The Telephone That Talked by Declan Harney

Now for something different!

The Telephone That Talked is one of the stories in a book called The Shop That Sold Wishes and Magic by Declan Harney.

It is featured on the Tales4All website in its 'Storytime Corner' http://www.tales4all.co.uk/storytimecorner/

You can listen here: http://youtu.be/A1nt3YUQ61k

This story is called ‘The Telephone that Talked.’ Now if you are like me, you sometimes find yourselves talking to inanimate objects, especially if they are frustrating you, well this story will make you think because the telephone talks back!

However, I am getting ahead of myself. In a small village there is an antiques shop owned by a lady called Mary. This shop is mysterious because, with every purchase you make, you sometimes get a novelty gift, one you don’t find out about until afterwards.

Living in the same village is Miss Grimshaw, she’s the sort of ‘good soul’ who can always be relied upon to help in an emergency, bake cakes, child mind, and who never chases anyone for payment. Everyone uses her, but no one cares about her, and therefore, she’s so lonely, sometimes she goes shopping just to see somebody...

One day Miss Grimshaw goes into the antiques shop, she cannot remember ever having gone in before, however Mary seems to know her. She persuades her to take an old Candlestick Telephone, and when she asks how much it is, she receives an unusual reply.

Back home, Miss Grimshaw plugs the phone in, however, no one calls, next time she goes out, people give her strange glances, poor Miss Grimshaw cannot understand why.

However, when she finds out she discovers something truly magical has happened and her life is changed forever.

I loved listening to this slightly creepy story, and am intrigued to find out about the others, in this book.