Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:30:48 +0000 From: Jonah Subject: A Letter from America, Chapter two A Letter from America The usual disclaimers apply. No character in this story is a real person, so if you think you spot any resemblance to anybody living or dead, you are in error, however several characters deliberately resemble characters created by another author. All my characters live in England, but, if you want to know more about their American visitors, you can visit the story A Neglected Boy, by Jacob Lion currently serialised by Nifty on the"Gay Adult/Youth" site , or visit https://jacoblion.weebly.com/ Please consider donating to Nifty - keep this site going. http.//donate.nifty.org/donate.html Chapter two:Jonah and Jacob Dear Jacob Harrow, 6th December 2018 Forgive the informal form of address. Our mutual friend the Professor wrote of you in such glowing terms that I feel I know you, and Kori, and Liam already. He obviously thinks very highly of you, and I have learned to trust his judgment in such matters. He asks me to invite you to my humble abode for your forthcoming visit, and I can assure you, it is humble. I would be honoured to offer you hospitality, such as I can. My boys and I don't have much, but you are free of what we do have. We live in a two storey, two bedroom flat above a shop, so you can see that we will be crowded, and, if you feel that you still want to go to the Savoy, I will completely understand. My boys, on the other hand, are really looking forward to meeting Kori and Liam. Both boys were orphaned when their father died a heroes death on duty with the Metropolitan Police. Simon, the eldest, jealously guards the Queen's Posthumous Medal for Gallantry (QPM) which was posthumously presented to his father. I took the boys to Buckingham Palace to recieve it. Although they are both of Indian extraction (their mother was Scottish, but, sadly, the boys never really knew her), they are both Christians and , I have to say, I love them to bits. It was the proudest day of my life when I found that their father had named me as their legal guardian. Anyway, what I am saying is, we can't offer you red carpets and silver service, but we can, and if you let us we will, offer you our sincere friendship, and an English Christmas (perhaps even Carols at Kings College, Cambridge, if you're up for it). Please say yes. Yours Hopefully Jonah Cummings. Dear Jonah Ashfield MA 12/10/18 I am overwhelmed and humbled that you would invite us into your home. However humble you feel that your home is, I have to say the boys and I will be honored. I discussed the holiday with both boys and showed them your letter. Kori and Liam both cried when they read of your friend's death, and of his medal for gallantry. All right, I'll have to 'fess up and say that I did too. The boys are now eagerly looking forward to meeting your boys so, if I even suggested going to the Savoy, I would have a mutiny on my hands. Now to a serious matter. The Savoy does not come cheap. I've done my homework. Did you know that the Savoy hotel was attached to, and had the same owner as the Savoy theatre, which was the first public building in England to be lit by electricity. It was used for the shows of Gilbert and Sullivan, who were as famous over here as they were there, but I've never seen one of their shows. If anybody still does them it'd be nice to take one in. But I'm wandering off the point. The point is, by offering us hospitality, you're saving me a hell of a lot of money, and I know (believe me I know) bringing up boys isn't cheap. I can't let you go paying out for us, and in fact, if you won't be offended, I'd rather it was the other way round. Anyways,we're thinking of coming over on the twenty first, if that's OK, and would stay till the twenty-sixth, if convenient. So Jonah, thank you for the amazing invitation. We are excited to spend the holidays with you, Peter, and Simon Happy Holidays, Jacob, Kori and Liam "Who's Gilbert 'n Sullivan ?" "Somebody whose work I like a lot Peter, They've been dead a long time now, but they wrote musical plays that are very funny. I don't have so much time for them now, 'cos I have other things to do, but I think you'd like them. You've heard me play some of the songs". "A policeman's lot is not a nappy one," sang Simon. "Yes that's right Simon, but you really need to see the whole show" "What did he mean when he said they cried when they read about my father's death?" he demanded. "What did you tell him" "The truth Simon", I replied. "That's what you tell your friends, and Jake and the boys are our friends. I think Kori would like to see your medal". "So where are we going to go?" I could see the boys were excited over this. Well that was good. Apart from the visit to the Palace to recieve Vijay's medal, they hadn't had much to be excited over since they had been with me. I suppose I was excited too. Sometimes I wish I did something exciting like their father did. Designing layouts for advertising brings in the money, but nowhere near enough. I remember being miffed because they awarded the QPM, rather than the George Cross, because the GC carries a £10,000 a year annuity, which would have paid for the boys' schooling, but I would have felt wrong living off the boys. "Jonah?" "Sorry Simon, what did you say?" He rolled his eyes as only a teenager can. "Where are we going to go with Jake and the boys?" Oh yes. "Well we have to meet them on the 21st at Heathrow. Their flight gets in at 0940. We'll take the Piccadilly line up, changing at ActonTown, but we'll bring them back here in a taxi, 'cos I don't fancy taking a lot of luggage on the tube that close to Christmas. I don't know how much they'll want to do after flying all night, but I guess if the boys are anything like you two they'll have plenty of energy. So we'll take the Metropolitan up to Baker Street and take in Madame Tussauds, 'cos I've never taken you boys there and I think they'll like it. We'll need to eat somewhere round there, then we can go explore the West End. Then we'll go and see the lights in Oxford Street and Regent Street before we come back here. On Saturday we'll go down to Westminster Pier and take a boat trip to Greenwich to see the Cutty Sark. We'll get some lunch in Greenwich then go to South Kensington because all boys like to explore the Science Museum and some even like the Natural History museum next door. We'll dine out Saturday night. Sunday morning is Church. I don't know if our guests go to Church in the States, but they might like to come with us to Cannon Lane, 'cos we're bound to sing some carols. We'll need to grab a quick lunch because we're going up to Town again to take in the Matinee of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" at the Old Vic. They should like that, because I'm sure they've heard of Scrooge" "What's Scrooge?" "You mean Who, Peter, not What, and if you've never read or heard of "A Christmas Carol" you're in for a treat" "It's this old miser" "Yes it is Simon, but let's not spoil it for your brother. Anyway Monday is Christmas Eve, and we've got a trip organised" "Yippee! I love trips. Where are we going" Did I mention that Peter can get a tiny bit enthusiastic sometimes? Well he can, and it's one of the things that makes it so great looking after these two adorable boys. Did I mention that Peter can get a tiny bit enthusiastic sometimes? Well he can, and it's one of the things that makes it so great looking after these two adorable boys. "Well we have to get the tube up to King's Cross, to catch the 0942 train to Cambridge. That will get us into Cambridge at about quarter to eleven. You see since 1918 Kings College in Cambridge has held a service of nine lessons and carols every Christmas Eve. It goes out live on TV and radio stations all round the world. Its always popular and you have to book months in advance, and nobody can book more than three tickets, which is a pity because there'll be six of us. Even I couldn't get round that and I was a Cambridge man myself, but my friend the Professor knew the right people to talk to, and he has managed to get six tickets for us. After the service we'll have to catch the train back pretty smartly because the train services start to wind down early on Christmas Eve, and there'll be no trains on Christmas day. Railwaymen like to celebrate Christmas with their families too. Christmas morning it's Church and we'll go to North Harrow, because there isn't a service at Cannon Lane. Us three are cooking Christmas dinner" "So apart fromgoing to Church, what else are we going to do on Christmas Day?" "Simon, I KNEW somebody was going to ask that, and, you know what? I'd have put money on that somebody being you". Pissed off teenager expression. "Once we've had dinner, AND cleared away, including washing up - and I do NOT expect any washer-up to be American - you may have noticed that there are a few presents under the Christmas tree. I dare say there'll be more by Christmas Day. We'd best open them sometime. At three o'clock there'll be the Queen's speech (we did promise a traditional English Christmas), then we can think about getting tea ready. Don't forget Jake and the boys have a plane to catch at 0815 from Heathrow next morning so they might not want a late night." "Are we giving them Christmas presents?" Peter asked. "Yes,I'll give you both some money so that you can get them something. It won't be much,because I haven't got much, but I have a hunch they'll be glad anyway. Now will you two buzz off so that I can get on with some work?"