Window Shopping

Met Elaine in Ilkley and we had a quick walk around in the rain.
Saw this painted window fronting a soft furnishing shop so that’s my abstract.
Saw the charity shop l want to take Mr P’s things to was trading again.
Spoke to the assistant whose face l knew but couldn’t place .
She told me that they need to keep things three days before touching them and that first thing on a morning is the best time to drop things off.
Will need a few trips as l have 14 bin bags currently residing in the on suite.
The last bag l filled contained his Santa boots.
Last week l had been sorting out the shed and came across them in a carrier bag along with two pillows and a thick black leather belt with a big brass buckle. Finding them did bring a lump to my throat.
For over ten years Mr P was Santa at the primary school where  l taught.
He was also Santa at the school where my daughter was a teacher.
He was very popular because he talked to the children ( previous ones had been too nervous when faced with 600:children to do anything other than a Ho Ho Ho.) not Mr P, he sometimes got so carried away in the role l had to nearly drag him away. After meeting all the school he then went to every classroom to give out the presents, It took a full day. 
He wasn’t satisfied with the boots that went with the outfit so bought himself a pair that he thought were more authentic. Because he was always slim he had to be well padded with the pillows under the Santa suit and they were held in place with his leather belt.
In recent years he shouldn’t have been doing the role because he had a very compromised immune system ( and schools are full of germs) but no matter how much l nattered him he wouldn’t stop because he loved doing it so much,
When he died l got lots of cards and messages saying he would always be remembered as a wonderful Santa.
So if any aspiring Santa’s are shopping in Ilkley next week the boots are there waiting. I’m keeping the belt.

Later l remembered who the assistant from the charity shop was - she went to the same Zumba class as me, obviously we didn’t recognise each other with our proper clothes on :-)