Sunday 11 December 2016

The Lost Sheep!

Hello blog lovers.

Here is a little Christmas Story.

It was a bright morning, very unusual for the time of year, you could feel the warmth of the sun.  But the air was still chilly!  Everything about this morning was very peculiar.  Let me introduce myself, I am a shepherd and my name is Pie.  I was with my other brothers, Germain, also a shepherd and Chris! We were in a place called Ditton, and many strange things were happening.  There were people around looking very colourful indeed.  Maybe it is some kind of festival.  There were stripey people, and people were shouting "Where's Wally?" at them.

We, me and my brothers, were tending our flock of sheep, all nice a peaceful like, here, look I took a selfie of me with a couple of my ewes!


 All of a sudden this chap with wings and a halo appeared from no where, making the day even more brighter, if that was possible.  We were so scared!  Particularly me, I am afraid of my own shadow.  I always arrive after my brothers, sisters, friends,  just so that they can make sure the way is clear.


"Behold Shepherds" said this chap "Behold, I am Angel Gabriel and I bring you good news, A baby is born this day, He is the Saviour of the world. Follow yonder star and you will find where the baby is" Well as you can imagine, I was terrified!  My brothers, although a bit scared, they of course were keen to go and find this baby, I just wanted to run and hide.  I am sure I saw a place where they were serving tea and coffee, I may just rest there till they come back, I am afraid I over did it with the jollys these past two days and wasn't really 'feeling it' !  But then I noticed that one of our tiny little lambs was missing. "You go ahead without me, I shall see you back here later" I called to my brothers, "I will go and save the lamb!" I said, trying to act all cool! By then they were joined by some  others. Some very fine looking geezers with crowns on their head and a few other of these angels and the Inn keepers too along with donkeys!  I watched as the whole group disappeared among the very strange and colourful people, and sprouts! Yup that's right big huge green sprouts......and turkeys......lots of turkeys!

A stream of people were all heading in the same direction, maybe they were following the star too! But I had a mission, I had to find my lost lamb!  Let them go and follow some bright star that some Angel told them about, my missing lamb was most important.  I looked everywhere for it.  I was running for about 1 and half miles or so keeping my eyes peeled.  I looked at my time recorder (Garmin) and I saw that it had stopped, dead!  I had no idea how far I had ran all ready, I was guess it was about 1 and half miles as the last time I looked at my time recorder it said 1.34 miles.  With my tunic slowing down my running I decided to hitch it up instead, and run along showing off my 'breeches'.  It was hard going, but then just up ahead I saw my little lost sheep! He was trying to hide in some leaves.
 As I got closer to him I think he heard me and ran off before I could get to him.  I was beginning to think this little lamb was just as frightened of the Angel Gabriel as I was!

I ran on some more, being heavily laden with my cumbersome costume.  It was getting wet and caught up on stuff.  The ground was difficult to run on and I kept stumbling over things, bricks and roots.  My ankle started to complain a little!  But this is a most important job, I had to get the lamb, keep it safe so I ran on.  I spotted some people, soldiers I think,  looking rather bright in yellow tabbards.  Standing next to one of them was a child and in his arms was my little lost lamb!  "Very clever" I thought to myself "Fancy trying to disguise your self as a knitted childs toy wearing a PWR buff, very clever, but I have spotted you."
 I ran up to the boy but my lamb jumped out of his arms and ran off again.

I was getting very warm as I tried all sorts to try and run fast without undressing in public!  I tried tying my skirts up, I tried hoicking it up some more under the tie belt, I even tried tucking it in to my breeches!  But it still came down and wrapped around my ankles!  Just up ahead I saw a watering hole, "I shall stop a while and refresh myself, maybe the inn keeper will have a room for the night" But then I remembered the Inn keeper was also following the star! "I will stop and have a drink at least before I continue on my way" I thought to myself. It seems as if the yellow tabbard soliers are in control. Just then on the grand table I saw my little lamb drinking from one of the cups!
 I quickly downed my water and tried to grab my lamb! Too late, it had ran off!

I had no idea where I was, or where I was going, but at least I wasn't following the crowdor the star.  There was no one in front of me and no one behind me!  I am safe, apart from some rather friendly yellow tabbard soldiers (marshals) pointing to pathways and roads. I don't know why they were doing that, some of the paths were nothing but more than huge mud hols filled with cold water and very sticky, slippery mud!  Why would anyone want to run along there, only crazy people would do that!  But there was no way of getting away from them.  They seemed so friendly too, cheering me and clapping!  Maybe they had heard of my quest, after all and were impressed with my efforts to save the lamb, some of them even mentioned my flock of sheep!

I could see up a head of me one such soldier, and with him I could see my lamb.  He had a blue cow bell attached to him!
Now pretending to be a cow?! "No lambsey, no! You are way to small for that" I thought to myself.  I tried to creep up slowly to my lamb but the soldier rang the bell, and cheered as did all the other yellow tabbard wearing soldiers!  My little lamb startled, jumped out of his hand an ran off again.

By this time I was feeling really tired, my feet were wet, my tunic was wet and I hadn't got a clue as to how far I had come. I was sent up hills and down hills, along muddy paths and roads.  One such road led to a fine looking home, and just behind a rock I could see my lamb.
 There were no soldiers about, there were no people about.  I again crept slowly, slowly getting nearer to my lamb, but he spotted me and once again escaped my clutches. The road lead to a path behind some other dwellings. I looked closely at one of the back gardens and I could see my lost little lamb!
 But with one little 'baaa' he sprang back over the fence and ran off in front of me!  The people who lived there was most amused by this!

I didn't spot my lamb again for a while. But I came across this ancient stone with an arch structure embedded in it, just placed by the foot path.  Maybe the lamb was taking shelter from the sun, or having a nap!
 I almost managed to grab him as I ran towards it.  Surely I must catch him soon, it cannot keep on running!  I am exhausted and in need of food!  I knew I should have eaten something earlier. Those sprouts and turkeys came back to my mind!

I came out on the road again.  It felt good not to be stumbling over roots and bricks.  My poor ankle!  I could hear some more cheering in the distance, but the cheering was not from the yellow tabbard cladded soldiers, no! This was different, there were more voices in the mix, and one a particularly loud voice as if it was being amplified!  I was intrigued. No longer afraid, I was way beyond that now!  I decided I will head for this noise and see what it's all about!  I then heard my name being called out "Welcome Shepherd Pie" I looked over and there in the distance was my lamb, he was with my flock of sheep! Not only that, but The wise men, Angel Gabriel with a host of other angels, my brother Germain Shepherd and Chris with the inn keepers of Petts Wood Runnersville.  They were all there, they had followed the star as it lit up and shone brightly in the day over Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus!  I was here,  seeing the baby!  I need not have been afraid after all!  Whether I am fast or slow, I still got to see baby Jesus! Brave or scared, I followed the lamb!

I realised then that actually I was not saving the lamb, the Lamb had saved me! He had been guiding me the whole way! But it was still a strange topsey turvey day, with running sprouts and turkeys, and Mary looking noticeably masculine while Joseph some how had some feminine charms under his beard!

There were also other residents of Petts Wood Runnersville here today as well, I managed to capture the moment, although there were still a few more around that didn't get in the picture




A video of the event was shot by Mike Reeves!



2 comments:

  1. Love it, we've shared this with the club as it really catches the atmosphere of the day. The fancy dress element of the event has really taken off now, and you guys were brilliant. Thanks for entering into the spirit, see you next year. Matt Fraser, Chairman, Maidstone Harriers

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    1. It really is a fun event, I am getting a nice collection of tee shirts now :-)

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