Christmas in New England By Jonah
This is a work of fiction so be aware that every character herein is also fictitious. If you think you recognise yourself, or somebody else in here - you don't. Some places, and some institutions in here are real, but the people attached to those institutions in the story are not. Most characters are my own creations, but some are the creations of another author. I want to thank Jacob Lion, in the USA, for his permission to use his characters in my stories.
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Chapter 5
Friday morning began with Barry. No, not the Grieg this time. The old piano stool obviously contained works by a selection of composers and Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" incongruously greeted the new day.
By nine o' clock we had all had breakfast and Yori declared that he was taking us into Northampton as there was still Christmas shopping to do. To be honest, I had never thought of Northampton as the sort of place where you could just go and shop. Previous visits had only included Walmart, the Subway next-door to it and the hospital (Jonah had seen the inside of the Sherriff's office as well but the less said about that the better). Well I was right not to think of Northampton as that sort of place, because it wasn't. In a British city, or even a moderately sized town, you only have to locate the town centre and the shops are there for you. True our High Streets are becoming denuded as megastores spring up on the outskirts. Most market towns stock their High Streets with charity shops at peppercorn rents. Even in places where an indoor shopping centre has been built, the centre sports more empty shops than functioning ones. People shop on-line nowadays, and the USA is no different. What I didn't take into account was Yori. Yori knew his way around Northampton and took us directly to Main Street. Alright, there are probably rather more eating places on Main Street than anything else, but there are still the leather goods shops, the hair salons, the second-hand book shops and the computer workshps that you would find in any English High Street. It was, of course, broad daylight, so the Christmas lights were not lit up, but the shops were decorated for Christmas and, up where Main Street becomes Elm Street, a giant Christmas tree had been erected. Perhaps we really were just approaching the last Sunday of Advent.
This close to Christmas, the streets were busy.
"SHOPLIFTER! SHOPLIFTER!"
A middle aged man of about medium height and weight was tearing through the crowd, which obligingly parted to let him through, or at least most of it did. The exceptions were Garret and Barry. Garret held his ground and was knocked sprawling for his trouble. Barry, on the other hand, dived out of the way but left one leg outstretched behind him to trip the miscreant - which it did.
"I'm gonna kill you kid!"
I was on his back. His right wrist was forced up behind him.
"It'll be alright Sir," I told him. "We'll soon have you on your feet."
"Ow! Let go my arm>"
""Didn't I just hear you threaten to kill someone? I'd be very silly to do that."
"F*** you! Leggo my... Officer, -he's assaulting me."
"He won't be the only one," said the cop who had just crossed the street. He raised his revolver. "Face the wall and spread 'em," he ordered.
The man, faced with the gun, had no option but to comply. His hands were raised and pressed against the wall.
"What did he stole?" said the cop to the toyshop proprietor who had just arrived.
"Engine off the trainset that was running round in my store," replied the man. "Jus' slipped it in his pocket."
The cop reached under the man's arm and retrieved the locomotive from his pocket.
"This one?" he queried.
"That's the one officer. Can I have it back now."
"Not for the moment sir. It's evidence. You'll get it back though."
The cop unclipped his handcuffs from his right pocket and clipped one cuff to the man's right wrist. He jabbed the barrel of the pistol into the man's back.
"Now both hands behind your back," he ordered.
As soon as the man complied the cop quickly clipped the other cuff to his left wrist.
"Right, I've got an area car coming to pick him up. I've ordered another car too because I'm going to have to take you in to deal with his assault claim."
"I wasn't assaulting him," I pointed out. "I was protecting my son."
"He sure was," said the toyshop proprietor. "These two men and that boy there took him down - neatest thing I ever saw."
I really didn't think the man was helping.
The cop looked thoughtful - then he looked at Yori.
"British?"
Yori nodded.
"When they going back?"
"Next Thursday," said Yori.
"They come in your car?"
Yori nodded again.
"Well, Mr. Ito, it looks like you can do us a good turn. If you put them back in your car and drop by the sherriff's office, we can get all this sorted out. We don't want a charge like that lying in wait for them next time they come to the States."
We did that and within the hour me, Garret and the boys were sitting in the interview room at Northampton Sherriff's office. Tea had been provided for Yori, Garret and myself, and orange squash for the boys. Deputy Attwell, who had arrested the shoplifter, but had not arrested me, chatted amicably for a while and then left, promising to only be a minute. He returned in the company of an older and grander looking officer.
"Mr. Ito?"
All three of us raised our hands.
"I guess I'm going to have to be more specific - ah to heck with it. It don't matter none anyway. Sheriff Ross Willins. It's my job to caution you good people to keep the peace, but it seems to me that you're only here because you were doing exactly that. Now I've talked to Bart Mackin downstairs and explained to him that he's in a lot of trouble, and is likely to be in more if he adds to his crime by trying to implicate innocent people. You won't hear any more from him. That only leaves my duty to caution you. Deputy Attwell, when the storekeeper raised the cry, what did our townsfolk do?"
"Dived out of the way like always."
"So he ran unimpeded until he met a party of British who were made of sterner stuff?"
"I guess that's right Sheriff."
"So do I deputy. Well Mr. ito, Mr. Ito, Mr. Ito and all the little Ito's ..."
Philip had started to giggle.
"This is serious young man," said the sheriff from a face that said exactly the opposite. The wink didn't exactly add to the gravity of the situation either.
"All I can say is, it's a pleasure to have met you, and thank you very much. Consider yourself cautioned. Oh and guys - Merry Christmas."
We all exchanged compliments of the season and then we filed out to the car. It was back to Christmas shopping for us. Our lunch took place in a bar that served dishes from all over the world. Paella was the specialty of the day and we were all happy to go for that.
By the time we were back on the streets the day was well advanced and the Christmas lights were taking advantage of the deepening shadows. The boys were excited. Garret and I were excited because the boys were. Yori was Japanese. It's impossible to tell if he's excited or not. We didn't need to. We just knew.
It was nearly five o' clock when we left Northampton behind us and made for Ashfield. Soon we were settled in Yori's drawing room, except for Barry who was settled in the music room. We were interrupted by Yori who had served up sushi for tea. The boys were getting a lot of unfamiliar cuisine.
Of course, Yori was sensible enough to have made sure there was sufficient cocoa in the cupboard. Hot chocolate for supper was cuisine with which the boys were quite familiar.