It all turned out well

The elderly mailman shifted the weight of the mail bag onto his other shoulder, and walked slowly up the garden path, ignoring the growling mongrel dog, he knocked on the door of No.8 , opened it and walked through to the cosy kitchen, just as he did every day of his working week.

“,Two letters for Mrs. Hilda Jones, both junk mail, if it wasn’t for this junk mail my job would be a lot easier” Hilda smiled, she thought he always says that, “Never mind Charley, you are late today, but the tea is brewing good and strong, and the cake is nicely cooled from the baking. Now settle down and enjoy it”.”Thanks Hilda you have been a good friend all these years”

This was the routine they both enjoyed, and had done so for the last ten or twelve years. Both fell silent , even the old mongrel dog s growl seemed to growl less fierce.

Both remembering that day so long ago, when Hilda a young pregnant mail lady, was showing Charley his postal route, and teaching him how to carry out his duties. When it all happened, that youth on his red bicycle, sped around the corner knocking Hilda to the ground, then sped off down the road. Clutching her stomach, “She cried, oh Charley my baby” The ambulance seemed to take ages to appear, in hospital Hilda lost her baby.

The depression this caused began the slow process of her marriage breakup.

Years later moving to this little cottage, she was delighted to find that Charley was her mailman, this started the routine of Charley’s midmorning break for tea and cake at No.8.

“You are very quiet this morning Charley” Hilda felt that her old friend had something on his mind. “Hilda, you know i am due to retire at the end of the month” “Yes Charley, you deserve a rest” Charley drew in a deep breath, the old mongril dog stopped growling,and looked up he knew something was about to happen. “Well Hilda, we are good friends , and i wondered if you would take me on as a lodger, i am so lonely in that old house of mine., and perhaps later you would consider having me with you permanently?” “Why Charley i have been wandering for a long time when you would ask me that” “So that is settled then we have set the date , the first of next month”

It did not seem necessary to say more, even the old dog stopped growling.