Clearing the Attic

Every now & then I feel compelled to de-clutter my home, usually, when I begin to notice that I have too much stuff!

Many moons ago I decided to empty the previous occupants junk from my attic. A simple task on a spring day. I enlisted the help of my son and his friend, Thomas, both were strong, aged around twelve or thirteen at the time.

The ladder in place I secured my entry into the attic space and started to pass things down to the boys until I got to an old and rather large rug. My son removed the ladder so that I could lower down this particular item.

The boys left happy, fooling around carrying the carpet, pretending to be removal men, as I heard the front door click and close.

I sat, feet dangling out of the opening looking at the floor seven or eight feet below me, waiting for their return.

‘Mum, open the door,’ my son yells.

All I could hear was Thomas, who shrieked with laughter, knowing my son's best friend as I did, he was probably rolling around on the grass, simultaneously clutching his sides as his body was seized with hysteria.

‘You took the ladder away.’

More hysterical laughter.

‘But how…’

‘Well short of calling the fire brigade. No, please don’t do that!’ I shouted, worried I'd not be heard. ‘I suggest you clamber over the back garden walls and pray the back door is open.’

I heard Thomas chuckle all the way down the road and he never stopped tittering as they scampered and climbed over various neighbours fences, about six in total. (It’s surprising how much more clearly I could hear in the roof than in the house!)

How can I fail to smile at the innocence of this memory? A haphazard mixture of fun and silliness.

I’ll tell you the other ‘Fireman’ story next… oh now as I recall, there’s more than one firemen story….

And yes they came to my rescue in unexpected circumstances!