Saturday 28 March 2020

Classic Blue

Hello! It's me again - newspaper typhoon Darcy Fielding.


Yes, I know the word should be tycoon, although that's not really accurate either. Calling me a typhoon is a family in-joke. When my son Daniel was small - well, "smaller" as he isn't exactly tall - he got the word wrong when he was describing me to his teacher. Bridget heard about it and thought it was hilarious, saying it suited the way I whizzed about. But I digress.

There's been a minor delay to the preparations for the Melting festival - something to do with changes of plans regarding the provision of music. I understand that Alex Periwinkle is in charge of this but he may need some help, and I suspect he may call upon Jackson. True or not, I took the decision to fill in again so that Jackson would be available.

So, what have I got to tell you?

It's a small anecdote about my friend Samuel Stamp. He is one of the postmen here in Mellowdene.


He collects stamps. Yes, I know - a postman called Stamp collecting stamps is funny in itself, but we're used to it. He started in a small way, but when different villages began to produce commemorative issues, things started to get out of hand. With limited space in his apartment at Minestrone House, he decided to concentrate solely on blue stamps.

So what, you may say. Well it turns out our other postman - Pete Petite - also collects stamps, and he went through a similar journey in that his wife persuaded him to stick (there I go again) to a particular range of stamps. That's why he's addicted to the "Classic" range. They're not as common, and the collection won't take up all the space needed in the room they use for Jeremy's nursery.

The problem occurred when Barton Skunk - a fellow collector elsewhere in Sylvania - sent our pair of posties an envelope of stamps to share between them. All was well until they came across the last stamp. Quite rare, it emerged.

A Classic Blue.



o 0 O 0 o

Sammy told me of their discussion following the discovery. He and Pete Petite were in the sorting office in sight of the Pink Post Office, the stamp sitting on the table between them.


"But it's an important one in the Classic range," said Pete.

"Look at the colour," countered Samuel.


"Pale indigo?" suggested Pete, but not with much hope.

"Blue."

"It's slightly purple."

"Blue."


"Oh, alright. But there are lots of other blue stamps. Not as many Classics."

"So I've got more omissions to fill."


"Hmm."

They paused to think of other reasons to claim the stamp. Pete was the first to speak.

"Maybe Barton intended it for one of us in particular."


"You think?"

"We could pop next door and get someone to phone him. Who's on switch duty?"

The sorting office was connected to the telephone exchange that dealt with long-distance calls.

"Pearl Babblebrook, I think," said Samuel after a moment's consideration.

"I'm on counter duty if anyone comes to the post office. Do you want to go and ask?"


"You trust me?"

"Don't be daft, Sam. 'Course I do."

"Right. I'll be as quick as I can."


o 0 O 0 o


Pearl had just come back from washing her teacup. She was finishing her shift within fifteen minutes, but was happy to try and contact Barton. Gladly, he was available.

"No, Samuel. I just included any stamps that I thought would be relevant to either of you. I didn't have anyone in mind for particular stamps."


He made a humming noise. "A Classic Blue, eh? How are you going to decide who gets it?"

"No idea, Barton. That's why I called."

"Let me know how you figure it out," he laughed.

Pearl scrutinised Samuel as the phone call ended. "Success?" she asked.

"Not yet."


o 0 O 0 o

"We could toss a coin," suggested Pete.


"Seems a bit trivial for such an important decision. It would be over in no time. Could you bear to lose by such a random event?"

"Clearly you don't. What do you suggest, then?"

"Who completes their postal delivery the quickest?"


"We'd need to devise routes that are comparable in length, and have similar numbers of letters and packages. The weight of packages could be a handicap system. Apart from that, one of us would be on a bike..."

"No to that idea, then."

Pete mused. "A race?"


"Don't we walk enough?"

"Yeah. Scrap that."


Samuel scrunched his nose. "How about we share it? You have it a month, I have it a month, and so on."

"Could work," said Pete, stringing out the sentence.


Then he shook his head. "But if you're like me, you wouldn't feel you really owned it. Handing it over every month would be..."

"...an effort. No, you're right. We're collectors."


The two colleagues fell into silence, watching each other. Minutes passed, until they spoke simultaneously.

"You have it." -- "What?" -- "Are you serious..."


They laughed, then Samuel sighed. "This isn't going to work. We need to sit down and think about it."

Pete agreed. "It's nearly lunch time. Let's close up the post office for half an hour and discuss it over a snack."


They pushed the Classic Blue to the side if the table just as Mabel Periwinkle came through the sorting office to take over the shift on the telephone exchange switchboard.


"Hello Samuel, Peter," she said, a pleasant smile on her face. "Going somewhere?"

"Hello Mabel," said Pete, "Just a quick lunch. We've got a key."

"Oh. Do you want me to watch the post office?"

"No, thanks. We'll lock it for the short time we'll be away."

o 0 O 0 o

The two of them had coffees and sandwiches at the Blackcurrant Café. The quandary of the Classic Blue was put on hold whilst they ate. This must have allowed Samuel's subconscious mind to mull over the problem. And for a possible solution to bubble up.


"Pete, I've been thinking. There's a tiny room at Minestrone House that's too small for anyone to live in. I think we could rent it for next to nothing. How would it be if we combined our collections and kept them there. We would both collect blue stamps and the Classic range. We'd both own the Classic Blue."


"It's a novel idea, I'll give you that."


"And your little Jeremy won't be a baby forever. He doesn't need much space now, but when he grows, you'll need to convert the nursery into his bedroom. Where will your stamps go then? The room at Minestrone House is the perfect solution."


Pete smiled. "I think we have a way forward."


o 0 O 0 o

They were laughing and joking when they returned back to work. They raised the shutters on the Pink Post Office, and went into the sorting office. There was a sack of letters and a parcel leaning against the wall. Mabel Periwinkle popped her head around the connecting door to the Exchange.


"Ah, you're back. You chose a good time to disappear! The post-van came whilst you were gone. I let the postman in to leave the sack, and he emptied the out-of-town pillar box. You've just missed him."


"Oh, sorry about that, Mabel," said Samuel. "He's early."

"I thought he was. Just as well I was here. I was able to give him my letter."


"Well, that's good then."

Both Samuel and Mabel were startled when Pete yelped.


"Goodness, Peter," said Mabel, "Whatever is the matter?"

"The Classic Blue! It's gone!"

Samuel ran to the table in a hope to contradict his work mate. But it was true.


"You're right. Where could it be?"

"Where could what be?" said Mabel, coming forward to join the two distraught postmen.

"There was a blue stamp here on the table," said Pete in a choked voice.


"Oh that," said Mabel. "I needed a stamp for my letter and the post office was locked up." She reacted to their aghast expressions. "I left some money for it."



o 0 O 0 o

So the Classic Blue was on a scented envelope, in a sack, in a post-van, trundling along the coast road, getting further and further from Mellowdene.


Samuel told me that he and Pete went to the Bear Pit that evening in the hope that a drink and some relaxing music would calm their mood.

It wasn't the solution either of them wanted, but it was the one they had. They resolved not to be in this position again. I hear that they've rented a tiny room at Minestrone House...

o 0 O 0 o



12 comments:

  1. Oh dear, poor Sam and Pete! I must admit, when I saw them walk away and leave it lying on the desk, I thought "Uh oh, is that really the best place...?" Beautiful piece of dramatic irony at work, Jackson! :)
    I love that picture of Mabel in confused disbelief, at Pete and Sam's despair. Reminds me a bit of the look some people get on their faces when they see our Sylvanian room... Clearly Mabel isn't a collector!
    A highly enjoyable story Jackson, and an original interpretation of the theme!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks, GreyRabbit.
      Yes, it was a touch careless of them. Maybe, as the sorting office isn't generally open to the public, the security of the stamp didn't cross their minds. Lesson learned!
      It was nice to return to Mabel and the switchboard again, and to show Pearl as one of her co-workers. In fact, it was refreshing for me to highlight different main characters. And fun to include Barton with his moustache, buck teeth and pint of beer!
      Really glad you liked the story.

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  2. Wonderful story Jackson, you are the best!

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha! Thanks Sylvanako. Glad you enjoyed the story.
      As for being the best - well, that's lovely for you to say, but it's debatable; I've recently joined Instagram and have seen your Mary Poppins strand. Thinking back to the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and all your original photographic wonders, your art is inspirational

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  3. Hello Jackson!


    Great writing. I enjoyed reading this story.

    I am glad that Samuel and Pete managed to find a solution for their dilemma, even if it turned out to be in vain.
    Love the pictures of the two of them scrutinizing the stamp. :)


    Have a good day,
    Nina

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nina. Great to hear from you. I appreciate your comment.

      Yes, I'm pleased with the pictures of them looking at the stamp. Sometimes I've taken a photo and don't realise that its effective until I've popped it into the text and re-read that part of the story. Those happy accidents make me smile too. The one where it appears Samuel's attention is distracted and is looking over his shoulder at the stamp is a good example. Not pre-planned as such, but delightful when it works!

      I hope you have a good day too.

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  4. :shock: Oh noooo - how only could Mabel do that? The design of the 'Classic Blue' looks so precious... I feel really sorry for Sam and Pete - after all they had found a nice solution for their dilemma...

    Again a wonderful story, Jackson! I'm also impressed with the detailed sets you created for your photo scenes. :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Florence, and thank you.

      It was unfortunate. Mabel urgently needed a stamp so she could give her letter to the out-of-town postman, the Pink Post Office was temporarily closed, and there was a perfectly good stamp on the table! As GreyRabbit indicated, Sam and Pete should perhaps have been more diligent, putting their collector's item somewhere safer. Ah well...

      I'm pleased you liked the story and the set. I originally thought that I had a plastic container that stored spools of sewing machine thread, and I would use that for the pigeon holes, but it wasn't right for the job. Since I was designing and printing the "wallpaper" anyway, I did the various struts to stick on card and try and construct the pigeon hole shelves to a better scale. Not perfect, but it did the job.

      All the best to you and your Purrchester residents!

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  5. Hi Jackson!
    This story was so much fun to read! I´m sure Sam and Pete would be mad with me if they read my first comment but I really had a great time reading this story. Having said that, I´m sorry for the two postmen. I can imagine their frustration when they found out their precious"blue classic" ended up on Mabel´s letter. By the way, I love the design of the blue stamp. It looks amazing!
    As always, I admire your creativy when approching the prompts for the forum challenges and this one was no exception. You had a brilliant idea, Jackson!
    I also love the post office building and how detailed it looks. You also did a very good job posing the figures.
    Pete Petite is one of my favourite Sylvanian characters and I would love to add Sam Stamps to my collection. Hopefully, I will at some stage.

    Thanks again for this enjoyable story!

    Have a great day!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Cutata!
      I appreciate your kind comments.
      Taking the photos for this story made me realise that it's almost like being a director in a movie! Thinking what each character might need to do independent of each other. The last scene in the sorting office brought this to light. Whilst Sam is talking to Mabel, Pete is closing the door, going to have a look at the stamp and realising it's no longer there! In the previous story, Figwort was wandering off whilst the main action was taking place.
      It's an interesting development of the storytelling.

      I hope you manage to get Samuel Stamp. He's a lovely little character.

      Enjoy your day.

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  6. Hello Jackson,
    This was a fun story and a very clever approach to the "Classic Blue" theme.
    Poor Samuel and Peter! They ended up losing the precious stamp (not Mabel's fault, though!), and just when they had come to an agreement. I was happy to see that they were never truly arguing about it though, and both trusted the other. Such good friends!

    I had the feeling Barton thought the whole thing quite funny, hehe.

    I hope another Classic Blue, or even better, two, come their way sooner rather than later!

    I really enjoyed looking at your pictures, as always. Wonderful editing, and the post office looks great.

    Thank you and have a great rest of the week!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ayrell! I'm pleased you enjoyed this story.

      I enjoyed writing Samuel and Pete's banter, and you're right that they weren't truly arguing. I think that may become a feature of their relationship; best friends who lightly tease each other. I don't know when they'll feature in another story, but it's nice to have this in mind should they appear in the background of someone else's tale.

      And yes, Barton laughed his socks off when he heard the story.

      I hope you have a good week.

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