RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33487, 19 March 1974, Page 21

RANDOM REMINDER

SWEET SORROW

| When you are a child and weeks last longer and 'trees are bigger and there are so many things adults ;do not know about, it is good to find a friend, someone you get on really well with, someone ’ with whom you can share 1 your fears, your fun, your iswords, pistols, marblesand imaginings. But when it is time to' part . . . A country family were: asked, at short notice, to look after a young boyover the Christmas holidays, after which he was to be placed elsewhere. The visitor, a bright, happy six-year-old, quickly won his way into their hearts and was soon, just one of the family. 1

He appreciated any-, thing done for him,; jumped up and down on: their bed in the mornings, popped plastic guns at them from behind doorways and curtains, saved) their pet dog from the horrors of boredom, told) them how he loved ice) scream and it was good 'for him after every help-: ing; and played happily; and most times peacefully! I with their own terror of a son of similar age.

The adults were not; looking forward to losingtheir charge at the end of j the holidays, and knew that his departure would' affect their son, the only; boy in the family, even more so. The two boys had had such happy times d

-, together; swimming, hunt- , ing, fishing, fighting etc., iithat the parents feared: ,[ their son would find life I :j without the young: - boarder lonelv and bor-, ![ ing. “[ Word of the impending IJ departure of the six-year-Yold was received one II evening when both boys ' [were in bed asleep. In the) [morning the mother took [her son aside and : [reluctantly told him the sad news that later that:

iday their little visitor I was to be picked up and jtaken to his new home. “Oh goodie ” her hor- - irible son replied, “now! | I’ll have all the plastic ( cars out of the honey; Ipuffs.” |