The Fleetwood Gang and the Magic Concert

by Chris Timothy

Olive and Gladys gave him a fashionable floral shirt, which he put on straight away over his t-shirt.

  Maria had arrived with a gigantic puzzle of a medieval castle in 3D, and Richard with a candle making kit.

  James opened Grandma’s present last. It looked like a lizard pickled in a jar.

  Mrs. Fleetwood frowned.

  “Very decorative indeed!” commented Olive, “will look wonderful between the chutney and the gherkins in the kitchen.”

  “I think, it will look better in the bathroom,” answered James.

  “Most certainly not!” snapped his mother, “you keep that thing in your bedroom!”

  Mrs. Fleetwood gave a dirty look at Grandma. “Honestly Mother!”

  “I like it,” said James, “I think I am going to start a collection.”

  Grandma was very pleased with the effect of her present.

  “You behave yourself Mother!” warned Mrs. Fleetwood, “or I’ll pickle you in your Ribena juice!”

  “I feel ten years younger today,” said Grandma.

  “That makes you only eighty two then,” calculated Olive.

  After a while the children scattered by the pond and some of the adults got on with the barbecue operation. Grandma, Olive and Gladys joined the kids and organized some games.

  Around six o’clock, everyone settled on the little deck and on the lawn with sausages, salad and home made ‘sushi’ brought by Richard’s father. They were not very round though.

  “It’s the intention that counts,” said Gladys nicely.

  “Mind you, the taste is important too,” added Grandma with a horrible face.

  “When are we going to have the Magical Surprise?” asked James.

  “Soon,” replied his Mum, “with the cake.”

  So, when everyone had finished eating, except for Richard and Grandma who were still going strong with the sausages, Mrs. Fleetwood wheeled the birthday cake on a little trolley from the kitchen.

  Very beautiful it was, kind of a three storey building made out of sponge biscuits, covered with thick white cream and sprinkled with almonds and nuts.

  “Will you look at that!” said Gladys, “it’s a masterpiece my dear.”

  “It wasn’t easy,” admitted Mrs. Fleetwood, “but still, I am pleased with the result.”

  “Now children stand up please,” asked Mrs. Lopez. “Come over here – Richard leave your plate!”

  “But, I haven’t finished my…”

  “Never mind, come here, near James… and don’t pick the nuts from the cake!” growled Mrs. Lopez.

  “Listen,” said Mrs. Fleetwood addressing the kids, “you are about to live a Magical Flying Experience, keep very still.”

  The girls giggled. The boys looked worried.

  Mrs. Fleetwood had her magic-stick and Mrs. Lopez her own magic wand. Together they opened their arms, both wands aimed at the children.

  Mrs. Fleetwood’s stick blew a massive pink bubble.

  “Not again!” groaned Mrs. Fleetwood, energetically shaking off the darned thing.

  The kids burst into laughter.

  Richard’s father, who was not accustomed to magic so much, asked Harrison what it was about.

  “Are you ready Caroline?” asked Mrs. Lopez impatiently.

  “Yes, I believe so.”

  They both breathed in deeply and spoke.

  “HOCUS POCUS – BE HOLD AND BE SURE – WATER INTO FIRE – SKIN INTO FEATHER – I ORDER YOU”

  The six children disappeared!

  Instead six little birds were pecking crumbs on the deck.

  “Oh dear!” gasped Gladys.

  “Jolly good!” cackled Grandma.

  James had a look around. He found his new shape interesting. He had become a bright yellow canary.

  He pecked crumbs near Maria who was a blue budgie. Mustafa and Oliver were canaries too, but in a more orange shade. Stephanie was a green budgie. As for Richard, he had turn into a sparrow.

  “Chirp, chirp,” said James looking at his mother.

  She was raising her hand again.

  “OVER THE FENCE – OVER THE HILL – FLY BIRDS FLY” spoke Mrs. Fleetwood and Mrs. Lopez.

  James fluttered his wings and flew to the top of the fence. He saw that his friends had followed him, except for Richard the sparrow who had landed on the trolley, and was pecking the nuts from the cake.

  “Chirp, chirp, chirp,” twiddled the five little birds on the fence.

  “Chirp, chirp,” said James.

  He left the fence. The other birds followed him right into the neighbour’s garden. He could still hear the adults talking.

  “Oho!” said Olive.

  “Rosita, the children have gone over the fence,” said Mrs. Fleetwood, “is it all right?”

  “Don’t panic,” answered Mrs. Lopez, “I’ll get them back in no time.”

  She climbed on a chair and shouted at the top of her voice.

  “HOCUS POCUS – OVER THE FENCE – OVER THE HILL – FIND YOUR WAY HOME”

  Then suddenly!

  “WHAT IS ALL THAT RACKET?” shouted the neighbour.

  “NOTHING!” thundered Mrs. Lopez, “I’M CALLING MY BIRDS.”

  “Yeah right, with a voice like that, we won’t have any birds left in town!” snarled the neighbour.

  “What’s wrong with my voice?” asked Mrs. Lopez puzzled.

  James and his friends flew into a little tree from where they could spy without being seen.

  “Are they having a bit of a problem?” asked Richard’s father to Harrison.

  “Absolutely not, trust them,” replied Harrison.

  “Trust the girls!” said Grandma who helped herself to another sausage.

  “Don’t you think you have had enough with four sausages?” asked Gladys.

  “She’s having a growth spurt,” said Olive, “aren’t you Grandma?”

  Grandma grunted and snatched the sausage from the barbecue with her fork.

  “Chirp, chirp,” twiddled James fluffing his feathers.

  “I’m telling you, there is something fishy,” said Richard’s father pointing at the tree.

  James saw his mother and the others staring at his tree. He thought it was very funny. He came a little closer to have a better look, but had no intention of coming back. Being a bird was really fun.

  Harrison, Peter, Mrs. Lopez and Mrs. Fleetwood tried to face the crisis calmly.

  The book BASIC TRANSFORMATION was fetched once again.

  Harrison read aloud, “basic spell must be performed in a range of three meters… that’s the answer!” he boomed. “They are simply to far away.”

  “Bother!” growled Mrs. Lopez.

  “We could try eating the cake,” suggested Gladys, “surely that will attract them, don’t you think?”

  “One can only try,” said Mrs. Fleetwood.

  She started cutting the cake. Sure enough within a few seconds the sparrow was perched on the back of a chair. And to James’ great disgust the two budgies followed him. Maria, the blue budgie perched on Mrs. Fleetwood’s shoulder.

  “Perfect!” she said catching the bird.

  “We need to have all the birds on the same spot, obviously,” said Mrs. Lopez.

  James decided to come down eventually, just in case he would miss something. He landed on the deck, quickly followed by the two other canaries.

  “Looking good,” said Mrs. Lopez, “Caroline, you better cast the spell now!”

  “Er… all right then,” said Mrs. Fleetwood.

  She recited the spell loud and clear and waited for something to happen.

  Well, to everyone’s surprise and concern nothing happened at all. There were still six little birds pecking at crumbs on the deck.

  DING DONG

  “Someone is at the front door,” announced Gladys, “it may be one of the parents.”

  “I hope not,” said Mrs. Fleetwood.

  “I’ll go and have a look,” proposed Olive trotting away.

  Meanwhile Mrs.
Fleetwood had another attempt at restoring the children’s human shape. Quite unsuccessfully.

  “You are not concentrating hard enough!” squealed Grandma. She was half way through her sausage.

  “Very easy to criticize indeed!” snapped Mrs. Fleetwood, “I’d like to see you do it!”

  Olive came back in her same trotting manner.

  “It’s Mrs. Patel,” she announced, “shall I tell her she’s got herself a canary now?”

  “Noooo!” yowled Mrs. Fleetwood.

  “Come on Ladies,” said Harrison standing up, “I shall say hello to Mrs. Patel while you’re performing your magic trick.”

  But before Mrs. Fleetwood even started speaking, Grandma sprang to her feet and shot towards the birds. She raised her fork with the half sausage and mumbled a quick spell with her mouth full.

  In a split second the six birds had vanished, and the six children were rolling and laughing on the ground.

  “There!” said Grandma, “it’s all about concentration.”

  Mrs. Fleetwood slouched on her seat, most offended.

  “That was fantastic!” exclaimed Richard’s father, “you could work in a circus, I’m telling you, you’re good.”

  “Peter, calm down,” asked Mrs. Lopez, “Harrison is coming back with Mrs. Patel.”

  After Mrs. Patel had left with Mustafa in perfect shape, James

  and the remaining children explained noisily what it was like to be a bird.

  “Can we be birds again soon?” asked Maria, “I really loved it.”

  “Another day maybe,” answered Mrs. Fleetwood stiffly. She was staring sideways at Grandma.

  James was observing Grandma too.

  “You’ve eaten a lot today, Grandma!”

  “Yes, I’m having a growth spurt,” grunted Grandma, “can I have some cake now?”

  “How many sausages did you eat?” asked Mrs. Fleetwood frowning.

  “Never you mind!” snapped Grandma.

  “Don’t you go and make yourself sick!” warned Mrs. Fleetwood.

  “I’m building up muscles for the tournament,” said Grandma licking her fingers.

  “You mean you are building up flabbiness!” corrected Olive.

  “Talk for yourself,” gurgled Grandma as she drained her cup of tea.

  “Which tournament anyway?” asked Mrs. Lopez.

  “The Ladies Bowling tournament of course,” said Gladys, “BaryTown against QuaverCity.”

  “Oh, that one!” said Mrs. Fleetwood, “but it’s in more than a week,” she gave her mother a plate with a quite small piece of cake.

  “Better be safe than sorry,” said Grandma, “that cake is delicious.”

  Mrs. Fleetwood was very happy with the compliment and gave her mother a second portion.

  “We’re going too,” announced James proudly.

  “Are you? What for?” asked Maria.

  “My mum is playing in the team and I am a supporter, of course,” answered James.

  “I’ve never been to a bowling tournament,” said Maria.

  “I have,” said Richard over his plate, “my dad plays sometimes, it’s boring! Who would want to go anyway?”

  “Can you really play, Peter? How interesting!” said Mrs. Fleetwood ignoring Richard’s comment.

  “Anyway we’re not quite ready to go,” said Harrison, “because our bus driver has a broken leg and we haven’t found a replacement yet.”

  “I’m sure things will turn up right,” said Gladys positively.

  “My mum can drive a bus!” exclaimed Maria.

  The company stared at Mrs. Lopez.

  “And a plane!” carried on Maria seriously.

  James and the kids were howling with laughter.

  “Why not a rocket?” asked Richard.

  “Enough children,” said Harrison, then looking seriously at Mrs. Lopez, “can you drive a bus, my dear?”

  One of the parents turned up to collect Stephanie and Oliver. James accompanied them to the front door.

  When James came back, it seemed that the matter was settled.

  Mrs. Lopez was going to drive the mini-bus and Maria was coming as a supporter. As for Richard, he was making a big fuss and complaining because his father didn’t have the weekend off.

  “What is your profession Peter?” asked Gladys.

  “He’s a vet,” grumbled Richard.

  Gladys stood up. “You know that you are very welcome if you can rearrange your schedule,” she said.

  “Absolutely,” said Harrison who was getting ready to leave as well.

  “We’d better take Grandma to bed quickly,” said Olive, “look at her.”

  Grandma had fallen asleep on her chair.

  “Oh dear, I’ll take her home,” said Mrs. Fleetwood.

  “No, no, said Mrs. Lopez, “I can take her.”

  “I’ll go with you then,” said Olive.

  “Harrison and Gladys can come in my car,” proposed Richard’s father.

  “Very kind of you,” answered Harrison who was trying to carry Grandma. “Do you mind giving me a hand?”

  Richard’s father and Harrison pulled, dragged, lifted, and carried Grandma to Mrs. Lopez’s car.

  “She weighs half a tone!” grunted Richard’s father.

  “That’s putting it kindly!” puffed Harrison.

  “She ate like a horse!” said James appreciatively.

  “And drank like a camel!” added Olive.

  “Are we all set?” asked Mrs. Lopez.

  “Just about,” answered Gladys.

  “WAIT!” shouted Mrs. Fleetwood, “you forgot Grandma’s slippers.”

  “And her shawl,” said Maria.

  “And her bag,” said Olive.

  “Off we are now!” trumpeted Mrs. Lopez, “see you all at the bowling tournament!”

  “Yes at the bowling tournament,” said Mrs. Fleetwood waving.

  “By guys!” said James, “see you at the tournament.”

  The two cars slowly pulled off, turned at the end of Pollen Street and disappeared.

  THE END

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