This tale is called the poppy seller and dates from the 70s. Steve was twenty six years old and worked at Cole brothers department store in sheffield since he was sixteen every day he used to get off the bus on high street and walk up fargate and back down fargate to catch his bus home . Through the years he got to know various people who worked in the area especially the star newspaper vendors in their little red boxes. One thing that puzzled him was that through the year he used to see people collecting for charities standing all the way up fargate rattling their collection boxes as if there was no tomorrow Steve used to put a few bob in each that he saw but the thing that he ever saw was poppy sellers.everywhere he looked he could not see one hanging around anywhere, stopping in the newsagent one day he asked if there was any no came the reply, shame Steve said because I put in the other collection boxes and I would really like to give something in respect for those who died , About two days before rememberence Sunday as Steve was walking up fargate to work in a tired state after going to a party the previous night, he passed the doorway to the marks and spencer store. Glancing over his shoulder Steve stopped in his tracks Lo and behold there in the doorway was someone selling poppies. Being a little late for work he vowed that if the seller was still there when he was on his way home he would definately buy one .all that day Steve was feeling anxious hoping the seller would be there. Four o clock came and Steve was pacing past the town hall on his way home.down fargate he went. As he got to marks and Spencers the seller had gone Feeling dissapointed he made his way onto high St and down to his bus stop.standing waiting for his bus stevelooked around and there at the top of the escalators which led down to the hole in the road there stood the poppy seller, leaving the queue Steve approached the seller who upon looking at him was a chap no older than Steve himself The seller looked as if he had been dragged through the local field as he was caked in mud The funny thing about him was his clothes ,for he had on the oldest trench coat that Steve had ever seen. Digging deep in his pockets Steve pulled out a crisp one pound note . He spoke to the seller that he had no change which was a lie cos his pockets were bulging with them, the seller smiled at Steve but never said anything , as he took his poppy the seller winked at Steve as if it was his way of saying thanks, as Steve turned he saw that his bus had come in and people were getting on , as he boarded the bus he looked towards where the seller was stood but there was no sign of him.after his tea Steve told his mother about the poppy seller and showed her his poppy. My she said thats a grand one not seen one like that in years.. Later that night as nothing was on the tele ,stevedecided to get the old photos out His mother joined him and between them they had a great time reminiscing about the olden days when his mother was a little girl As Steve neared the end of the photos his jaw dropped ,sweat was pouring from his forehead as he held one photo close to his eyes. Whats up Steve his mother asked. This man on this photo who is it Why thats your great grandad bill before he went of to france in 1916 to fight the Germans .sadly he was killed in action three days after he arrived . Why she asked The color had drained from Stevens face as he told he that it was the spitting image of the poppy seller he had seen earlier ..its definately him mum. Feeling like he had seen a ghost Steve bid his mum goodnight and went to bed , That night Steve dreamt that he was on the front line waiting for the signal to go over into no mans land and turning in his dream standing beside him was the poppy seller ,who was holding a gun instead of the poppy tray. He was smiling at Steve in his dream when all at once a whistle blew as the signal to advance when Steve woke up with a start. Laying in the darkness sweat was pouring from him, it took him some time to go back to sleep, next morning Steve awoke still remembering the awful dream that he had had.there would be another shock awaiting Steve. For as he glanced at his bedside table there laying by his alarm clock was a one pound note which had the slightest traces of dried mud on it,how the hell did that get there I certainly didnt put it there , at breakfast he told his mother about the dream and the pound note Even she could not explain it. To this day its a puzzle to Steve but one theory is that his great grandad visited him that night and returned the pound note covered in dried mud probably from the trenches. Steve could not wait till the next Poppy Day as he was hoping to see the seller again but he never did Did his great granddad visit him to bring back his money or did Steve place it there and not known that he had done who knows --- the reaper
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:01:02 +0000
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