Farewell This Earth

By Lee Kendrick 

Christmas Day was as beautiful as ever: with a six-foot fir tree, and the sweet smell of pine emanating from it was intoxicating. The pine needle branches were covered with gold and silver tinsel, red and green crackers, and various glass glittered, coloured baubles red, gold, white and yellow. And on top of the tree stood a silver fairy. Beautiful red, yellow, white and orange small light bulbs set the tree ablaze with light. At the bottom of the tree lay a wonderful assortment of wrapped presents, prepared for the whole family.

Oh, to be in England in the 1950s at Christmas with an old fireplace is so homely with its orange/yellow fire flames crackling on thick logs; and to have a mantelpiece adorned with Christmas cards with tall, red candles on either end; to which are four attached Christmas stockings. On the ceiling are multi-coloured paper chains and large, coloured paper/card bells with a mixture of balloons. The family have excelled themselves this year, giving a fantastic, Christmas atmosphere!

 How I love Christmas, my favourite time on Earth. Although I am not that religious I always felt a kind of spiritual awakening and closer to God at this time of year. I loved the chance to give to others in the form of presents, to feel love and give love, to feel jolly and look happy in front of my children, wife, brothers, sisters and relatives. 

Yes, how I miss Christmas with the festive meal of roast turkey and golden, crispy roast potatoes with vegetables: carrots, Brussels, etc. After which, we finished off with the proverbial Christmas pudding, now lit with a blue flame from being slightly covered in brandy with the addition of cream, toasting each other with a fine fruity punch– “Merry Christmas” with everyone giving their salutations to each other.

Finally, everyone joined pulling the crackers, giving a small ‘bang’ around the table. Each family member received a crowned coloured hat and,   lucky or unlucky being the proud owner of a gift, a plastic soldier, or something like a plastic pair of scissors, moustache, toy car, etc, usually found on the floor nearby. After which one of the recipients read out a corny joke found in the cracker.

My children John and Margie are all grown up now, in their early twenties; not married yet. My wife Audry, now in her sixties, is still a good looker, and our dog Benji, a Red Setter now ten is still full of bounce. I loved that dog, and I would do anything for him. On the rare occasion I see him he stares at me strangely and barks, but not in an aggressive manner.

I can see nearly everyone is here now. My brother Anthony and his wife Joan, with their son Andrew, must be about fifteen now, and daughter Alice, about twelve, just popped in. Anthony was about five years younger than me at sixty-two, and Joan was a little older. Oh, wait a minute, someone at the front door! It's my sister Ellie and her new boyfriend Bob. Ellie is the eldest of all the siblings, three brothers and two sisters. Jane, my other sister, is the youngest and isn't with anyone at present. She's a little odd, strange in that she is a bit psychic, able to see ghosts and has had numerous paranormal experiences, I'm sure she will arrive soon.

Now, where has Benji gone? I bet he is in the kitchen looking for food. There is my furry friend. Hello Benji, it's okay, it's your master; Peter. Come on, let me stroke you- “Woof!” “woof!” He barks, wagging his tail excitedly; he is still a little nervous about me, but he is getting better. I still can't get used to my hands going through Benji's body when I stroke him, but I'm sure he feels my touch!

Ah, someone else at the door, here she is my little sister, Jane! Cuddling and kissing everyone on the cheek. Whoops! She missed kissing me.  Still, she looked up directly at me and gave me that loving smile of acknowledgement – I do miss her very much. 

Life for me can be very lonely, I remember when I had an accident at work, I had climbed right to the top of the twelve-foot ladder to replace a light bulb in the canteen; damn loose wire gave me a shock and I fell to the floor bashing my head; next thing I remember was a group of people standing around me, but I wasn't looking up at them,  strangely I was staring down at their backs as they looked at my lifeless body, some of the women were crying and one had screamed!

The next thing I knew, I was drawn to my home in Oxfordshire. I just love the place, and have a tremendous bond to it and the family. I have read accounts of people saying when they died for a few minutes, they were drawn to a brilliant, white light. I have to say I did see a light, but before it got bright, I turned my back, compelling myself to go back home. And here I am in the home I love, and I have been here ever since the accident, about three years ago!

Great, Jane is putting on a record! Ah, this was one of my favourite songs: ‘Here in My Heart’ by Al Martino. Oh, look who just walked in, my youngest brother, Jim. He will be sixty in January. There's his wife Fran and daughter Ellie. She's a young teenager now.

That's good someone has put on some Christmas carols! I do like a Christmas Carol, even though I hardly went to church except when I was at school. Oh yes, not forgetting when I and Audry got married and we had our children christened, including one or two funerals and weddings.

“Quick! Does anyone want to see Holly and the Ivy? It's a play about a family during Christmas. It's supposed to be good.”Said my sister Jane, switching on the small television. Everyone, with excitement, gathered around and sat as close as they could to see the black-and-white drama on the tiny box.  What a marvellous invention; it's beyond my comprehension how the thing works!

After an hour of the family eating and drinking Christmas fayre, I could see people were feeling tired as one or two of them would yawn. It was a long day, and some of them had travelled by car from a few miles away outside London. 

By 10 o’clock, most of the guests had left to go home after saying Merry Christmas. Except my sister, Jane, who stayed over to help my wife, Audry, tidy up.

As they washed and dried the plates and cups in the kitchen, Audry suddenly started sobbing after dropping and smashing a cup. 

“ Oh Jane, I miss Peter so much!” she remarked.

“I know you do Audry!” said Jane, giving her a little cuddle.

“But you know what Audry,  he is always close by in spirit. Closer than you think. One day you'll see each other again on the “other side,” I'm sure,” said Jane. 

 With that, Jane spun round and, looking up, gave a loving smile to Peter. For a moment  she left Audrey and beckoned Peter to follow her, in the living room then she said: 

“ Peter, you're ready now to pass on; no more will you be Earthbound; Audry and I and all the family will see you again one day, but you must let go and follow your guide.”  With that, his dog Benji came into the room, looked up and barked twice, saying his farewell to Peter now following the luminous being, finally fading away into the other realm.

Ends