A Letter from Father
Peter and Sarah jumped out quickly from the horse carriage.
London's sky seemed bluer than ever for Springtime had returned to England again and flowers were bloomed everywhere while most of the trees turned leaving the cold of Wintertime.
Peter and Sarah walked with their mother to the Post Office to pick their father’s letter.
The day felt warm as the soft afternoon sun rays fell over the city.
Everything around London seemed bright and lively. People crossed the streets from sidewalk to sidewalk while horse carriages trotted rapidly; their hooves clacking noisily London’s cobblestone streets.
The children, holding to their mother’s hands, went from the sidewalk up to the postal service inside London’s Library. Peter climbed the stairs in quick steps in front of his mother and sister getting to the door before them.
Taller than his sister, and most boys his age, he looked a bit slim while Sarah seemed perhaps a bit plum; her reddish hair and hazel eyes put her on her mother’s side. Peter seven just a few weeks ago, attended second grade while Sarah went to first grade for sounds and letters for six-year-olds. Both enjoy books and their parents reading bedtime stories for them.
Peter wore his favorite beige shorts today; his blue wool sweater and his dark shoes. His straight hair fell from his head straight to one side. I take after father, he proudly would say, if anybody asked.
Sarah in her white flowered dress and pink shoes ran after her brother going for the door. Her round face and grayish eyes came from her mother’s side, she loved to say as well.
Peter got to the door before his mother and sister and opened it. The two children and their mother entered the old postal building to pick up their father’s letter. The building’s heavy, dark oak door protected by tall columns faced the busiest London’s street.
Inside the postal services office, the old mail clerk, Mr. Bernard, sorted letters amongst other clerks like himself. They handed and sorted letters when the Carnehill family walked in looking for their letters. Peter and Sarah curiously glanced around as Mr. Bernard, a man of white hair and of ruddy cheeks looking a bit like Santa indeed said hello. Peter told his sister who looked like in a whisper and they giggled.
“He has puffy red cheeks and white hair and glasses like Papa Noel,” Sarah said, and both giggled again. Mr. Bernard lifted his eyes and cheerfully greeted the family. He welcomed Mrs. Carnerhill and her children; the family of Mr. Maxwel Carnerhill, the English Ambassador in Egypt, he remembered.
"Good morning Mrs. Carnerhill,” he said for he knew the family well for over a year when the Honorable Ambassador went to Egypt.
He lowered his blue, watery and sleepy eyes and pushed up the thick glasses perched on his nose, and said saying good morning to Peter and Sarah, greeting them also.
"Good afternoon Mr. Bernard," Mrs. Carnerhill replied politely and she asked her children to greet Mr. Bernard too. And both children cheerfully said, “good afternoon to you Mr. Bernard”.
"Oh, please call me Ber. I never like this old and silly French name, he said, and he winked an eye and flared his nostrils to the children and grinned to them while doing his trick.
“He can flare his nostrils like a dragon! Peter whispered softly to Sarah. They giggled together but Peter remained perfectly still, straight and looking at the old man’s nose; his slim frame like in military attention.
“Please do it again, Mr. Bernard,” asked Peter as he pressed is hair perfectly cut and combed to one side.
"Can you do this like me? Mr. Bernard asked Peter, then asked Sarah flaring his nostrils like tiny wings. He smiled and fixed his skyblue eyes on Peter and on Sarah this time. Sarah hid behind her mother's skirt a bit shy perhaps, but soon she pushed her head sideways to see the old Mr. Bernard’s flaring nostrils. Mr. Bernard flared his nostrils again gazing and wiggling at her.
"How about you Peter? Can you flare your nostrils like this? Pretend to be a friendly dragon, puffing balls of fire like in the old tales from Marlin the Wizard,” he asked with a warm smile. The Children giggled again watching Mr. Bernard nostrils flaring up like the nose of a camel.
“Just pretend to be a flying dragon and flare your nose. Just twitch your nose,” Mr. Bernard said with a grin on his friendly face looking like Santa Claus with glassed on his nose.
Peter tried hard. His nostrils never moved a twitch. He even pulled an earlobe to help himself a bit as the clerk suggested. But his nostrils never flared like Mr. Bernard's nostrils did. He could wiggle his nose and could twitch it like a honey-smelling-bear miles away, he said grinning to the children.
"You have to practice a lot more.” Mr. Bernard said, and his eyes under his bushy, grayish eyebrows growing over his thick glasses grew even bigger.
“Oh, don’t worry children I've practiced for sixty-five years long. It is only now I can twitch my nose like this and flare my nostrils like that. “Don’t be disappointed for practice, practice makes the master, my dear,” he said grinning and showing his teeth behind a thick white mustache.
A canopy of white hair over his lips gave him the looks of Santa Clause’s face with an untrimmed mustache and puffy red cheeks. His nose trick delighted the children and they laughed and giggled. He wiggled it once more for them. He saw them smile again and then, he stopped his nose tricks and stood up.
He then walked a few feet behind his desk, looked up and pulled a letter from the wall. A wall looking like a giant beehive with many holes; big holes that enough to fit squirrels in them, Peter thought, but of course, only letters filled the squares on the wall and Mr. Bernard reached for a yellow, paper envelope. He read the name on it and handed the letter to Mrs. Carnerhill. It was for her; from her husband.
It came from the Ambassador to Egypt. The stamp on its backflip read in pencil markings, Cairo, Egypt 1864 Year of the Lord. Sender: Honorable Maxwell Carnerhill, Ambassador for the Royal Kingdom of England, Mr. Bernard reads aloud for the delight of the children.
“My mom is going to take us all to Egypt,” Peter said with a glow sparkling in his eyes. His voice is lively as he never sounded ever before.
“That's a long, long way from London,“ Mr. Bernard said.
"I'm going with my mom and Peter too,” Sarah's voice sounded happy saying that. Her grayish glowing gleeful eyes locked on Mr. Bernard’s eyes.
“We're going to visit our father in Egypt. We’re going to ride a camel too,“ Peter added.
“Me too,” Sarah said.
“How wonderful for you two children, “Mr. Bernard said. The old man’s eyes looking at them. He smiled and said.
“Uhmm, how wonderful, I would give a million pounds to travel if I were a rich man and see Egypt with you. And go to see the pyramids! “Ride on a camel as a king!
The old man said. Mr. Bernard’s eyes wandered into space. For a second, perhaps imagining himself with the children.
"Children we must go now, "Mrs. Carnerhill said.
She thanked the postal clerk ready to turn around on her heels for the door, but then Mr. Bernard called out the children’s names saying, “Ahh, Peter and Sarah, do you know Egypt is far from England?
Maybe thousands of miles you’re going to sail. Do you know that?
And do you know Egypt had many Pharaohs like kings in Spain and Queens in England? And do you know that one of them was a child like you only?
Both children stop in their way out and listened to the old postal clerk speaking to them.
“And of course,” he added, “Egypt is the land of old pyramids too! And one cannot forget the river, the Nile! The longest of all rivers in the world! And it’s there in Egypt for you to see! He went on. "Do you know there are Oasis of freshwater in the middle of nowhere? Palm trees grow around small ponds, do you know that? People and camels go there to drink water and rest under the trees in the middle of the desert. Oh, children! Children! How wonderful for you to go!
“We're going to sail on the Castle One, it’s the new ship of the royal company! Peter said with more excitement about the English ship.
"Many days you’re going to sail for sure," the old clerk Mr. Bernard replied.
“But it’s the fastest ship, very fast and it’s going to take us no more than a month to Egypt, that's what father says, “Peter quickly replied also standing taller than most seven years olds. His long legs seemed growing faster than most kids his age under his shorts.
"Ahh...Peter, your father has informed you well. Now pay attention.
Many camels you’re going to see in Egypt. But be aware for there is one that is very special! Yes, sir!
“He wanders everywhere and runs great distances from here to there any moment! He might be very close to you at any time, ahh, but you cannot see even he is very near there, Mr. Bernard said fixing is eyes filled with wonder on Sarah then on Peter too.
"I would like to see that camel! And ride on its back, “Peter said almost in a shout of excitement.
"Me too, "Sarah dared to say in her tiny voice. Her hazel eyes sparkled on her face adorned with tiny freckles like stars like glitter on her rosy cheeks.
"Ahh, very well Sarah you’re brave also. Soon, I'm sure you two are going to ride a camel indeed. But, did your father tell you about the most mysterious of all camels in the desert? The one nobody but only children? The old mail clerk asked the kids in a whisper like in secrecy. He pinched softly Sarah's pinkish cheek and ruffled Peter’s hair gently with one hand.
"No, but all camels are especial, father says," said Sarah timidly.
"He’s right dear Sarah. They all walk long, long distances in the desert, and don’t drink water for days and are loyal to their Masters. But children tell me did you ever hear of the White Talking Camel?
"No, never, “Peter said with wide eyes and his mind traveled like the wind; his imagination flew like desert sands in an instant. A White Talking Camel wow! He asked himself aloud.
“It's the most handsome of all the camels; he’s strong and tall and grace he trots lifting his snout with pride as he steps over the sands like a General for Royal Armies.”
“Wow, is it very, very tall?
“He is tall enough to see all around him, and believe me, this camel wanders through the desert and only children can see him! But hear this too now.
Only children who are kind and brave can see him, they say! Only children who are of good heart can ride on its back! Mr. Bernard said smiling.
“Like Richard the Lion King a brave warrior, father says.” “and kind as well, children, kind as well remember that.”
“Can he bite me? Sarah asked.
"Ahh, no...he’s nothing like other camels for he’s tamed and kind with children.”
“Well, let me tell you about him. This camel wanders through the desert. And only children can see it! Hear this. Only children who believe can see him, they say! Only children especially children can ride on its back! Mr. Bernard said smiling. “Oh… that is the White Talking Camel indeed! He’s the one camel, only children can ride on its back, the story says! The old man repeated again.
"Pay attention children and listen,” Mr. Bernard said.