A Christmas tale from long ago When i was just a boy, the best thing in the world for me was walking up and along Bolton Moors. The freedom for a hard home life and the clear air of the countryside always filled my lungs and heart with hope. One cold December morning i set off about 9 o clock in the morning with Jam Butties (Sandwiches) in one pocket , and a drink of pop on the other. Sometimes all i had to drink was Corporation Pop as we called it, but everybody else might know it as Water LOL. but it was nearly Christmas!! I could have walked the easier way of straight up Smithills Dean rd, but i always made a day of it and walked up to Oldhams estate, through my fave place on earth Bluebell Forest and then onto Smithills Coaching house on the way to the moors. Bluebell forest was my playground as a boy and i spent most weekends there with my GANG , building dens, running through the streams and yes, we even went Trout Tickling !! There was, and may still may be a stream which goes orange in parts from where the iron ore still spills into the water, funny what you remember. On this particular day it was bitingly cold, and as i approached the crossroads, the snow started to fall, and i knew Christmas was on its way. I turned right to walk along to top of the moors and down along towards the Firing range, Quarry and then down to Belmont road, stopping only for a drink and a jam buttie. The snow continued to fall and i quickly noticed it was sticking, it seemed to creep up the wellies i was wearing at the speed of a snail and yet i could almost see it getting higher. Nearby (For all Boltonions ) was a place called Cigarette tunnel where the older boys from a nearby school would go for a quick fag, It was a tunnel to bring the water down the hills into the nearby stream. Nobody knows how long ago it was built, but it ran under the road and joined the higher moors. As i scrambled down the small hill and towards the tunnel, something caught my eye. I stood as still as a statue , the snow was now coming down heavier than ever and fully covering the ground around me with its white shiny glow and gold crystals shimmering in the sunlight, Just then, something moved, slowly at first then quickly darted to the safety of the tunnel, I had just seen my First LIVE FOX!!!! I approached the tunnel; slowly, and sat down just inside on my fave rock , sad i know, but i was only about 11 yrs old, come on !!LOLL The fox just sat there, half way up the tunnel, on his own rock and looking forlorn. We stared at each other for what seemed an age and he jumped slightly as i put my hand in my pocket and pulled out my sandwiches but stayed where he was, as if knowing i had something for him, would he eat with me today? would he come close enough for me to ;look him right in the eyes and tell him how beautiful he was? It was worth a try. So, ever so slowly i broke the Jam butties up and gently laid them down in front of me on the dry rocks inside the tunnel, and slowly but surely he crept ever closer , eating my jam butties with Gusto !! until he was right beneath my feet, i knew i couldnt stroke him as he was a wild animal and it would spoil what we had, That day i feel in love with wildlife, that day my love of animals and the enviroment was born, and all because of that single fox, who was out on the moors with me, alone at first,just like me, escaping out into the wild, but then sharing a meal as if we had been friends for years. FOOTNOTE>>>>>> This is one of my most precious memories of Christmas, and why i always say NOBODY should be alone at this time of year (Or anytime) Loneliness is not classed as an illness, but it should be, its an awful thing to be felt by anyone. I hope you have enjoyed this little tale, please share, and YES i may have dementia, but my love of others all around me will never diminish, Dementia will never take this away from me xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc Norrms Mc Namara Diagnosed with dementia aged 50, now aged 57 and still fighting it
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 11:30:06 +0000
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