I've been a little busy these past few weeks and I've neglected doing any writing for Darcy. Shame on me. My darling Cecile decided to help me.
"I'll write something," she said. "It doesn't have to be long, does it? No? Do you want to look at it before I give it to Darcy?"
I hesitated briefly as I wasn't sure how to respond. Cecile won't look at my stories before I hand them over to my field mouse chum. Says she doesn't want to stifle my creativity and that she trusts me. Could I do anything less?
"Go for it, sweet wrinkle," I said, adding a wide smile.
So she did.
o 0 O 0 o
Darcy and the Pancake Toss
Hello. I am Cecile Butterglove and I'm married to Jackson. I have a small story I'd like to share with you.
I was at the village store and I met Bridget Fielding. I hadn't seen her recently so we had a nice chat.
"Yes, the Christmas break was lovely," she said. "Darcy had the time to dedicate to his family. I know he loves his job and it's important to the village, but he had been overworking. Months ago I suggested he take on extra staff and he did that. Spreading the workload was necessary and it seems to have worked... mostly."
"Mostly?"
"It's his nature. Sometimes it feels difficult for him to relinquish control, at least when it relates to particular tasks."
"And he's doing that now, is he? Something seems to be bothering you."
"I'm that transparent?" said Bridget, forcing a smile. "Well you're right. You know what day it is next Tuesday?"
"Er... Shrove Tuesday?" I said, with Cake Club activities in my mind.
"Right. Pancake Day. And what does Darcy do every Pancake Day?"
I shrugged involuntarily. "Sorry. I'm afraid you'll have to enlighten me."
"No reason you should know." Bridget sighed. "It's the Pancake Toss. Darcy always goes to report on it. Has done for years."
I was aware of the event. It was a celebratory occasion where (primarily) dogs came and... threw pancakes at each other to catch in their mouths. It is apparently hilarious and lots of pancakes are eaten. The most successful pairing holds the title of Pancake Monarch for the year.
"Right..." I said. "But I'm not sure why that's a problem this year. What's changed?"
"The date. Pancake Day falls on a different day each year. This year it falls on the 17th. I'd wanted to do something special with the family."
I suddenly realised. "February 17th. Darcy's birthday."
o 0 O 0 o
I had an idea based upon an old memory. Something that Bridget may not have known and maybe something that Darcy had forgotten.
I've been friends with the Cakebread family for years. Thaddeus Cakebread was part of my brother's gang - the Burdock Bunch - and I was there when Thaddeus married Lydia. As Lydia and Veronica Cakebread run the Cakery on Mellowdene High Street our connection continues; I am part of the Cake Club after all! Anyway, the point is that I have an independent source of information about doggy activities.
The relevant activity this time? One of my Dandelion Lane neighbours is a former Pancake Monarch. As a consequence, he is particularly familiar with the techniques and strategies involved in the annual Pancake Toss.
Number 23 Dandelion Lane is the residence of Edmund Tailbury. And did you know that this former Pancake Monarch is a reporter for the Mellowdene Examiner? One of Darcy's newer employees!
Surely Darcy cannot disagree? Especially as that would free himself to attend his birthday celebrations...
I outlined the idea to Bridget.
o 0 O 0 o
Bridget was happy. The Fielding children were happy. Edmund was happy to have his ideal reporting assignment. I made a birthday cake (happy about that) especially for the birthday boy.
Yes. That's you, Darcy. Now don't you say that you're not happy!
o 0 O 0 o
Editor's note:
Yes, Cecile. I was happy how my birthday turned out. It does feel a little unusual publishing a story about me; one that I didn't write - but I didn’t miss out when it came to the Pancake Toss. Edmund gave me some pancakes upon his return.
Darcy Fielding