Found a Reason for a Proposal
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So, your daughter wanted a pedigree dog, did she? asked a neighbour, as he leaned over the garden fence one afternoon.
She did, but extra moneys a bit of a fairytale in this house. Its just the two of us, after all, replied the woman.
To which the neighbour just grinned. Ill give you one for nothing. Come on, lets go.
As luck would have it, her daughter, Abigail, had just come home from school and overheard. Ever the opportunist, she latched on immediately.
Mum, lets go! Its free, Mum! Ill walk it every day and Ill get all top marks at school, promise, Mum!
Oh, for pitys sake, Colin, what kind of man are you? Riling up a kidand now Ive got to deal with it, huffed Margaret.
You know, Margaret, you could always take a better look at me before you get cross. Im a good blokedecent and hardworking. Meet all the usual criteria, except Im single!
Oh, do shut up, Colin. I know you all too well. Im a good seven years older than you! Id just left school when you were still running about in short trousersget a grip, replied Margaret, even more vexed.
But now were equals, see? You barely come up to my shoulder and I can outlift you any day! Colin sidled up, grinning, and gave her a playful squeeze.
Look here, Abbie, see how much taller and stronger I am than your mum!
And yet so much dafter, cuddling me in front of your neighbours kid, Margaret managed to wriggle free.
Thats just itI need someone clever like you to keep me in line, Colin lamented with an exaggerated sigh.
Oh, honestly, are we getting this dog or not? Abigail whined, on the edge of tears.
There you go! Where else can you get a free one, eh? Adorable little thing, spotty and everything. Got quite the story to tell as well. Lets go, Ill show you, Colin said, lowering his voice mysteriously. Abigail clung to her mothers hand.
Muuuum, you promiiiised!
Colin could see Marg was wavering, so he redoubled his efforts.
Shall I get the car going, then? Its just round the corner, you wont regret it!
Margaret heaved a sigh, glared at her neighbour, and said to her daughter, Fine. They say its a small dogmind you, if I catch you slacking off at school
Abigail bounced through the car ride, questions pouring out: Is the dog friendly? Whats its name? Uncle Colin, are we nearly there?
At last, they pulled up outside a slightly battered old terrace.
My late mums old flat. I used to let it outbut that all went sour. Bit of a mess in there, forgive me, I only found out yesterday when I went round for the rent.
The place was, if anything, worse than advertised.
Amongst bags of spilled rice, empty biscuit tins, and dented, dubious-smelling cans, sat a grey tabby cat with fierce yellow eyes, pressed shoulder to scruffy, long-haired dog.
Filthy, matted, but as it turned out, still stubbornly clinging to life in spite of the miserable hand theyd been dealt.
Get a load of these two, Colin began, a bit nervously. I hadnt checked on my tenants in a month. Came for the rent, walked straight into this!
Turns out, two young women whod rented his place had done a midnight flit a fortnight ago, skipping their last rent.
Theyd left the cat and the dog behind, like last seasons jumpers.
There they werelocked in, no food, no water. No clue if salvation would ever come.
How on earth did they make it? gasped Abigail.
The signs of desperate survival were scattered all around. Biscuits and sweets were gobbled down first, then raw pasta and even porridge oats. Miraculously, theyd managed to break open tinned ham and condensed milkleftovers from the runaways. Anything edible went down the hatch.
Seriously, you had to see them at it to believe it.
The bigger miracle was water. The cat must have figured out the tap in the bath or nudged it by accident. Lucky it didnt flood the flatbut at least theyd have been rescued sooner
Colin had obviously thought of everything. Abigail was on the animals in a flash, fussing and feeding them with the food Colin brought.
Even Margaret was blinking back tears.
I knew it, didnt I, Marg? Knew you had a kind heart, Colin said softly, as Abigail lavished affection and biscuits on her new best friends. So, shall we take them both? And, while were about it, will you marry me, Marg? Never found anyone quite like you. Come onsay yes. Well have a smashing life, I promise. Ive got a car, two flatsplenty of room for Abbie, and we can let out the other place, so long as we find decent tenants this time. Shall we? Maybe even have another little one. Well be the happiest house on our street! Dog and cat included, as befits civilised folk. Say yes, Marg!
Say yes, Mum! piped up Abigail, not quite following the gist, but fully invested in the adventure.
Colin burst out laughing, There you gounanimous vote! Come on then, Marg!
Oh for heavens sake, are you for real? Margaret blushed for perhaps the first time since the mid-90s. Truth was, Colin was a good sortkind, a bit hapless, but genuinely sweet. He even cared about these abandoned animalsdidnt just boot them out.
She hadnt thought for years that anyone would ever actually ask her. And when Colin squeezed her again the way he didwell, her heart gave a happy little jolt.
Give me a moment to think, if youre serious, you old charmer! she said, going red as a postbox.
You take all the time you like! Ill take the cat, you two get the dogjust as you wanted. Well pop round tomorrowMittens and I! You, Spot, make sure the place is tidy, mate! said Colin to the dog, who gave an enthusiastic yap in response.
And so, Colin convinced Margaret to marry him.
A month later, the whole street turned out for the wedding.
Preparations took place at Margarets (because she had a proper kitchen), but tables were set at Colins bachelor pad, which was big enough for half the neighbourhood.
Mittens and Spot stuck close to their new humansanimals do have a nose for good people, after all.
A year on, Margaret and Colin were doubly blessedwith twins, Sophie and Charlie.
Mittens and Spot had plenty to do: minding the babies, policing the crumbs, adding chaos to calm. In a big household, theres always a job for everyone.
And best of all, the bigger the family, the more happiness goes round.
Children rejoice, so do the petsespecially when the home comes complete with a cat and a dog!
