When I ran my confectionery shop, Fridays were always a treat day. At 3.25 p.m. the kids would swarm in like a bunch of starving locusts.
Lorraine and I cowered behind the counter, and no matter how efficiently we worked, the queue still flowed down the high street. A child deciding between a Willy Wonka giant gobstopper and a Barratt sherbert fountain cannot be rushed.
Over the kid's heads, I would gaze longingly at the exclusive beauty salon across the street. An oasis of calm, It looked so clean and fresh – such a contrast with the hot, sticky mess in my shop. And the therapists wore pristine white coats, so they obviously knew their stuff.
The cheapest treatment would keep a child in gobstoppers for well over a year, and so far I’d resisted. But, after one particularly brutal Friday, I darted across. I stepped into a gleaming white palace that smelled of lavender, rose and vanilla. A row of scented candles flickered on the shiny counter. The only jarring note was the panting, scruffy dog in the corner.
‘I found him at the door this morning,’ said the young therapist. ‘He seems to be lost. I’m on my own today and don't know what to do with him.’
Maybe it was the pleading gaze in those soft brown eyes – the dog’s, not the therapist’s, but my pet-rescue instincts kicked in. The next thing, I was leading a dog down the high street by my handbag strap.
Perhaps I'd overestimated the powers of canine navigation. Once outside, I imagined he'd transform into a furry compass, sniff the air, and lead us back home. But he seemed content to aimlessly wander around.
As the clock ticked, my anxiety grew. What if he was a drifter, a stranger in town abandoned by his previous owners? Returning him to the salon was pointless, and I already had three cats at home. How would I explain to my partner that I'd gone to book a beauty treatment and ended up with a shaggy dog?
Finally, a light bulb flickered. Take him to the vet’s. The professionals will know what to do.
The veterinary nurse found his microchip in seconds, located him on the database, and rang his relieved owner. A happy ending. Woof woof.
So you see, anything can happen in retail. In The Murder Above Merangs, a series of events leads to Helen being knocked out by a naked flying dead man.
It's on OFFER at 0.99 for a LIMITED TIME. Sorry, but Amazon only applies the deal to the UK and the US.) Grab it while you can.
A little bit of nice weather has gone to my head. Click on the picture for a beach reads bonanza.
And these ones are free. Click on the picture to see.
That’s all for now folks.
Carole xxxx
P.S. I booked a beauty treatment in the end – eyelash extensions! They dropped out after a week.
P.P.S. Have you ever become embroiled in an unexpected chain of events? Hit reply, I'd love to know.