Blue Has A Visitor

Hello,

My name is Jacqueline and I am a very proud grandma.

I write stories for my grandchildren and I'm very happy to share them with you too.

So make yourself comfortable because my next story is about to begin.

Blue has a visitor.

It was autumn.

The sun was shining and everywhere looked colourful.

The autumnal leaves painted the landscape with beautiful shades of red,

Orange and yellow.

Although there was a cornice in the air,

This did not stop Fiona and Kelty going for a ride on their horses,

Blue and Toffee.

You have become a very confident rider,

Fiona said,

Acknowledging the progress her friend had made in a few short months.

Thank you,

Replied Kelty.

I really enjoy riding,

But I know I still have a lot to learn.

We never stop learning,

Said Fiona.

No matter what our hobbies,

There is always something to learn.

The horses clip-clopped along the country lane,

Completely in step with each other.

Like the girls,

The horses had also become very good friends.

The four of them really enjoyed the time they spent together.

I love this time of year,

Said Kelty.

The colours of the leaves are simply stunning.

Me too,

Agreed Fiona,

But it's a shame to think that in a few short weeks the trees will be bare and winter will be well on its way.

Oh,

I don't want to think about the cold just yet,

Kelty grimaced.

Let's enjoy autumn and this bewitching time of year.

They continued their walk in silence,

Both completely captivated by the beautiful scenery around them.

Soon they came to the park,

Where a crowd of people had gathered.

I wonder what's going on over there,

Fiona said to Kelty.

The girls walked Blue and Toffee over to take a look.

Being high up on the horses,

The girls could see quite easily over the people's heads.

Hi Fiona,

Nice to see you here,

Said Mrs Berry.

Oh,

Hello Mrs Berry,

Nice to see you too.

This is my friend Kelty.

Oh,

Hello Kelty.

Have either of you ever seen such a display as this before?

Mrs Berry asked,

Pointing through a gap in the crowd.

The girls looked over the crowd of people and could see,

Laid out in neat rows,

Lots of differently carved pumpkins.

Wow,

Exclaimed Kelty,

They are amazing.

They certainly are,

Agreed Fiona.

They have all been made by the people who live in and around this village,

Explained Mrs Berry.

Stacey is judging them,

She's over there.

Fiona looked over and could see Stacey walking slowly around the pumpkins,

Studying each one carefully.

In her hands she had a notebook and pen,

Where she jotted down her thoughts before she would decide the winner.

Is that Paul over there on the right,

Standing by the smaller pumpkins,

Asked Kelty.

He's the little boy we helped when he had fallen off his bike.

Oh yes,

That's Paul,

Answered Mrs Berry.

He must have entered a pumpkin in the children's section.

Anyway,

I must be going.

I said I would help Miss Rose look after Stacey's little girl,

Belle.

Thanks for stopping by,

Girls.

Fiona and Kelty continued walking their horses slowly around so they could look at all the pumpkins.

Some of them had beautiful pictures of animals carved into them and some artistic faces of clowns and ghouls.

Oh,

I wish I was that clever,

Said Fiona.

My pumpkin carving is just two eyes and a wiggling mouth with a strange triangular nose in between.

Yes,

Mine probably isn't much better,

Said Kelty.

Mum always gets my grandma to come and help us.

She is quite an expert.

Louis loves scooping out the insides of the pumpkin before we start and then grandma helps us with the carving.

Every year when we have finished,

Mum always says,

This is the best one you have ever done.

She does make us laugh.

Soon they came to the end of the display and the girls made their way back to the stables.

A few mornings later,

When Fiona went to give Blue his breakfast,

She found a small but beautifully carved pumpkin just inside the barn.

Where did this come from,

She thought to herself.

She looked around,

Half expecting one of her friends to jump out from the shadows and shout,

Happy Halloween!

But nobody did.

Fiona fed Blue and made sure he had enough water and hay.

Then she took off the warm thick rug which he wore during the colder nights and gave him a good brush down.

Blue loved this time with Fiona.

She always talked to him and made him feel loved.

Now that it was getting dark earlier,

He didn't see so much of Fiona in the evenings and that made him sad.

But she always came to give him a carrot or an apple and put the warmer rug over him just before it got too dark.

And then he waited patiently for the long dark night to end,

Knowing that Fiona would be back with the morning light.

Fiona finished grooming Blue and put the brushes away tidily.

Mum had always told her when she had finished with things to put them where they belonged,

Then she would always be able to find them when she needed them again.

Fiona gave Blue a carrot from out of the storage box.

While he crunched on it,

She threw a lighter rug over his back.

I'll be back later,

She said to him,

And hugged his big strong neck tightly.

She was just about to leave when she remembered the pumpkin.

She picked it up and smiled at the very cheery looking face carved into it.

Someone is very talented,

She thought as she went home.

Maybe her parents had left it as a surprise for her.

But her parents had never seen the pumpkin before and were as baffled as Fiona.

The next morning,

Fiona found another pumpkin inside the barn.

This time a picture of a deer coming out of some trees had been delicately carved into it.

Whoever has done this must have spent hours working on it,

Thought Fiona.

The same thing happened the next morning.

I wonder who is leaving these,

Fiona thought as she went to get a carrot and apple from the storage box.

She liked to give Blue a treat most days,

But with the unexpected surprise of the pumpkins,

She hadn't been taking much notice of how many carrots and apples were left,

And now the box was empty.

I'm sure I only filled this box up recently,

She thought to herself.

She wondered if an animal had been stealing them during the night,

But she always made sure the lid was on tightly,

Mainly to keep the items fresh.

Puzzled by all the strange goings on,

She went back to the house to get some more.

Her dad was sitting at the kitchen table having a mug of tea and reading the newspaper.

Is everything alright,

Fiona?

He asked,

Lying his paper down on the table.

You look a bit worried about something.

There was another pumpkin left this morning,

She said,

And another strange thing.

The box where I store Blue's carrots and apples was empty.

I know I haven't fed all of those to him.

Hmm,

Dad murmured as he thought about the situation.

I think I should go out to Blue's barn late tonight and see if I can solve these mysteries.

Oh,

Can I come with you,

Dad?

Fiona asked,

Excited to be able to play detective.

OK,

We won't go too late,

But hopefully late enough to get some answers.

That night,

Fiona and her dad prepared to go to Blue's barn.

The moon was shining just bright enough so that it was not pitch dark out.

They walked slowly towards the barn.

As they got closer,

They could see the soft glow of the night light Fiona always left on for Blue shining through the window.

She didn't like the thought of him being out in the complete dark by himself.

An owl hooted from a tree close by,

Which made Fiona jump.

Shhh,

Whispered Dad,

Pulling her close to him.

They moved together quietly towards the barn.

Apart from the owl,

All was silent.

Reaching the barn,

Dad slowly turned the handle and then just as slowly pushed the door open.

At the same time,

He switched on a big bright torch he had in his hand and shone it inside.

Fiona gasped as she looked into Blue's barn and her dad said in a deep,

Authoritative voice,

Who are you?

Sitting in the corner of the barn on a pile of straw was what appeared to Fiona,

An old tramp carving a pumpkin.

Fiona hurried over to Blue,

Afraid that the tramp might have hurt him.

I asked you a question.

Who are you?

Demanded Dad,

Shining the torchlight on the man so he could see him clearly.

The tramp calmly placed the pumpkin and the penknife he had been using to carve it on the straw beside him and went to stand up.

You can stay down there while you explain why you are in my daughter's barn,

Dad said,

Preferring that the man was down on the ground as he wasn't quite sure if he was dangerous or not.

Fiona stood closer to Blue and stroked his nose,

Comforting herself as well as him.

But Blue whinnied and nodded his head towards the tramp as if to say he liked him.

Puzzled,

Fiona listened to what the tramp was telling her dad.

My name is Wolf and I apologise for not asking your permission to stay in your barn,

He said,

In what could only be described as quite a posh voice.

You don't sound like a tramp,

Said Dad,

Switching off the torch.

But why are you dressed like one?

Wolf was wearing a baggy pair of dirty trousers and an equally grubby looking check shirt.

His hands and face were dirty and it looked as if he hadn't shaved in weeks.

His messy hair had bits of straw in it and hung limply down below his ears.

Not far from him on the straw was a dirty old overcoat and a pair of worn out shoes which had probably caused the many holes in his socks where his toes poked through.

People tend to judge me by my appearance,

He said,

Matter-of-factly.

Some are even so scared by the sight of me that they move quickly away from me.

But sometimes a few do talk to me and are kind.

We all have a story to tell and I have my story.

I am making my way to my brother's house and I stopped here to rest for a few nights.

It has become colder lately and the warm straw in your barn looked very inviting.

It has made a very good bed for me and your horse has been very good company.

Blue whinnied in Wolfe's direction.

Wolfe smiled at Blue and then continued.

To pass the time at night I have been talking to the horse whilst carving the pumpkins which I have left for you as a kind of payment for staying here.

Oh,

And I did help myself to an apple or two when I became peckish.

I also apologise for that.

I didn't expect you to find me here as I always leave before dawn breaks and then wander around the village trying to keep myself to myself until it gets dark.

But I'll be on my way now.

I obviously have outstayed my welcome.

Softened by Wolfe's story,

Dad said,

Why don't you come into the house and clean up?

We have a spare bed you can stay in for the night.

It's getting late,

Said Wolfe.

If it's all right with you I'll stay here in the barn with the horse,

But in the morning I'll gladly accept your hospitality.

My horse is called Blue,

Said Fiona shyly,

And he seems to like you.

He's a fine looking animal,

Said Wolfe kindly.

I used to have a horse when I was about your age.

I love to ride but haven't done so for many,

Many years.

Let's leave Wolfe to get some sleep,

Fiona,

Said Dad,

As Wolfe started pulling the straw over himself to keep warm.

Here,

Wolfe,

Said Fiona,

Taking an old but clean blanket she kept in a bag in the corner of the barn.

This will help keep you warm.

Oh,

Thank you,

Said Wolfe,

Gratefully accepting the blanket.

You have both been very kind and understanding.

The next morning,

Bright and early,

Dad went to the barn.

Wolfe was just putting the finishing touches to the pumpkin he had been carving the night before.

He held it out to Dad.

Another thank you gift,

He said.

This time he had carved a beautiful picture of Blue upon the pumpkin.

This is a work of art,

Said Dad,

Amazed by the workmanship.

Thank you.

Now come on into the house.

We've just made a pot of tea and then you can get cleaned up before breakfast.

After Wolfe had showered and shaved,

He looked a completely different man.

Dad had given him some clothes he no longer wore and a new pair of boots he had bought the month before,

A size too small.

Now Wolfe did not look like a tramp,

But instead a very well-to-do gentleman.

As he joined them at the breakfast table,

Fiona said,

I'm sorry for judging you by your appearance last night,

Wolfe.

Thank you,

Fiona,

He nodded.

Unfortunately,

It's what most people do.

But since being on my travels,

I have got used to it.

You aren't the first and you probably won't be the last.

Mum had made bacon and eggs for breakfast with hot buttered toast.

As they were all tucking in,

She asked,

Can you tell us your story,

Wolfe?

Wolfe used to live in an old farmhouse out in the country in the middle of nowhere.

He didn't have electricity,

But he did have a well in his backyard where he would get his water.

He grew his own food and whatever he couldn't grow,

He did without.

Wolfe used to work in the city,

But he hated all the noise and the angriness and greed of people.

Most of them always seemed to want what others had and didn't mind getting into debt to try and live better than their so-called friends.

During this time,

Wolfe had a girlfriend,

But she was a busy career woman and spent more and more hours working each week rather than being with him.

Wolfe felt there must be more to life than working constantly,

Earning so much money but not having time to enjoy it.

Buying fancy cars and jewellery made them happy in the moment,

But that happiness never lasted more than a week,

And then they were looking for the next extravagant thing to buy which they hoped would make them happy again.

After working like this for many,

Many years,

Wolfe decided it wasn't the kind of life for him.

He wanted a simpler life with no worries or arguments.

He wanted to buy a house in the middle of nowhere and live off the land.

But his girlfriend didn't want the same things as he did.

She could think of nothing worse than being away from people,

Plus the thought of giving up work horrified her as where would the money come from to buy her more diamonds and shoes?

If Wolfe wanted to live a life of poverty,

Then their relationship would be over.

Decision made,

Wolfe said goodbye to the life he knew.

He bought an old farmhouse along with the necessary tools he would need to be able to fend for himself.

He took with him enough clothes and a few personal possessions and knew he had enough money in the bank to see him through to the end of his days,

If he spent it wisely.

With no desire to travel,

He sold his car after deciding that if he needed to go anywhere,

He would go on foot.

He lived for many years in peace and solitude,

Never regretting his choice of lifestyle.

He spent each day tending his garden,

Walking for miles,

Meditating and reading the books in his well-stocked library.

He embraced nature,

Grateful for all that was free for anyone to enjoy.

Then one day,

Tragedy struck.

Wolfe's house burnt down to the ground and he lost everything around him.

Although Wolfe still had some money in the bank,

He didn't want to build another house and start over again.

Instead,

He decided to visit the only family he had,

His brother.

But his brother lived on the other side of the country.

Wolfe didn't want to waste money buying a car.

Instead,

He decided to walk to his brother's house and enjoy all that nature had to offer along the way.

He was in no hurry,

And besides,

This unexpected adventure could not be rushed.

And so,

By the time Wolfe had arrived at Fiona's barn,

He had already walked over 300 miles.

No wonder you had holes in your shoes,

Fiona said,

And everyone agreed.

There's something I don't understand,

Said Mum curiously.

If you have money in the bank,

Why haven't you been staying in hotels?

Since leaving work,

I have wanted to live life as close to nature as I can,

Wolfe explained.

I know it's hard to believe in this day and age,

But we have become too reliant on money that we have lost touch with the natural way of living.

Plus,

I want to do things my way and not the way society expects me to.

Well,

You can stay in the barn for as long as you want to,

Said Dad,

Seemingly quite touched by Wolfe's story and his reasons for living his life the way he did.

Later that day,

Fiona went to the barn to talk to Wolfe,

But he was not there.

His coat and his penknife were,

So she knew he must be around somewhere.

She decided to tack Blue up and go for a ride.

When she got back,

She unsaddled Blue and then gave him a good brushing.

Afterwards,

She led him back into his barn,

Where she fed him a few horse nuts before filling his hay net and then putting his heavy rug over him.

Tonight it was going to be a cold one again.

She was just about to go back to the house when Wolfe appeared,

Carrying a pumpkin.

Hello,

Fiona,

He said cheerily.

He sat down in his corner of the barn and took out his penknife.

Hello,

Answered Fiona.

Have you had a good day?

Yes,

I went for a long walk and then stopped at the fish and chip shop for dinner,

He said,

Smiling up at her.

I should sleep well tonight with a nice full belly.

Are you sure you don't want to sleep in a nice comfy bed?

She asked.

Mum and Dad really don't mind,

And it will be warmer than out here in the barn.

Oh,

No,

Thank you.

I don't want to get too comfortable,

Otherwise I'll find it hard to leave.

Fiona watched him prepare the pumpkin for carving.

Have you always enjoyed carving pumpkins?

She asked,

Fascinated with the way he made each move look so simple.

Yes,

Ever since I was a little boy and my dad taught me and my brother how.

He smiled at the memory.

The first pumpkin I carved was for a little field mouse to shelter in.

I carved a tiny door near the base of the pumpkin and four windows at the front and two at the back.

Then I placed straw inside so the little mouse could keep warm.

That is the nicest thing I've ever heard someone do for a field mouse,

Said Fiona,

Picturing the image in her head.

A squirrel thought so too,

Wilf said.

He tried to climb inside it,

But the pumpkin was tiny and he couldn't fit,

So I carved a bigger pumpkin for him.

Did he sleep inside of it?

Asked Fiona.

No,

He preferred to crawl in and out of it,

Whilst nibbling on the pumpkin flesh as he did so,

Laughed Wilf.

Fiona giggled at the thought.

That same year I carved the shape of different birds around a pumpkin,

Wilf remembered.

Then I set it upon a high post and poured a little bird seed into it.

The birds loved feeding out of that pumpkin and when the seeds were gone,

They pecked away at the juicy pumpkin flesh.

Fiona was amazed by the stories Wilf was sharing,

That she didn't want him to stop.

Tell me more,

She said excitedly,

You must have carved other pumpkins.

During our childhood,

My brother and I probably carved hundreds of pumpkins,

Wilf said.

Every autumn,

As soon as the pumpkins were ready to be picked,

We began carving.

We would carve any shape you could imagine.

Then we placed each pumpkin around our garden for the wildlife to enjoy in whichever way they wanted.

We found the best time to watch them was early in the morning or just before dusk.

We saw deer,

Rabbits,

Mice,

Rats and many different kinds of birds and insects either eating or sheltering in the pumpkins.

It was always quite a wonderful sight,

Exclaimed Fiona.

I only think of pumpkins on doorsteps or in windows with a candle or light inside to make them look spooky.

I never thought of pumpkins as food and shelter for wild animals.

Yes,

It's a great thing to do and by carving the pumpkins before placing them outside gave us fun things to look at,

Plus made it easier for the different animals to eat them,

Explained Wilf,

As he went back to carving his new pumpkin.

Fiona watched him.

He had a very contented look on his face.

You seem really happy with life,

Fiona said softly.

That I am,

Agreed Wilf,

Looking up at Fiona.

If there's one thing I've learned in my old age is that life should be lived the way we want to live it,

Not the way others want us to.

He placed the pumpkin and penknife down on the straw before continuing.

You are young,

Fiona,

And still learning life skills and lessons but as you get older you may decide to do things a little differently to how your mum and dad have done them and that will be okay because that's how we grow and become our own unique selves.

By trying different ways and things,

By exploring opportunities,

By going down an unfamiliar path,

By stepping out of our comfort zone,

We learn who we want to be.

He stopped for a moment,

Lost in a memory.

Fiona hoped he would continue.

She was learning a lot from him about life.

She sat down opposite him on the straw.

Sense in her interest,

Wilf continued,

His face becoming slightly serious as he spoke.

I could have stayed in my boring job,

Earning more money than I could ever spend,

Feeling anxious and on edge every day,

Tossing and turning at night,

Hardly getting good quality sleep because I couldn't switch my mind off from my worries.

But I knew deep inside of me that that was not the kind of life I truly wanted.

But I'm glad I lived that life because otherwise I wouldn't have known it wasn't for me.

At that moment his serious expression suddenly changed to a soft smile as he continued talking.

When I decided to follow my heart and began living my truth,

I knew I was doing the right thing.

I no longer felt anxious and on edge every day.

Plus I slept better than I had ever done in all my working days.

He leaned forward slightly.

Listen to what your body is telling you,

Fiona,

He said gently.

And if you don't feel happy,

Change what you are doing.

Fiona felt a new understanding in her heart.

Thank you for your advice,

Wilf,

She said warmly.

I really appreciate your wisdom.

The next morning,

Fiona went to the barn and called out good morning to Blue and Wilf as she entered.

Blue whinnied in response,

But Wilf was nowhere to be seen.

His blanket was folded neatly in the corner where he had been sleeping,

And on top of it was a pumpkin.

Fiona picked the pumpkin up and looked at the words carved into it.

Thank you,

My friends,

For everything.

She knew that Wilf had gone and this made her very sad.

She wished she had asked him more questions last night and kept him talking for longer,

But he had given her so much good advice which she would always be grateful for.

Wiping away a tear,

She ran over to the house to tell her parents.

He had a life,

An adventure to be getting on with,

Said Dad,

Putting his arm comfortingly around his daughter.

But we learned a good lesson from his visit.

What was that,

Dad?

She asked.

Well,

We should never judge people by what we see or think we know,

But allow them to tell us their own story.

Until we know somebody's real story,

Whether that be a complete stranger or a friend,

We will never really know or understand them.

A month later,

Fiona received a letter from Wilf thanking her,

Her parents and Blue for their kindness.

He had also sent a photo of himself standing with his brother,

Both nicely dressed and looking very happy together.

On the back of the photo,

Wilf had written,

I am spending a special time with my brother making memories while I think about where my next adventure will take me.

Oh,

So he's not going to stay with his brother forever,

Said Fiona sadly.

I thought he would be happy there with his family.

No matter how connected we are to someone,

Only we can decide our happiness.

No one else,

Said Dad.

What makes me happy is not necessarily what makes you happy.

Learn from this experience,

Fiona.

Explore life and go with your instinct and what feels right for you.

Don't follow what the rest of the world is doing,

As that probably won't make you truly happy.

The past few days have really given me a lot to think about,

Sighed Fiona.

I'm going to phone Kelty and see if she would like to go for a ride out on Toffee.

I would like to share these interesting life lessons with her.

Growing up and becoming an adult takes some serious thinking about.

Thank you for listening to my story.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Before you go,

I'd like to ask you a question.

Have you ever been judged by someone before they have got to know you?

Thanks again for listening and come back soon to hear another story from Grandma.

Bye for now.