Wood, Wellies And Wilf

The bonfire wood was piled high, the food ready, and everyone was gathered... but what about old Wilf?

- CHRISTIN COLLINS

This one's going to be the biggest one ever, Kim," Drew declared as old wooden chair. He stretched up high, as he piled more wood onto the ever growing bonfire. Kim looked up in awe at her brother. Every year on their nan's farm, Drew started preparing the bonfire weeks in advance.

She heard the voice of her nan from the top of the yard. "Andrew! Not too big now. Don't get too close to Wilf's place." Drew pretended he hadn't heard, but Kim shuddered at the mention of Wilf's name. She was scared of Wilf, although she had never gotten close enough to actually speak with him.

Many years ago her nan had offered Wilf a place to stay when he had gotten into a bit of bother in the village and had nowhere to go. "You can stay in the old railway carriage until you sort yourself out," she'd told him, and he was still there all these years later.

"Don't go worrying old Wilf now," her nan had warned. "He's a grumpy old man and he doesn't like to be bothered." That's the way it had been throughout her childhood. Kim glanced over at the railway carriage.

It was made of wood, with an arched black roof, peeling in places. It had tiny glass windows along the side, and was painted a dirty red colour that matched the doors and shutters of all the outbuildings. There was no electricity or running water in the carriage but he seemed to manage. Wilf did odd jobs for her nan in return for his lodge. He pruned the hedgerows and trees, swept the yard, repaired the fences and did all the outside painting.

Kim often wondered how a railway carriage ended up at the bottom of her Nan's yard, but no one seemed to know.

She turned her attention back to the massive pile of wood standing on a small grassed area not far from the railway carriage. They had always had the bonfire here. Friends and neighbouring farmers were invited, and it had become somewhat of a tradition.