©GeraldineBanksJanuary2025
The village meeting was arranged for the following week and it was with some pride that Mr and Mrs Graham sat in the front row of seats and watched as Tedi accompanied by Cross walked into the noisy skittle alley where chairs had been hastily arranged and a table laid out at the front so that Cross could present his plan to the villagers. The whole village had turned up and it was very noisy and a lot of people were drinking as Cross had arrange for a bar to be available with a couple of free drinks for everyone.
Mrs Graham leaned over to her husband.” Doesn’t he look well, I think they’ve had his hair trimmed. He looks very smart. And that coat, my quite the little Lordship he his now!”
Tedi hadn’t noticed the Graham’s when he had walked up the aisle between all the chairs. However, when he heard Mrs Graham’s voice, everything changed. He launched himself over the table and headed straight for her lap.
Mr Graham laughed and smiled ” He hasn’t forgotten you, despite him living in the big House!”
Tedi licked Mrs Graham’s face and she laughed and rubbed his tummy. Tedi was in seventh heaven. He looked over at Mr Graham who patted him on the head .
” Yes , Tedi we missed you too, you know you can come and visit anytime.” He looked at Tedi and Tedi wagged his tail. Though Tedi knew with all the Security Arrangements this would be very difficult, though he was beginning to get fed up and wanted to see his friends. So he would figure a way to do it. Cross wasn’t always going to be able to keep an eye on him.
Cross was at the front table and decided to continue with the meeting as Tedi had settled on Mrs Graham’s lap and didn’t look as if he wanted to be anywhere else.
Cross coughed and hit the table with a gavel that had been left for the purpose of quietening down the meeting.
” Quiet Please, thank you all for coming. I thought that it would be good for you all to get together as with the Estate now being managed for the good of all, it’s best that we all move forward together. To those of you who have lived on the Estate Grounds for a long time, you will remember the great Pet and Livestock show that was held every year by the Old Duke and Duchess and we would like to reinstate it and make it as successful an Annual Event as it was before.”
There was a cheer from all the people in the crowd and they listened to Cross and began to make suggestions, there was a great deal of discussion and lots of offers of help and people willing to volunteer their time and ideas to make the event a success.
“Any ideas of what date and how long we should have the event? Three days would be good.” Cross asked.
” Yes , but if you want it to be International , Five Days is better, it’s a long way for people to come for a long weekend?” someone piped up.
Eventually it was decided that , Spring, either late May or Early June would be best and that three days would be best as in actual fact the preparations and clearing up would mean disruption for about a month, and that part of the fun for the International entrants was being able to stay for a couple of weeks beforehand and the important thing was that the infrastructure was in place for them to be accommodated along with their animals.
Later that evening , as Cross had finished the meeting and was chatting to the villagers, he walked up to Mrs Graham’s where Tedi was still sitting.
” Well lad, are you coming home with me , or do you want to have a sleepover ?” Cross smiled at the Graham’s.
” Oh can he ? That would be lovely! Mr Cross!”
Mrs Graham, gave Tedi a hug and Tedi looked up at her with big eyes. He was delighted.
” Now that we’ve had our meeting, I’ve got some PR people coming tomorrow, so Tedi will need to be back at the House for 11 am tomorrow, will you be able to bring him up. I think we’ll be doing some photos and things.”
“Of course , yes, we’ll bring him , and I’ll make sure he’ll look his best for his photos!”
Cross watched as Mr and Mrs Graham walked out of the meeting with Tedi proudly walking beside them on their lead that they had brought, hoping indeed that Tedi might be allowed to have a sleepover with them.
Mrs Graham had bought some sausages, so Tedi would have a good breakfast. Tedi had plans to meet up with his old mates and he hoped Freddie would be around. Though he had heard what Cross had said and he knew he had work to do so he had to be back at the House on time.
The next morning , Mr Graham brought Tedi for a walk around his old haunts and Tedi , the way dogs do , left lots of markers on the lamp posts and fences around the village , letting all the other dogs know that he was still around and that he was ready for some adventures if they were willing. Fortuitously he bumped into Freddie, who kept asking about the size of the fridge in the big house. Tedi couldn’t help winding him up and telling him it was so big that you could play fetch in it and that only Tedi had the key, as there was pheasant and partridge and goose that only Tedi was allowed to eat, though if Freddie came to visit he would let him have some.
All Freddie could say was ” I’ll come ” . So as Mr Graham and Freddie’s owner chatted , the two dogs made their plans to have a get together soon. They all said their goodbyes and Tedi went back to the Graham’s house for his sausage breakfast and a big drink of water.
The sausages were delicious and Mrs Graham brushed Tedi’s and made him look very handsome , then put him on his lead and they walked him back to the big house, where they had a coffee with the cook in the kitchen , just like the old days and Tedi ran off upstairs to find Cross.
Cross was waiting for him , and introduced him to the PR people and also Mr Watts , who was a friend of Cross.
thenotsomightyom 