A NEW FRIENDSHIP

Dressed in her Sunday best and clutching a small bouquet of red roses, Rosie made her way towards St.Mary’s church.  It was a bright sunny November afternoon, a slight chill still hung in the air, the kind where you could still see your breath.  The tree lined avenue she walked down shedding the last of their autumn leaves that came tumbling down to cover the pavement like a golden carpet.  They were crisp, dry and rustled softly underfoot.  As she strolled down the street, Rosie became lost in thoughts of her recently departed grandfather, Mr McKenzie the respected clock maker.

She remembered fondly of the good times when she was a child , visiting her grandfather as he worked in his shop, sitting down next to him as he taught her how to tell the time.  Other times she would simply sit and look on in fascination while he lovingly built his time pieces and she would hand him each part as he required.
‘You make such a good little assistant Rosie,, whatever shall I do when you aren’t here?’ She remembered him saying.
‘Here!’ she exclaimed and held up her small soft bear she often brought with her ‘I shall leave my teddy and he will help you Grandpa.’
She remembered his bright smile at her suggestion and him laughing saying what a good idea it was.  Her inner monologue brought a warm smile to her face until suddenly, most abruptly, she was brought back to the present moment.  Rosie stopped dead in her tracks and gasped as an open topped steam powered motor vehicle sped passed.
The driver honking his horn, waving his fist at her and shouting angrily ‘watch where you are going!’ as he flew by her.
Her face was stricken with horror and her heart pounded with adrenalin as she realised her daydreaming almost got her run over.  She quickly regained composure,, straightened her clothing, looked down into the bouquet of flowers, inhaling their fragrance as some kind of reassurance, then proceeded to cross the road safely towards the old lych gate of the church.

As she approached her grandfathers grave she noticed a curious looking bear was already there talking away to himself.  She came closer and quietly crouched down beside him to lay her flowers, noticing he too had chosen a red rose to lay upon his grave, she wondered if he knew they were her grandfathers favourite flower. 
She heard the bear mutter how kind Mr McKenzie was and replied to him ‘Indeed he was’ and told the bear who she was.  She paused and smiled admiring the beautiful flowers that brightened up the humble grave that only had a wooden cross and brass plaque for the moment, then stood up and spoke some more to the bear who seemed quite familiar to her and then found out why, her grandfather had made him!  He was the bear she used to bring to the shop! She couldn’t believe he had actually created a mechanical bear assistant after all these years and she had no idea but then, over the last couple of years, she had lost touch with her grandfather as she had been so busy with the pharmacy since her father and brother had gone off on an intrepid expedition to the Amazon and was left to cope alone with the business.

The bear paused before turning to leave, Rosie asked him to stay with her.  She didn’t want him wandering the streets alone and she was eager to learn more about the bear and her grandfather. 
‘Do come home with me little bear’ she had urged.  The clockwork bear was happy to accept and with that they both set of out of the church grounds towards home, chatting along the way.

And so it was, a chance encounter became the beginnings of a new friendship.