Our Writers - Penni Seviour
Dogs Have Owners Cats Have Staff
My door is locked, there is no escape. After a nice breakfast, I take myself off to a quiet place and I have a nap. Only to be rudely awakened by being shoved into my mobile prison. A short car ride later, thankfully as my human singing is awful, we arrive at a strange front door. She speaks to a person behind a large counter, before sitting down. A vile smell fills the air. Whoever allows dogs into a confined space without any windows is not that smart. No self-respecting cat would ever do such a thing.
My name is called, and I’m carried through to a private room. My crate is put onto a table and the door is opened. A break for freedom is ended by a strange man picking me up and shoving me into a cold pan. Ears and eyes are checked, a nasty sharp thing is poked into my neck and just as I think it’s all over, something is inserted where nothing should ever be. Eventually I’m placed back into my prison and taken back into the dog-scented area.
Once back at home, my door is opened and I’m at last free from my portable hell. I found my favourite chair, got comfortable and took a long and much needed sleep. I was woken up by a wonderful and delicious smell wafting through the house. Jumping out of my chair, I ran to the kitchen. Waiting in my bowl was a freshly cooked piece of chicken, covered in thick gravy.
Next time human skip the visit to the vets. Jump straight to the chicken and gravy.
by Penni Seviour
Life of a 1912 Penny
I left the Royal Mint all shiny and new, to begin my wonderful life as a penny.
Coins were much bigger then. George V's face is on one side and Britannia's on the other.
What could you get for a penny when I was new:
A pint of milk
A loaf of bread - although most people still made their own
A penny lick of ice cream
You could even post a letter - the penny black stamp.
As for me, well I've had a wonderful life. I've sent letters all over the country, visited pubs, been in pockets and money boxes. Taken out on day trips to the seaside and spent on sweets. Paid for tram rides home in the rain and used to buy a newspaper.
Now I am 111 years old and worth far more than my face value. Make sure you look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.
by Penni Seviour
It Was Handmade
It started with a block of stone and an apprentice stone mason. Every night he would work in secret to create me. He started with my face and worked out how Iwould look from there.
After several weeks of late nights and using every spare second he had, I was at last finished. The apprentice was so pleased with what he had carved, that he took me to show his master what he’d achieved. The master was so impressed that he put me on display as an example of his work.
Generations of stone masons came and went, while I remained, a Guardian, Protector of the shop. Eventually I was sold to a collector and placed on a plinth in a garden. Life in the garden was different to life at the shop. There were people all around me, admiring me, touching my wings and even taking photos stood next to me. Even the birds would now sit with me and have a little chat.
If you look up at the old churches, you should see many more of my kind. We not only take rainwater away from the building but act as protectors against evil. What do you think I am?
Simple. I am a Gargoyle.
By: Penni Seviour
The Village Bus
Everyone loved the village bus, even though it rarely ran to time and often broke down. It had no specific stops; you just stuck your arm out or pressed the bell.
Thursday morning it would always be outside the post- office, waiting to take the pensioners shopping. While on the last Bank Holiday Monday in August, there would be the annual day trip to the Seaside. There would be sand on the bus for weeks afterwards.
The last Sunday in December, there was always a special trip to see the Christmas Lights, some years they had to run it twice, as it was so popular and wanted to fit
everyone in. No-one knew the age of the driver; he had been doing the job for as long as people could remember. When he retired, the whole village threw a party for him. Rather than lose the service, several people set up a Rota to keep the bus going. After all, what would a village be without its bus?
By: Penni Seviour
What Did The Cat Drag In?
He’d been outside on an adventure and decided to bring his human a present, but what? Looking around he couldn’t decide on what. Most of his ‘gifts’ were promptly disposed of in the big bin outside – how rude! Didn’t the human know
how much effort he went to in order to catch her breakfast?
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted it. A brightly coloured piece of paper. His human always seemed to have lots of it around, so must like it. He proceeded to take his hunting stance, wiggled his butt, then pounced on it. Quickly, before it had the chance to escape, he picked it up in his mouth, and headed indoors with his prize.
Finding his human, he dropped the offering at her feet. She looked down and smiled. She retrieved it from the floor.
She patted his head and praised him.
“£20! That will pay for your food for the next two weeks.”By: Penni Seviour
