Stories · Curiosities · Questionable Ideas · Rather a Lot of Imagination · Farah Sam · Author & Creator ·
Hello. I am Max Sparkly. My sister and I have just arrived on the Pickleberry Choo Choo.
Arrival In Pickleberry Falls.
Friends. I am glad you are here.
I am quite good at being on time. I think it is a very sensible thing to be good at. Tilly, my sister, says it is not exciting, but I do not agree.
Every summer, Tilly and I go from the city to Pickleberry Falls to stay with Granny Maple.
We arrive on the Pickleberry Choo Choo. It makes a very confident clattering sound as it comes into the station. I always wait until it has stopped completely before I move. This seems the proper thing to do.
Tilly never waits. She waves out of the window long before the train has even stopped properly. I find this rather alarming, but she does it every time.
When we step onto the platform, Granny Maple is there.
She looks exactly the same as always — bright, cheerful, and as though she has been waiting for us. Sir Bark-A-Lot is beside her, busy with his official greeting duties. He wags his tail, checks the luggage, and makes sure everything is in order.
It is a very proper reunion.
Tilly runs straight to Granny Maple and begins talking at once. I do not interrupt. It would be no use, as she does not pause for breath.
Granny Maple opens her arms.
And at once, everything feels right again — as though summer has properly begun.
This is Pickleberry Falls.
Let me introduce things properly.
Pickleberry Falls is a small village surrounded by rolling hills, twisty lanes, and a gentle river that runs behind Granny Maple’s house. It is a very peaceful place, though something rather interesting always seems to happen there.
We spend our days cycling around Pickleberry Falls.
The village centre has everything we need. There is the bakery with its warm smell, the sweet shop with shining jars, and the post office where the little bell rings all the time.
There is also the flower shop, where flowers spill onto the pavement, and the bookshop with its dusty window that always looks like it is hiding secrets.
Tilly says this is the most important part of Pickleberry Falls, because everything passes through here. I think she might be right, though I do not tell her straight away.
Granny slows down as we pass, just to check everything is as it should be.
Sir Bark-A-Lot trots along as though he is in charge of the whole street.
It feels very ordinary.
Which usually means something interesting is about to happen.
Mr. Crumble's Bakery
We pass Mr. Crumble’s Bakery when we cycle through the village.
It always smells warm, as though something has just come out of the oven. It makes it quite difficult to keep riding sometimes.
Mr. Crumble usually appears at the door with flour on his hands, looking very busy, as though baking is a serious business.
Tilly always says we should stop. Granny Maple always says “just for a moment.” I think those two ideas usually lead to the same result.
Sir Bark-A-Lot sits very still outside the shop, as though he is waiting for something extremely important to happen.
Miss Petal’s Flower Shop of Sorts
We pass Miss Petal’s Very Proper Florist when we cycle through the village.
The flowers are always spilling out onto the pavement as though they cannot quite stay inside. Miss Petal usually stands in the doorway arranging them again, even though they look perfectly fine to me already.
She always looks very serious about flowers, which I find quite interesting, because flowers do not seem like serious things.
Tilly says it is her favourite shop because everything smells different all at once. Granny Maple always says we should not touch anything unless we are careful. Sir Bark-A-Lot tries to inspect the baskets, but Miss Petal does not seem to approve of this.
Mrs Lee’s Pickleberry Bookshop
We pass Mrs Lee’s Pickleberry Bookshop when we cycle through the village.
The window is always slightly dusty, which makes it look as though the stories inside are waiting quietly to be chosen.
Inside, there are books stacked in careful piles, and sometimes Mrs Lee is seen sorting them as though each one is very important indeed.
Tilly always slows down here. She says it is because she is “just looking,” but I think she is usually planning which book she might accidentally need.
Granny Maple says books are best chosen slowly. Sir Bark-A-Lot sits outside as though he is guarding the entrance, although I am not entirely sure from what.
It feels like a very quiet sort of place.
But in Pickleberry, quiet places often turn out to be the most interesting.
Mr Higgins of Pickleberry Post Office
We often see Mr Higgins the Postman when we are cycling through Pickleberry.
He is always very busy, with a large bag full of letters that seems to get heavier the longer he carries it. I am not entirely sure how that works, but it does seem to. He knows everyone in the village, and everyone seems to know him, which makes the post office feel like an important place.
Tilly says he probably knows all the secrets in Pickleberry, which I think is a rather curious idea.
Sir Bark-A-Lot always tries to inspect the postbag, but Mr Higgins never seems to allow it, which is probably sensible.
He always gives a little wave as we pass, before hurrying off again to the next letter. It feels like the whole village depends on him, even when nothing very exciting is happening.
Mr Moyo and the Pickleberry Pharmacy
We sometimes pass Mr Moyo the Pharmacist when we are cycling through the village. His shop smells faintly of something very clean and very organised, which makes it feel quite different from the bakery next door.
Mr Moyo himself is always very calm. He moves about as though everything has its proper place, and nothing is ever out of order for very long.
Tilly says he probably knows all about every cough and sniffle in Pickleberry. I think she might be right, although I do not say so too loudly.
Granny Maple always nods politely when we pass, as though Mr Moyo is an important part of keeping the village in order. Sir Bark-A-Lot behaves very sensibly outside this shop, which I find rather interesting.
It feels like a very quiet and proper sort of place. The sort of place where nothing is ever in a hurry.
Mrs. Butterworth and The Cake Shop
We pass Mrs Butterworth’s Cake Shop when we cycle through the village. The smell from inside is always extremely strong in a very pleasant way, as though something sweet has just come out of the oven and is still thinking about it.
Mrs Butterworth herself is usually busy behind the counter, arranging cakes very carefully, even though they already look rather perfect to me. There are always rows of sponge cakes, iced buns, and little tarts that seem far too neat to be eaten at all.
Tilly says this is the most important shop in Pickleberry, which I think she says about quite a lot of places. Granny Maple always slows down here, just to “have a proper look,” which usually leads to a small purchase. Sir Bark-A-Lot sits outside in a very patient manner, as though he is waiting for something extremely important to fall.
It feels like a very cheerful sort of place. The kind of place where it would be quite easy to stay longer than planned.
Mrs Daloway and the Laundry Shop
We pass Mrs Daloway’s Laundry Shop when we cycle through the village.
It always smells very clean outside, but the inside never quite looks the same.
Mrs Daloway is usually in a bit of a muddle, with clothes everywhere and baskets that seem to be in the wrong places. She is always busy trying to sort things out.
Tilly says it is because laundry never behaves itself. I think she might be right.
Granny Maple says it is still an important shop, even if it does not always look tidy.
Sir Bark-A-Lot sits outside watching very carefully, as though he is waiting for order to be restored.
It feels like a very busy sort of place.
The Grocer
We often pass the Grocers when we cycle through the village.
It is run by a husband and wife team, who are always very busy arranging boxes and baskets outside the shop. The shop has everything you can think of, all in slightly different shapes and sizes, which I find quite interesting.
Tilly says it is the most useful shop in Pickleberry Falls, because you can get almost anything there if you look properly.The Grocers always say hello when we pass, even if they are carrying something very heavy at the same time.
Granny Maple sometimes stops here for small things that turn into slightly bigger things.
Sir Bark-A-Lot sits very still outside, as though he is checking that everything is in order.
It feels like a very practical sort of place.
Everything here seems to have a purpose.
The Doctor
We pass Dr Bell’s surgery when we cycle through the village.
Her surgery has a small waiting room with chairs lined up neatly, and a few old magazines that Tilly always looks through. Dr Bell usually comes to the door herself if she sees us passing. She gives a little wave, as though she is making sure everything in the village is alright. Tilly says she probably knows when people are unwell before they even arrive, which I think is a rather curious idea.
Granny Maple always smiles and says hello properly, as she knows Dr Bell is very important. Sir Bark-A-Lot sits very still outside, as though he is behaving well in case medical attention is required. It feels like a very safe sort of place.
Nothing ever seems too worrying when Dr Bell is nearby.
