Bouncy was a large, red, rubber ball. He stood in the center of a toy shop window. Bouncy was the best ball in the shop; he was made of real rubber. The other balls were only plastic. Children pressed their noses against the window and wished the ball belonged to them. Bouncy watched them. He hoped that a happy boy or girl would buy him.
One day he was spotted by a bright faced gypsy boy.
"Mum," he shouted to a pretty, dark-haired woman, "please buy me that red, rubber ball."
The mother kissed her son and said, "Sorry, Sandy, it's a lovely ball but I don't have enough pennies to buy it." Taking her son's hand she led the sad Sandy away.
What a pity, thought Bouncy, I liked Sandy; I would have enjoyed playing with him.
Later that day, a fat, grumpy-looking boy, stuffing sweet after sweet into his mouth, made nasty faces at Bouncy. He was with his mother, a rich lady, whose handbag was full of money.
"Ma, Ma, I want that red, rubber ball. Buy me it."
"No, Cedric, I won't buy it. Your nursery is full of balls you don't play with."
Cedric started to cry, and bawled, "You're not fair! I want that ball or I'll cry all day."
Mrs Highnose, which was Cedric's mother's name, sighed.
"Dry your tears darling; we'll buy that rubber ball."
To Bouncy's dismay, Mrs Highnose marched into the shop and bought him. Bouncy was pushed into a bag and handed to the nasty Cedric. Mrs Highnose had her car outside and soon Bouncy was being driven to his new home. Cedric held Bouncy on his lap and all the way home he kept punching him. I'm glad that I'm made of rubber, thought Bouncy, otherwise Cedric would be hurting me.
Mrs Highnose lived in a big house that stood alone at the top of a steep hill. It had a garden with a high stone wall.
Arriving home Cedric said, "Ma, Ma, I'm going to play with my ball."
His mother replied, "Very well, Cedric," and she entered the house leaving Bouncy alone with Cedric.
"Let's see you bounce ball," smirked Cedric. He threw Bouncy with all his strength against the garden wall. Bouncy hit the wall hard, sprang back and bounced as far as he could away from his tormentor. Cedric, being fat and lazy, hated walking far to collect his ball.
"I hate you, ball! You bounce too far." Again he threw Bouncy against the wall. This time Bouncy made sure he travelled a greater distance. This made Cedric angry. From his pocket he produced a knife.
"I'll soon take the bounce out of you, ball," muttered Cedric. He threw Bouncy up in the air, and as he fell, tried to pierce him with his knife. The fat boy moved too slowly and he missed. He tried once more and this time scratched Bouncy.
"Got you!" grinned Cedric. He chucked the worried ball, once more, in the air. His unwilling victim swerved, avoided the blade and rolled under a bush to hide. The cruel boy soon found him.
"Ha, Ha, this time I'll cut you in half." For the third time Bouncy was in the air. The evil Cedric waited with his knife below. Bouncy had to escape or be destroyed. Luck was with him. A breeze blew him towards the garden wall. Bouncy, with one high leap, soared over the wall to freedom. Bouncy bumped, bounced and rolled down to the foot of the hill, where he splashed into a dirty puddle. Cedric was too lazy to look for his ball; he went into the house and said nothing to his mother; that he had lost his expensive new ball.
The pretty gypsy lady and Sandy were walking home past the bottom of the hill. Sandy noticed Bouncy floating in the muddy pool and picked him up.
"Look Mum! I've found a ball like the one we saw in the shop window; it's dirty and scratched, otherwise it is the same. Please, Mum, can I keep it?"
"It's rolled from that big house, Sandy. We'll ask them if they've lost it and if they haven't, you can keep it."
A downcast Sandy asked, "Mum, do we have to ask them?"
"Sandy, I don't take what belongs to others. We'll climb the hill and ask."
Mrs Highnose had few friends and she hated gypsies. When she saw Sandy and his Mum, she spoke sharply:
"I don't want my fortune told and I don't give money to gypsies."
Sandy's mother smiled; she was used to rude people.
"My boy found this ball, bottom of the hill. Thought perhaps one of your young 'uns lost it."
Mrs Highnose peered down her nose at Bouncy. "What makes you think a child of mine would own such a disgusting, scratched, ball? It's not ours! Away with you!" She then shut the door in a bad-tempered way.
Sandy's mum was not upset, she smiled at her son and said, "It looks like the ball's yours Sandy."
"Whoopee!" shouted Sandy. He threw the ball at his Mum and said, "Come on, catch."
Running, laughing and skipping, they played a merry game of catch all the way to their caravan home. Bouncy was happy and content. He had escaped from Cedric and he looked forward to having lots of fun with his new friend Sandy.
Philip's Army is now available in Paperback and Kindle formats.
ISBN-10: 1479242624
ISBN-13: 978-1479242627
Chapter One The War Council can be read for free here.
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