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Curiosity Shop.

The road was wet from a shower that had for five minutes, come suddenly from a sun filled morning. Stepping carefully, I avoided the many puddles and watched the slight mists that came from the wet road. There had been no thunder just a heavy fall of rain that sometimes appear out of nowhere on a sunny hot day. In the fields to the left of me, I could see sheep busily grazing on the wet grass. I myself was not wet, as I had stood under a tree during the downpour. I was on my way to visit a curiosity shop in the next village. I could have used my car but as the day was so warm, I decided to walk the three miles I was in need of a little exercise and this was as good an opportunity to take rather than use my car.

The village of Green Street Green came into view the roads here were wet so they must have caught the shower as I did under my tree. Passing the Baker’s shop and the Dairy I saw the curiosity shop. The shop was open and I walked into the somewhat dark interior. As I pushed open the shop door a small bell jangled in the back of the house. By opening the door I had made contact between two electric wires this had caused the bell to ring. “Good morning,” I called and heard a voice saying, “I will be with you in a moment have a look around.” I had been in this shop a number of times and always managed to find something out of the ordinary.

The shop was filled old pictures, some hung on the wall many were stacked in a long shelf. Old brass horse medallions were also hanging on the wall along with small pieces of china and cups and saucers. Old milk jugs and all the bric a brac that one finds in these old shops, under a long glass topped counter were medals some from the First World War. Next to the medals, there were a few pocket watches and an old compass. The compass interested me the most it was of peculiar design and the needle that points to North was standing still on South. The owner who I had seen many times came from the back and asked me whether I had found anything. I pointed to one of the pocket watches and asked to see it closer. The watch after I had wound it with a small watch key that the man produced started ticking away. I said that I would buy the watch if it was not too expensive and the compass. “The compass does not work you know” he had a pleasant voice and I answered that I would take it apart and clean it. Perhaps I will be lucky I heard myself say.

With the pocket watch and winding key and the compass, I left the shop and made my way back home. The roads were now dry and I arrived home in a couple of hours. Making myself something to eat I sat at my kitchen table and looked at the watch and the compass. Opening the back of the watch I found that it was quite old and had a chain driven drive something one rarely sees today.   I decided that I would clean the watch (A hobby of mine) and re-oil it. Then I carefully opened the compass and found a small piece of paper with some writing on it was blocking the mechanism that kept the magnet needle moving. Taking the paper out of the compass, I saw that the compass needle was now pointing north. The compass was I am happy to say now working properly.

I carefully opened the piece of paper and saw written in a strange hand the words (Follow the Needle it will show you the way.). I looked at the compass more carefully especially the needle. The needle slowly started to spin then slowed down it was now pointing to the west. I took out one of my maps of England and placed the compass onto it. The needle still pointed west and I moved the compass slowly across the map. The needle of the compass stopped and pointed once again to the north. Taking the map and my new compass I put on my hiking gear and locking the doors of my house I walked off. Every couple of miles I checked the compass with the map. I eventually arrived at Cardiff in South Wales and the needle spun around and then stopped. I had followed the needle of the compass now what? I then saw the advert on a building Fairies for sale magic potions for all occasions. I went into the building and saw much to my surprise four Fairies that were trapped in a large cage. Taking my magic wand from my pocket I freed the Fairies and then I saw the compasses that were for sale. It was in such a compass that one of the Fairies had jammed the paper to stop the needle from moving. The compass was considered to be useless and was thrown away. A man found the compass and sold it to the second hand shop. I had unknowingly been the means to free the Fairies. My curiosity as to why the compass did not work freed the four Fairies from the magic shop in Cardiff. I then caught a train back to London and back home to my house on Dartford Heath. Her Majesty the Fairy Queen who thanked me for rescuing the Fairies awaited me. The compass is still in my desk along with the pocket watch both work quite well. The compass is for sale if anyone would like to buy it, the pocket watch I will keep.