The Shopkeeper Intended Only One

She thought "I'll just have one, only one little sweet" The Shopkeeper knew having one would lead to a downward spiral of self indulgence from where there was little escape, a wise voice told her no, but a little voice inside kept saying, have only one, working in a old fashioned sweet shop that also sold luxury ice cream, seemed to exacerbate her sweet tooth problem. Slack days were fatal "only one" she thought, looking at the sweet jars in anticipation, this stirred up the taste buds to that climatic desire, as she trundled along the jars "only one, which one I know Strawberry Sherbets, Strawberry Sherbets will last quite a long time so I may get away with just one" deep down she knew it was fatal.

Sucking on the sweet, enjoying its tangy sweetness, a customer comes in

"Can I have a quarter of Sport Mixture" now the thought of those gummy 'Sport Mixtures' triggered off another irresistible desire which had to be fulfilled.

Talking with the sweet in her mouth produce the inevitable remark

"I see you're eating all the profits" wearing her shopkeepers smile she quickly retorted.

"You've got to sample the goods you know"

Customer gone, now was her opportunity to have a gummy Sport Mixture or should she have a softer jelly, but there were so many to choose from, should she go fruity or liquorice. To late in comes another customer, ice cream not one but an order for three.

Scooping the creamy mouth watering luxury ice cream onto the cornets changed our poor shopkeepers mind, money in the till the salutations over, customers walking out through the door. now was her opportunity to indulge again, this time her mind changed to ice cream, So much choice, she pondered over all the different flavours, savouring each in her mind, her decision made 'Thunder and Lighting' this flavour has scrumptious cinder toffee, with streaks of chocolate ripple, running through the rich double jersey ice cream, The Shopkeeper's mouth watered at the thought of the delicious delicacy.

A loud bang, the door crashed open, revealing three obstreperous, noisy children, we want

"Thunder and Lighting" came the demand

"What size"

"Big'ns" they replied in unison.

From past experience The Shopkeeper knew to ask, how much money, have you all got? Opening out their sweaty hands they revealed their coins

" I'm sorry but you only have enough for child portion"

The children's expressions changed more demurely, thus returning a less boisterous retort in unison they uttered

"OK" The ice creams duly served, the children rushed out with happy smiles on their grubby faces.

Our shopkeeper returned to her secret longing and selected a cornet then scooped a very large 'Thunder and Lightening' ice cream the calorie enriched delicacy of sheer opulence, she brought to her mouth, this longed for treat. Then what should happen, only a bus load of pensioners all ambling up to her ice cream counter with their tongues hanging out. What was she going to do with her long for desire, with out thought she quickly laid it on the draining board in her little kitchen propped up against two mugs, she whispered under her breath "you behave your self and don't melt"

Back by the ice cream counter a welcoming smile on her face the shopkeeper started to take orders, Double Jersey, Crushed Strawberry, Death by Chocolate, Raspberry Pavlova, Blackcurrant and Cream, and so it went on her head never raised out of the ice cream cabinet good half hour past and she was still scooping "where are they all coming from" poor shopkeeper wondered. Then relief as the door closed.

"Thank God" rushing into the kitchen to reclaim her desired treasure, just to find a melted sticky mess dripping along the draining board into the sink the soggy cornet all flopped and crumpled.

"Oh blast, isn't that typical", cleaning up the sticky mess she returned to the counter. "I know I'll have a 'Sport Mixture" she lifted down the jar and selected a sweet, when the door opened and in came four loud youths.

"I can see you sampling the goods" she got such a fright dropping the jar the contents spilled out all over the floor, the boys grabbed handfuls of sweets stuffing their pockets.

"That's kind of you but you needn't throw them at us" treading on most, they laughed at her and swaggered out of the shop.

When they had left the poor shopkeeper again cleared up the mess, this time with dust pan and brush tipping the muddied crushed sweeties into the bin, she had just finished when in come an elderly couple, smiling to her the lady said.

"Isn't that nice seeing the old fashioned sweets all in jars" the shopkeeper smiled sweetly.

"Let me see, ah' I know Sport Mixture now where are they" The Shopkeeper smiled.

"I am so sorry but we have just sold out" the couple browsed some more then the man spoke up again.

"I know, Poor Ben's" The Shopkeeper carefully lifted the jar down and weighed the sweets out, wrapping up the sweets she handed them over and took the money with a smile and said.

"Yes, the old sweets are the best" the couple slowly walked out looking at the various other chocolates and gifts for sale.

Now finally on her own what could she eat, she licked her lips in anticipation and drooled over the chocolate bars. 'Milky Ways' are not quite so fattening or should I have a 'Mars Bar' they are very rich and sweet, the bars of fudge lay tempting on the shelf her eyes caught sight of them they were very thick and heavy, it had been along time since she had eaten one her mind made up she discreetly slipped a bar into her pocket. By now her mouth drooled as she thought about the sweet taste, then turning round she saw on her counter in a jar shinning like billiard balls the large 'American Gobstopper' just asking to be sampled. The Shopkeeper took the lid off the jar popped one of the gob stoppers in her pocket why not put another one in her other pocket so both pockets bulging with gobstoppers and the creamy fudge bar, The Shopkeeper thought "a sit down would be nice and I can secretly indulge".

Just then the door flew open, two masked men rushed in barged up to the counter holding menacing weapons in their hands a gun and knife the poor shopkeeper was taken by surprise.Thinking it was the young teenage boys that were in earlier, she yelled at the thugs knocking them off guard, in her pocket she could feel the giant gobstoppers, without thought, she threw the cricket ball sized gobstopper at the heads of her intruders, with the force of any fast bowler, poor Freddie Truman, England's famous fast bowler, must have turned in his grave. The intruders crashed to the floor banging their heads on the counter as they fell, to lie motionless with blood dripping from their heads. The quick thinking shopkeeper kicked the knife across the floor and collared the gun then grabbing the phone with her free hand she dialled 999.

The Shopkeeper had often dreamed of dialling 999 and here she was really doing it her heart thudding in her chest, at long last the call was answered as the thieves were stirring, using the butt of her gun she bashed their heads again, told the police her shop had been invaded by armed robbers, explaining where the shop was, they told her they were on their way.

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Five minutes later sirens screaming, lights flashing the police arrived armed and wearing their bullet proof vests they quickly surrounded the shop.

Then the army of police crash through the door, the armed police stopped stock still in shocked amazement. Finding the now unarmed thieves sitting rubbing their blood splattered heads with glazed looks on their dazed faces.

The Shopkeeper chewing on a bar of clotted cream fudge, smiled up at the police and said these fudge bars are delicious only £1.10p a bar.