The Voice Issue 7, Summer 2013 | Page 35

ROSIE’S CASHMERE SCARF By Len A. Hynds The moment young Rosie, my mistress tore open the Christmas parcel and we saw each other for the first time, it was love at first sight. A fair haired six year old with golden hair and blue eyes, rosy cheeks with dimples, and as she pressed her face into my warmth I was completely lost. I heard her mum say that I was a special cashmere scarf, my fine hairs cherished by generations in a part of China called Alashan. I remember being taken by Ox cart to the coast and sold to an American Scarf maker, and taken there where I was made into a scarf. I hated the long sea voyage in that box to England, where I was bought by Rosie’s mum. I wrapped myself round Rosie everyday in the winter, tenderly looking after my mistress, but yesterday on the way home from school, some horrid boys were throwing snowballs and one stuck to me. I became loose, and fell to the ground completely unnoticed, being kicked aside by the following boys. It snowed that night and I was nearly covered completely but during the night a torch shone down at me, and I was pulled from beneath the snow by the policeman who I had seen many times guiding children across the road outside the school. I was too full of snow to be put through our letter box, so he tied me to the knocker. I saw him write a note which went into the letter box which read, “Dear Rosie, I found this little varmint crying in the snow. He’s outside on the knocker and needs warming up. See you next week when I’m back on days, PC 509 Williams”. Aren’t your policemen wonderful? I was afraid that the icy water would seep through me onto her neck and I tried to shake it loose. Instead, Summer 2013 | THE VOICE 35