Christmas Fun for Billy and Kitty

By Martin Gleeson

Billy lived in a big house at the edge of the town. He was eight years old. His Dad drove him to school every day and he loved playing with his school-friends during the lunch breaks. However there were no boys of his own age living near him.

Christmas Day was only four days away. Billy was on school holidays and he wished he had friends to play with. He would have liked if his Dad was not always so busy at work. He had written to Santa for a bicyle for Christmas and he was looking forward to Christmas Day.

Billy saw a furniture van stop outside the empty house next door. He watched the men bringing in furniture. He wished a boy of his own age would move into this house.

Later the new owners arrived in their car. They had a little girl and a gold coloured dog. Billy would have preferred to have a boy living next door.

The next day Billy’s Mum invited the new lady living next door and her daughter in for tea. The little girl’s name was Kitty.

‘We’re delighted that Kitty has a boy of her own age living next door,’ the new neighbour said to Billy’s Mum. Billy and Kitty looked down at the floor and did not speak to one another. When her Mum was not looking, Kitty stuck out her tongue at Billy!

After dinner Kitty played with her dog in her back garden. She kept calling the dog Snoopy. Billy watched them from his bedroom window.

The next day Billy was kicking his football against the wall in his front garden. Kitty watched from behind the fence.

‘Why are you spying on me?’ asked Billy.

‘I am not spying on you, Smartypants,’ replied Kitty. ‘A cat can look at the queen.’

‘I’m getting a new bike from Santa Claus,’ said Billy.

‘Santa will probably leave you a lump of coal,’ said Kitty, ‘but I’m getting a new computer game.’

‘I’m ten years old,’ lied Billy, ‘and I have lots of model airplanes in my bedroom.’

‘I’m twelve years old,’ lied Kitty, ‘and I have my own bloodhound.’

The next day was Christmas Eve. Billy’s Mum said to him, ’Billy, take this ten Euro note.  Call for Kitty next door and go to the corner shop. Buy a cream muffin for yourself and one for Kitty.  It will help you to get to know one another.’

Billy called for Kitty and they walked to the corner shop without speaking. Kitty’s dog followed them. There were Christmas lights all over the shop. Billy bought two cream muffins and handed one to Kitty. They started eating them on their way home. When Billy dropped his muffin on the footpath, Kitty’s dog licked off the cream.

‘Your horrible dog has ruined my cream muffin,’ cried Billy.

‘He’s only a dog, what do you expect him to do?’ replied Kitty, and they walked back home without saying another word.

Billy found it hard to sleep on Christmas Eve night, but the following morning he was not disappointed. There in his bedroom was a shining new bicycle!

Billy wanted to go out cycling before his breakfast but his Mum made him wait.He then spent the morning cycling around the road enjoying his lovely new bike.

Later Billy’s Mum called him in for his Christmas dinner. Billy’s eyes widened when he saw the big roasted turkey on the table, and he enjoyed it so much he asked for seconds. He also drank lots of lemonade. This was followed by wonderful jelly and trifle.

When the lovely Christmas dinner was over, Billy’s Mum said: ‘Billy, get on your bike and bring some turkey dinner to poor old Tommy. Don’t forget to lock your bike when you’re in his house. Some of Tommy’s neighbours are not nice people.’

Billy took the wrapped-up food and cycled to Tommy’s house. He looked with wonder at all the Christmas trees and coloured lights in the houses he passed. Inside Tommy’s house, Tommy wished him and his parents a Happy Christmas.

Then, when Billy left, he got a terrible fright. His new bike was gone!  He had forgotten to lock it and someone had stolen it on Christmas Day of all days.

When Billy reached his home, Kitty was standing at his front gate.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked him.

‘Someone has stolen my new bike,’ he cried, ‘I forgot to lock it when I called to visit old Tommy.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Kitty, ‘My Snoopy will help you find it.’ She called her dog.

‘Find Billy’s bike, Snoopy,’ she said, and they followed the dog as he went back to Tommy’s house.  Snoopy then went sniffing along the road until they turned a corner, and there ahead of them were three boys.  One was sitting on Billy’s bike!

‘That’s my bike,’ cried Billy, but the boys raised their fists and shouted;’Get lost,you little scut.’

Immediately Snoopy barked and snarled viciously at the three boys.  They ran away, leaving Billy’s bike behind.

Picking up his bike, Billy walked home beside Kitty and her dog.He was so happy to get his new bike back.

‘Your Snoopy is a great dog,’ he said.

‘I told you so,’ said Kitty.

‘If my mother finds out I did not lock my bike she will be very annoyed,’ said Billy, ‘Will you tell her?’

‘Of course I won’t’ said Kitty, ‘I’m not a snitch.’

As they walked, Kitty said:’By the way Billy, I’m eight years old.’

‘And I’m eight as well, Kitty’ said Billy, and he gave her a big hug.

When they reached their houses, Kitty said:’Billy, why don’t you come into my house and we can play with my new computer game. It will be fun.’

And that is what they did.

Kitty and Billy had a great time playing together, enjoying their best Christmas ever.

- Total nr. of readings: 5,045 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.