then that Julie fainted.
Eventually they arrived home and Julie felt herself being shaken.
“Wake up Julie, you fell asleep in the car.”
“Oh, I suppose I did. I had a strange dream. What are those scratches you have on your hand? They look like cat scratches.”
“I must have scratched myself on the thorns on the roses in the gardens of the castle. No problem. Now we are at home. You can now fetch your second tiger from the attic and we can put them both together as a table decoration. Eventually the two tigers were placed on the table side by side.
The next morning they found the tigers facing each other on the table
“Strange” thought Julie, “I was sure they were next to each other.” She soon noticed that no matter how she placed them they faced each other the next time she looked. Eventually she returned them both to the attic. It was the bright glow that they had during the evening that disturbed her, especially at midnight when they began to roar.
“Let’s go somewhere”. Julie wanted to get out into the country, away from the bustle and heat of the city.
“Any suggestions?” was the answer from Jack.
“Give me the newspaper. Perhaps I might find something. Yessss, that’s it. Let’s visit the castle where my grandmother grew up. I heard it has been completely renovated and is now open to the public. They have beautiful gardens and at the moment it is the annual antique fair. Perhaps I might find something useful.”
“You mean like the long lost family jewels” was a sarcastic answer from Julie’s husband.
“Ok, just because grandmother was born in a castle, you don’t have to get jealous. The family were just farm labourers but they have a few ancestors in the local grave yard.”
“No Julie I am not going on one of your graveyard tours. I don’t mind going out to the country, get some fresh air, and sit under a nice shady tree somewhere in the gardens of the castle, but I am definitely not looking for long lost relatives in the local cemetery.”
Eventually Jack and Julie climbed into the car and departed for the country. After a drive of two hours they eventually arrived at the castle. Jack headed for the gardens, seeing a nice bench under a tree in the shade, but this was not Julie’s idea of a day in the country.
“Jack I did not drive this far to sit under a tree. I can do that at home. The antique market is in full swing and I want to see if there are any bargains.”
“But Julie….”
“No, buts. You can sit under your tree sniffing rose scent after we have finished with the market.”
Actually Jack was not sniffing anything, just recovering from the long drive and was thinking about heading for the restaurant for a nice cool beer. When Julie had decided to do something it was done, so he walked behind her, similar to the sheep that follow the shepherd.
“There are some nice ornaments on this stand” said Jack, giving himself a push to show some enthusiasm.
“Yes, and look Jack, I HAVE FOUND IT AT LAST.”
Everyone looked around towards Julie and Jack was a little embarrassed.
“You don’t have to shout, I can hear you perfectly well. What have you found at last?”
“The second tiger.”
“Huh”
“I have one just like this and grandma always said it belonged to a pair, but the other one went missing. Granddad said he dropped it and it broke, but granddad never did like those tigers. He always said they would follow him with their eyes and would glow in the dark sometimes. Grandmother said he was just being superstitious. One day there was only one tiger there, the other had disappeared. It was rumoured that granddad sold it to an antique dealer, but who knows. Now I have found the second tiger to match the one I have at home.”
“But we don’t have one at home” answered Jack.
“Of course we do, it’s in the attic. Cannot put one tiger on its own on display: but now I have the second.”
“How much does this cost?” Julie asked the saleslady.
“Fifty pounds” was the answer.
“How much?” said Jack in a rather shocked loud voice. Everyone looked in their direction again, but Julie knew what she wanted.
“Can I pay by credit card” she asked.
“No problem” and Julie determined to buy her second tiger, paid with her card.
The lady that sold it to her gave Julie a strange look, so Jack thought, but the sky was beginning to darken and it looked like a storm was brewing.
“I think we should start making our way home” and Jack moved towards the car.
Julie went with him, clutching her newly found tiger to make sure it would not get wet. The rain was now falling in large drops, and a bolt of lightening lit up the sky. They arrived at the car and Jack started the engine. He pulled out of the car park and they were on their way.
“Jack, you are driving too fast”, but Jack put his foot down on the accelerator and picked up some more speed.
“Jack, slow down, we are not in a race.”
“There was no reply from Jack, he just drove faster, raindrops bouncing off the car, thunder crashing around them lightning illuminating the road ahead. One bolt of lightning struck a tree lining the road, but Jack did not stop. Julie was becoming worried. She glanced over to Jack and his face had a mad expression. She was frightened; it was as if he was possessed by something. The parcel containing her tiger was also acting strange, she could hardly hold it. It seemed to have developed a life of its own. Suddenly the packing tore, the tiger jumped out and was on the floor of the car. At least it seemed to Julie that it had jumped, but she put it down to the storm, rain and speed they were travelling. It was then that Julie fainted.
Eventually they arrived home and Julie felt herself being shaken.
“Wake up Julie, you fell asleep in the car.”
“Oh, I suppose I did. I had a strange dream. What are those scratches you have on your hand? They look like cat scratches.”
“I must have scratched myself on the thorns on the roses in the gardens of the castle. No problem. Now we are at home. You can now fetch your second tiger from the attic and we can put them both together as a table decoration. Eventually the two tigers were placed on the table side by side.
The next morning they found the tigers facing each other on the table
“Strange” thought Julie, “I was sure they were next to each other.” She soon noticed that no matter how she placed them they faced each other the next time she looked. Eventually she returned them both to the attic. It was the bright glow that they had during the evening that disturbed her, especially at midnight when they began to roar.
Mysterious tigers.....I wonder what strange oriental powers they possess!!
ReplyDeleteThe tiger pair belonged in my family since I can remember. They belonged to my grandfather. After he died we had them. One did get broken and I brought the remaining tiger home last year. It must be at least 100 years old, but not valuable. Just a memory of grandad.
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