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Jo-Anne Dixon. Coin Cousins
Imprint. All rights of distribution, also by film, radio, television, photomechanical reproduction, sound carrier, electronic media and reprint in extracts, are reserved by the publisher. The author is responsible for the content and correction © 2021 united p. c. publisher. ISBN Printed Edition: 978-3-7103-4920-1
Coin Cousins. The Royal Mint. Adventures. BEGIN!! Chapter 1. This is it, oh my goodness THIS IS IT!!!!! … Penelope (Penny to her friends) screeched as she and thousands of 1p pieces hurtled out of the striking machine into a HUGE!! Barrel. Penny couldn’t believe how lucky she was. Shiny new and ready for adventure. She wore the prettiest bright yellow pinafore and white trainers, with her beautiful bright 1p piece in the centre slot of her chest. Her bright red hair tied up in a ponytail. Excitement bubbled through her like fizzy pop. Her silver glasses glinting against the vast glittering, brand new 1p pieces stricken with Penny. Everyone chattering about where they hoped to be going. Who they were going with and what lay ahead for them once they got out of the Royal Mint. The stories she had heard while waiting in the blanks pile made her jittery with anticipation. Some of the new 1p pieces were recycled they had told EVERY ONE of the adventures that lay ahead. They told stories of fairground rides, castles, beautiful gardens, giant toy shops and things that made Penny giddy and impatient. They were told what to be careful of and just how lucky they were that they had been chosen to become one of the Queens coins. Penny, could burst with excitement. She had listened to the stories for what had felt like forever and just wanted to get started on her travels around the UK … no THE WORLD!!!
Penny along with her friends, had been stricken with their seal they were washed, polished and looking fabulous. Better than she could have ever imagined ‘Here we goooooooooooo’ … she screeched ‘Yahooooooooo’ The journey began, the excitement and anticipation in the barrel was infectious. Chatter from almost every coin joined into one long hum. Noise surrounded her like a warm cuddle. The recycled pennies stories of being washed in washing machines, stuck in bottles and being taken to arcades near the sea to play in machines. Worries of humans who picked their nose and rub it in their pockets, sticky and really tough to get off. Meeting new and old friends all distant memories. They all laughed, giggled, cried and shook with happiness … Over in the corner there were a group of pennies who looked sad and lost. Out of place amongst the smiling, noisy coins which surrounded them. They didn’t enjoy the stories and were frightened that they would be put into a bottle and forgotten about. Lost forever after falling through the gaps in the floor. With no adventures to talk of, no friends to speak to, or stories to tell, being hidden under piles of muck and dust. Never to be seen again. Although they too were brand new, they seemed to be duller than the other coins. Maybe it was there internal glow that was missing thought Penny. Right there and then Penny decided that she would be the one to bring happiness, joy and laughter into their dull existence. That she would be the one to take away the dull shine they had. That even if she could make just one coin shine brighter, that she would be happy. Penny plucked up the courage, gathered herself together and decided ‘YES’ she was making this her job. To get at least one coin their shine back … Chapter 2. Penny made her way over to them. Moving careful in case any of the other pennies weren’t feeling well after the striking. All of the washing, polishing and juggling about had made her feel sick too, but she was on a mission to help those dull coins. She was strong, she was made of hardened copper. As bright as bright could be. As Penny drew closer to the group, one coin stood out. He had the saddest face and the dullest new coin glow she could ever have imagined. He looked lost and lonely and Penny was going to make HIM smile … ‘Hi, I’m Penelope, Penny to my friends … what’s your name?’ Too shy to speak the quiet coin turned away and began shaking, trickles of plump tears running down his face. His face so sad it made Penny’s heart hurt ‘Hey!’, ‘What’s your name? Said Penny, approaching him slowly. Holding out her hand with a smile. Maybe, if she showed him that she wanted to help him. It might make him feel a little better ‘What’s the matter?’ ‘Why won’t you talk to me?’ ‘I have nobody to talk to and I would like to get to know you’ Penny continued
‘I miss my friends’, he said quietly. I can’t find them anywhere. One minute we were all together, looking forward to travelling, then puff! They were gone, swallowed up, under a waterfall of new 1p pieces’. He took a deep breath and sighed… ‘I don’t want new adventures anymore, I am not excited about what the future holds and the excitement ahead. I just want my friends back’ … Penny didn’t know what to do, she thought for a second then, ping she had an idea … ‘Don’t worry’ she said. We will try to find them TOGETHER! ‘Really? Really?’ He said. ‘You would do that for me?’ … ‘Really!’ a small glimmer of copper lighting his face. ‘You would do that for me?’ ‘Oh, thank you so much’, the small glimmer growing larger as a smile crept onto his face ‘Please tell me your name ‘… said Penny. We really need to work as a team ‘Pandem’… said the coin. ‘Nice to meet you Pandem … my name is Penelope, but you can call me Penny, all of my friends do’ Chapter 3. Penny took hold of Pandem’s hand tightly and they began searching for his friends … ‘What are their names? Penny asked. ‘We will need to shout for them, there are thousands of coins in here. There must be something that makes them stand out. Do they have spikey copper coloured hair? Or purple faces that makes them stand out, anything that may help us to find them? … ‘No, no purple faces or spikey copper coloured hair’, giggled Pandem ‘But their names are Petra … Pasha … Peter!!’ Petra … has long black hair and wears a bright blue sari (Indian woman outfit, draped fabric wrapped around the waist with one end draped over one shoulder – baring a portion of midriff) ‘Pasha … is wearing blue and white pants and jacket, (traditional Indian– pants and jacket kurta dhoti) with black hair’ ‘Peter … has red hair, like you, black trousers and a green jumper’ Pandem explained ‘Ok then let’s go … Come on then you need to shout! Instructed Penny. ‘It’s very noisy and they could be anywhere …!’ ‘Petra, Pasha, Peter … Pandem shouted meekly. ‘Where are you?’ ‘Come on Pandem, louder than that … like THIS!!’ said Penny ‘PETRA!! PASHA!! PETER!! WHERE ARE YOU?’ ‘PETRA!! PASHA!! PETER!! WHERE ARE YOU?’ Over and over again until her voice began to disappear. Pandem, listened then he too began shouting for his friends’… quietly at first, then a little louder … ‘Petra! Pasha! Peter! It’s Pandem where are you?’ ‘Petra! Pasha! Peter! Where are you? Pandem continued ‘Petra, Pasha, Peter can you hear me? It’s Pandem. Please answer’ As Pandem’s confidence grew so did his voice, louder and louder. After a while Pandem noticed that he could no longer hear Penny shouting ‘What’s up, what’s the matter, why aren’t you shouting. We won’t find them if we don’t shout, like you said. Come on Penny shout?’ he said. Penny looked at Pandem, with a sad face. Trying to dim her glow. ‘I really can’t shout anymore, my throat is sore and I have a headache. You’re going to have to shout for BOTH of us. Otherwise, we are never going to find them.’ she sighed, ‘I am so sorry’ Chapter 4 ‘Ok, said Pandem, with a frown. ‘Petra! Pasha! Peter! … Where are you?’ He looked at Penny for approval, she dropped her eyes, ‘You’re going to have to make a lot more noise if you want to find your friends, there is no way we will find them before we reach the Cash Centre if you don’t. Now shout as loud as you can Pandem’ Penny whispered to him. So taking in a HUGE!! Breath. Shaking off his nervous stomach and scary feeling. Pandem, shouted at the top of his voice, as LOUD!! As he possibly could, ‘PETRA!! PASHA!! PETER!!’ The deafening hum which only seconds earlier had made it difficult to hear their own voices stopped suddenly. Penny smiled widely a cheesy grin so wide it took over her whole face. Her glow returned, brilliant and brighter than before. Complete silence cloaked the barrel… Whispers of ‘Where did that come from?’ echoed around the barrel. Again, Pandem shouted ‘PETRA!! PASHA!! PETER! Where are you? It’s Pandem, where are you?’ … frustration and fear filling his voice ‘Keep going’, instructed Penny
Slowly the other coins turned to see where the noise had come from. What and who was Pandem and what on Earth was the screeching about? Who are Petra, Pasha and Peter?’ Pandem scurried to hide behind Penny. His face red with embarrassment. Where had that noise come from? Even he couldn’t believe it himself … wowwww. Penny stood tall with Pandem cowering behind her, his red face covered with a thin layer of sweat, trying to disappear from view. Although she was only just struck herself, she appeared bigger, bolder and brighter. She wasn’t afraid of the other coins looking at her, the Pandem was. She sternly looked out over the barrel and announced. ‘We are looking for our friends, Petra, Pasha and Peter. Could you please help us to find them?’ The barrel became a hive of activity, shouts echoed calling for Pandem’s’ friends. When … A flash of blue then green and finally white appeared. Petra! Pasha! Peter! .. Penny shouted then looked at Pandem with a smile. Could this be them clambering out from beneath a vast pile of coins ‘I think I can see them Pandem’ … she said ‘But what happened to your voice, you said, but … uhhh you said your voice?’ questioned Pandem. Penny with a broad pearly white teeth smiled and with wink. ‘How else was I going to get you to shout for them’ she said, with a wink. Pandem, was astonished and a little angry but that soon disappeared when he heard the familiar sounds of his friends’ voices. He smiled and shook his head, with a giggle and shouted ‘Petra, Pasha, Peterrrrrr …. Out from under a pile of bright pennies appeared the three friends, each wearing a huge smile of relief and joy at finding him ‘Pandem’, they all chorused. We thought we had lost you forever’. The friends surrounded Pandem hugging him tightly. The relief letting way to laughter ‘You would have’, said Pandem, ‘but my friend Penny here helped me find you.’ ‘Oh thank you’, they gushed, ‘how can we ever thank you enough?’
‘We were all so worried, we were holding hands together when whoosh a waterfall of 1p pieces fell on top of us and Pasha lost her grip with Pandem’s’ hand. Pandem made the Introductions, ‘Penny – this is Peter, Petra and Pasha … you guys this is Penny, my no OUR new friend’ Now!! The adventures can begin Pandem announced with a huge sigh. They all grouped together and vowed to try and stick together if at all possible. They decided that if they were separated, which was expected, they would return to the Mint, tell the story of their very first hours in the barrel and share their stories of adventures and expeditions, to the new 1p blanks while waiting to be chosen for circulation… ‘We will be the worldly recycled coins then’ announced Peter. Then as each of them returned they would hear the stories and know what and how their friends were doing. Chapter 5. The excitement began to build, as the barrel filled. ‘Not long now’, said one of the recycled coins. ‘It’s not going to be very long nowwwwww’ … Then without warning the barrel began to move ‘HERE WE GOOOOO!!!’ ‘HERE WE GO, Here we go YEAH!!’ … Penny and her new friends were holding each other’s hands tightly. They were all determined that this time they would stick together nobody was being left behind or lost. The barrel began to jostle. Every coin in the barrel was being jiggled and jangled, shaken and stirred all at the same time. All trying to find a resting place, the perfect slot to fall into for safety. But with a good view of everything around them. The noise was louder than earlier, surely that is impossible, Penny thought. But she was sure the volume had risen. The motion of moving was like being back in the washing and buffing machine being cleaned. She began to feel unwell, this is NOT what she had expected. She had dreamt of being placed gently into a machine, stricken, washed and buffed with care. Before being placed carefully onto a soft belt. Travelling to the Coin Centre in style, in a single blue velvet bag with copper coloured writing showing her name and value, to protect her from being scratched or dented. Now a distant memory. The barrel Penny, Pandem, Pasha, Peter and Petra were in was being taken along a dark corridor, with doors on each side. Every now and again a window would break the darkness and the corridor would be bathed in bright sunshine, the new pennies glitter and sparkled for a fleeting second. It was mesmerizing. The corridor seemed to go on forever, one, two, three, four, windows five, six, seven windows passed them by, they were all becoming impatient. When suddenly the barrel was completely engulfed in the most glorious, brilliant light. It was warm too, not something the new pennies were expecting. They hadn’t realised how cold they had become waiting in the dark strike room. Placed behind what appeared to Penny to be another barrel like theirs, they waited wondering what was next. Penny tried hard to see if the barrel in front of theirs was also filled with brilliant copper pennies like her and her friends. So twisting and turning desperate to catch site of the contents of the barrel. Penny slipped her hand away from Pandem’s grip, wriggled her way to reach a higher vantage point. She climb a little higher, a little more, a little more, just a little higher. I am sure I will be able to see soon, she thought as she stretched her arms out in front of her grabbing onto anyone she could to help her ‘Penny, Penny’, Pandem shouted as he lost sight of her, she climbed higher and higher ‘Penny, Penny’, the friends chorused. The noise was far too loud and Penny was unable to hear them, she was focused on getting higher and had forgotten completely about her friends. A little higher, another twist one more turn and ‘Wowww’ at last. A now tired Penny was at the top of the barrel with a clear view of EVERYTHING!! Catching her breath, she glanced around behind her. The sight took her breath away. Copper pennies sparkling all around her. Looking glorious, their beautifully stricken dates and faces of none other than ‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’, the stunning site greeting her. Glimmers of red, orange and yellow danced in the sunlight. Penny was astounded by the beauty before her. Her eyes moving slowly until they reached the edge of the barrel. She stopped, her gaze wandered into the barrel in front. Chapter 6. To Penny’s amazement the barrel in front, was just as full and just as mesmerising. BUT! But… to her astonishment it wasn’t pennies she could see. It wasn’t copper coloured coins she could see. It wasn’t colours of red, orange and yellow glittering in the sunlight. The barrel was just as full as Penny’s. Just as noisy too. But Penny wasn’t sure what to think. They were different. Not different like Pandem and Penny with their different coloured faces and clothes. But COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, different colours, different sizes and shapes dancing with beams of light
Coin Cousins. Durham. Chapter 1. They had all be plunged into darkness, they were cold and unsure as to where exactly they were. Huddled together for safety the friends silently waited. Suddenly!! A brilliant white light flashed above them. They could hear stamping footsteps, lots of then, in fact lots and lots of footsteps. The noises were all around them. Silently they waited, holding their breath in anticipation. ‘Oh my goodness’, whispered Peter. ‘What do you think is happening?’ ssshh putting his finger against his lip Pasha silenced him. The friends fell silent again. They were still huddled in a group together, holding onto one another as tight as they could. The barrel moved. Then it moved again. Then… AGAIN. This time they were being tilted over. The friends still managing to stay on the top of the coins in the barrel. A curl of black hair appeared above them, they could see a face, and it was ‘Huge’, ‘Enormous!’ Its eyes staring into the barrel, the coins stood still. Unsure if this face would be able to see them as they truly were, brightly coloured with smiles and bright clothing. Or like they had been told adults saw them, just a simple circle with the Queens Head on one side, copper and shining “Hey, James it’s this one. This one says Durham …’ shouted the face. Then all they could see were two black holes. Penny began to giggle. ‘What is it?’ asked Pasha … ‘The two black holes we can see, I think they are his nostrils. It just reminded me of that really grumpy penny ‘Ian’, back at the Mint. He was so mad, wasn’t he! I have no idea what on Earth had made him so angry. ‘I do’, piped in Pasha. ‘YOU!’ ‘That’s me!’ howled Penny. With a broad smile and knowing wink. ‘What can I say, I do it without trying. I’m loud, proud, bold and bright, just the way I like it! Nobody would EVER forget meeting ME! ‘You’re telling me’, said Pasha. The friends all laughed, with hands over their mouths, trying to muffle the sound. This was the first time they had really laughed since being in the Mint. They had all been too worried wondering, what, when, if, how and where? They would be going and if they would be able to stay together. What the chances were of meeting up again if they lost touch? They were put inside what they later found out to be an armoured truck, to be safely transported to a Bank in the heart of a place in the North East of England called Durham City. The journey was a long one there were no windows in the truck. It was so dark they couldn’t even see the end of their own noses. There was what looked to be an alien in the corner sitting in the dark, every now and then a red light would flash on and the truck would stop. It would stand up, lift what looked like a beak open a hole in the side of the truck, allowing light to creep in. Then pick a large bag of money out of a basket and put it through the hole. As the journey was so long, it allowed for the young newly minted 1p pieces to ask lots of questions. They had already discovered what they were in and why. But they were all extremely eager for more answers. The most important question being … ‘What was the alien in the corner?’ The wise old 1p piece ‘Reg’, gave them as many answers as quickly as he could. They were firing questions at him from EVERYWHERE. He still had a mischievous glint in his eye. ‘Well, the alien as you are calling it is actually, a man’, chuckled Reg. ‘He won’t hurt you if you behave, if you don’t you’ll be in BIG TROUBLE’. He went on, ‘People will help you with your adventures. There are many people in the outside world, they will help you get from one place to another. The smaller people boys and girls, known as children see us as we are, chatty, brightly coloured pennies with smiling faces looking for adventures. But, the older people men and woman, adults like the man in the corner. Well they just see our penny hearts’. Pointing to the 1p piece safely nesting in the left side of his chest. This was an unexpected development which caused ripples of conversation in the barrel. Reg went on to explain, that coins were not the only money used when they got outside. That they would need to be prepared to meet up with notes. That although they too were currency, they rarely spoke to the coins. They believed they were far more important, that they were superior with their slim bodies a large faces coloured depending on their value. Their clothes pristine and higher values printed onto their surfaces. It was true they were more valuable, however they didn’t have as many exciting adventures. As they were usually handled by the adults, which was a lot less fun. They would be exchanged in shops and spent most of their time in dark places, like banks, shop tills, wallets and purses. Personally Reg believed that was the reason they kept their distance from the coins, not because they were superior. But, because they couldn’t bear to hear the stories of happy children on train rides, sweet shops and sticky fingers with wide smiling faces. Brimmed with excitement and wonder. He felt sorry for the notes, as beautiful as they are had sad faces. They didn’t giggle and chatter the way the coins did. Notes were stacked on top of one another facing up, each bundle having a band around it so only the top note could see anything. They appeared refined, sombre and aloof, but in actual fact Reg felt that they were very lonely and sad. He believed they were envious of the coins, that they too would enjoy seaside trips especially the larger value notes. The £50 and £20 notes, very rarely had a chance to take part in these experiences. The £10 and £5 notes, were frequently given to children as gifts, so were more likely to see the joyful faces of the boys and girls. They occasionally would speak to the coins but this was frowned upon by the larger notes, so tended to take place outside where they were able to do it in secret. The armoured truck stopped again, this time the doors were opened at the back. The man who had been sitting in the back of the truck with them was joined by another, the light flooded in and the excitement and chatter volume began to rise again. One by one the barrels were taken off the truck and taken into a large room. There were a number of men and women in the room, waiting for the barrels to arrive. They were stood in rows, ready to begin counting the money from the armoured truck to ensure that none of the money had gotten lost during the journey. The noise echoed around the room as coins were emptied onto hard wooden tables and scraped across the top. The constant humming of murmuring men and woman counting the coins one at a time. Chapter 2. It had been one week since Penny and her friends had been created in The Royal Mint. They had spent a lot of time in dark, cold and cramped spaces. Unsure what was going to happen next? But now, surrounded by the noise, they appeared positively relaxed. Was this the calm before the storm? Penny wondered. The barrel Penny and her friends were in was swiftly picked up and emptied onto the table. Penny knew there were a lot of coins in the barrel, but wowzer! When they were being emptied, they were all separated. Each person was counting out 100 then placing them into a clear bag. Penny had no idea where her friends were. Oh well, she thought. It looks like this is the start of my proper first adventure. Hopefully, she would come across her friends again sometime. If not, that was ok too as she could make new friends along her journey. The familiar feeling of bubbling fizzy pop began again in her stomach. Here I go again she thought. The money bags were moved and placed into a secure room, with huge heavy doors and lots of locks. Penny, asked a couple of the coins sharing her bag where they were and was informed that it was called a ‘vault’, the money was place in there for safe keeping until the tellers, the men and woman din the Bank needed them. Although the vault was packed there was very little noise, and what noise Penny could make out. Appeared to be the sound of snoring from some odd looking bars stacked on a pallet in the centre of the room. Penny closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off to sleep. Awoken by the noise of the door unlocking, Penny was unsure how long she had been asleep. Before she had time to pull herself together and straighten her red hair the bag she was in, was lifted up and on its way towards the tellers’ desk. Penny remember what Reg had said, ‘Adults only see our 1p hearts’, so without hesitation she took a deep breath and jumped out of the bag. Tumbling through the air, she saw flashes of the most beautiful colours. This is going to be good, she thought. I can feel it, this is going to be a most interesting journey and I CAN NOT WAIT! The teller picked up the bright 1p piece off her desk and shot it into the bag, she would put it in her drawer the next time she needed it open. ‘Next Please!’ she announced. The lady at the front of the queue moved herself to the glass panel in front of the teller ‘Good Afternoon Madam, how can I help you?’ … ‘Could I have change for this please?’ asked the woman, handing over a crisp £20 note. Its purple shades of colour and clear watermark proudly on show. It was beautiful, thought Penny as she took it every detail. Its colours, lines and pictures of Queen Elizabeth II flawless. Penny watched, as the £20 was passed carefully to the teller. Its graceful lines, unique numbers and artwork were impeccable. It floated across the counter, the teller appearing unimpressed with its beauty. The £20 shot a downward glance at the coins sitting on the counter top. Penny who in her clear bag by the teller, had her nose pressed firmly against the inside of the bag. Hoping to catch a better look at the note, her first ever up close encounter with a £20 note and she was floored by its beauty. But … she remembered what Reg had told her’. As she did the £20 note, shot a disgusted look in Penny’s direction. Well fancy that … one thing was for sure, she would never forget THAT LOOK! Penny watched as the £20 note was slipped on top of the ones already in the drawer, without so much as a high to the one below. She lay down as light as a feather lifted her nose in the air and closed her eyes. The drawer slid closed shielding the money from view
Chapter 3. A quick glimpse of colour was all that Penny managed to catch sight of before being placed in a drawer, but this time it was smaller. The drawer was opened and closed a lot. So much so that Penny began to feel unwell. She felt like she was back in the Royal Mint being washed and buffed. Then without warning the drawer opened again, this time Penny was being picked out and being placed in a small, hot hand. ‘Thank you’, ‘You’re Welcome Honey’ A face looked down at her with a beautiful wide white smile, it was a child with the biggest brown eyes, curls of white wispy hair surrounding a round face. ‘Mummy, Mummy look! This penny has a yellow dress on just like me’. ‘Yes, that’s lovely’ … ‘Mummy, you didn’t look, look PLEASE! Mummy’ ‘Ok, ok yeah its lovely Millie, look how shiny and new it is, well that’s lovely’. Millie, looked back at the penny, ‘Hello, my name is Millie’ whispered the little girl. Penny took a deep breath in, her adventure had started and with a little girl. She really couldn’t have been luckier … Jess, Millies’ mummy took the penny from Millies’ hand and tucked it carefully into her pocket. She told her that money no matter how much is very important and must be taken care of. She told her that if she saves her pennies then in time she would be able to choose any number of things, she would like. The more pennies needed, the longer it would take. But if she was very careful, did jobs around the house and didn’t spend money on things that she didn’t really need then in no time at all she would be able to buy something special. Penny carefully wiggled herself up just enough so she could see over the top of the pocket. Her bright green eyes sparkled with excitement, her red hair glistening in the sunshine. This was amazing! Millie and her Mummy wandered the grey cobbled streets of Durham, its old and new buildings mixed together. The statues in the centre surrounded by busy market stalls selling candy floss, burgers and drinks. Penny was holding on tight to the pocket, as Millie skip along holding her Mummy’s hand. They turned a corner and there in front of them was the outstanding Durham Cathedral, its stunning stained glass windows and huge stone walls towering above them. They walked around the lush green grass of ‘The Palace Green’ and up towards the open, massive wooden doors. They could feel the intense cold as they walked in, guided by the angelic voices of the choristers’ preparing for their next service. It was so high Penny thought the view from the top would be fabulous. Just as Jess, asked Millie if she would like to see the view from the top of the tower. Penny was fit to burst as with a screech Millie agreed, ‘There are a lot of steps, you must be careful and it will be quite dark, but the view is gorgeous’, she said. ‘Did you know the Queen has visited here? And film companies have used to grounds for their films too. They headed towards the alcove housing the stairs to the central tower look out point. It was dark and some of the steps were very small. They climbed and climbed, Millie was beginning to tire. ‘Not long now Millie’, Jess told her. They could see the shafts of light edging through the door. They rounded the last few steps before finding themselves high above the ground. The only thing above them a brilliant blue sky. They walked to the railing around the edge of the platform and were completely stunned by the view. Across the old city of Durham, it’s Castle, Universities and Parks. The people below look like flecks of dust to Penny. Buildings tall, small, bright, dull, old and new all mixed together. They could see for miles and miles. Green and yellow fields surrounding what was without doubt a beautiful City. The River Wear ambling along the edge of the city its footpath under cover of huge oak trees. With a warm wind blowing through their hairs, they were unable to stop drinking in the glorious view. The Cathedral Guide, an older man with no hair and thick glasses whose name was Timothy, was pointing out the major landmarks. Giving them a brief explanation of the Cathedral and its history. Along with that of the nearby castle. When it was built, by whom. What had stood there before, why it had been built in stone, unlike other Cathedrals and Churches of the same time. They spent a little longer on the tower top, then made their ways safely and carefully down the stairs back into the nave. The colourful stained glass, bathing the nave with shafts of coloured lights. They wandered around into the café and shop. Then around the rear of the Cathedral to the DLI Garden, where Penny recognised the crest from one of the statues in the centre earlier. Full circle, back onto narrow cobbled streets with their secret alleyways and down into the centre once again. Jess and Millie ambled along a narrow footpath, with people rushing all around them. Down some steps and along a wide street with shops selling different types of food and people drinking coffee, deep in conversation. They turned left and into a big area, with people standing around, speaking on telephones, counting coins waiting for something. ‘Where are we Mummy?’ Millie asked. ‘Well Millie, this is a bus station. This is where all of the buses which pick people up at bus stops and drop them off where they pay to go to, starts and ends its journey here. We have to wait for the correct numbered bus, we are looking for number 23. Then we can go for a ride’ While they waited, Penny tried to see if she could make out any of the coins close by. Unfortunately she could only make out colours here and there. She would need to be a lot closer if she was to find her friends. After a while, a big red bus pulled into the station. Millie looked at the bus and to her glee it was the bus her Mummy, had told her they would be taking, number 23. They climbed aboard the bus, Jess told the driver where they were to be going, gave him some money and placed some of the change into Millies pocket before sitting down. Millie and Penny, had their noses pressed against the window, eager to see where they were going. Millie peeked into her pocket and introduced herself briefly to the new coins, then took her seat. Penny would introduce herself too once they knew where they were going, this was exciting her very first journey on a bus. A BIG RED BUS! Millie asked her Mummy where they were going ‘It’s a surprise’, Jess replied ‘For your birthday. You will have to wait and see’ and with a squeeze of Millies hand she turned to look straight ahead. Chapter 4. Penny, no longer the only one in Millies’ pocket. Turned to see who had joined her ‘Hello, my name is Penny’, she said. ‘Nice to meet you’, she turned back around, repositioned herself in Millies’ pocket and watched as they wandered up a hill. They went through a big glass door into a coffee and gift shop. Where Jess bought 2 x tickets. Then through another set of glass doors. ‘Close your eyes Milly’, Jess told her. Millie closed her eyes tightly, as Jess guided her through a door. Shouts rang out of, ‘SURPRISE!!!’ to Millies’ surprise her Daddy, Daniel and big brothers Archie and Mason were sat on a bench waiting for them. Millie ran to her Daddy, nearly loosing Penny and the other coins in her pocket as she ran. Her Daddy picked her up and swung her around as her two brothers chorused ‘Happy Birthday’, she was ecstatic she loved her whole family. Her brothers were always playing games with her and they shared everything
They all sat at a bench which was covered with a white cloth, sandwiches, drinks, cakes, sweets and crisps. There were presents and cards of all colours to open. A huge pink ‘6’ balloon covered in glitter and 6 smaller pink balloons surrounding a fairy castle cake, with butterfly’s, pink frosting and a pink ‘6’ candle in the top. Millie let out squeals of happiness as they all began to sing ‘Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Millie, Happy Birthday Tooooo Youuu … hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray’. ‘Make a wish Millie and blow out the candle’ her Mummy said. Millie took in a deep breath and blew as hard as she could, poooofff, the candle was out. ‘Did you make a wish, did you, did you?’ questioned Mason his big brown eyes glistening with delight. ‘Yes, yes I did. I asked for …’ ‘No don’t tell us it might not come true’ giggled Archie jumping around like a jack in a box ‘Come on then sit down, let’s dig in. Are your hands clean?’ said Daniel. The children lined up showing their Daddy their hands. ‘Clean as a whistle’, he said. ‘Sit down, we will have food, then Millie you can open your presents and cards before we take a look around, ok!’ ‘Yeah!’ all three children shouted. They all sat down and began to eat the tasty treats before them. They laughed and chased each other around the lush bright green grass. Jess had taken off the cardigan Penny and the other coins were in and placed it on the seat beside her. Penny wriggled out from beneath the folds of fabric to watch as the children chased each other, giggling and falling over. Daniel and Jess laughing along, secretly hoping they would tire themselves out and sleep well. As Penny watched silently, the two coins appeared beside her. ‘Hi, my name is Tobias, Toby to my friends and this is Tanya, nice to meet you … Penny’. ‘Hi’ replied Penny. Tobias was a rather dirty looking 20p piece. He was worth 20 times more than Penny, meaning it would take 20 of Penelope’s’ to make only 1 Tobias. He was only slightly bigger than her, he was silver and had 7 curved edges with Queen Elizabeth II’s head on one side, just like her. But he had what looked to be a flower with a crown on his other side. She marvelled at his silver hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a slightly dirty white polo shirt, his 20p heart proudly in his chest slot. He wore dark jeans and trainers. He was bold and loud. But he had a glorious smile, his teeth held in place with what seemed to be a metal band, which glittered like diamonds in his mouth. Tanya was the complete opposite of Toby, she was painfully shy, a slim 10p piece she towered over both Penny and Toby. She was a brilliant silver coin with Queen Elizabeth II on one side, just like all of the money which came from the Royal Mint, on her other side what looked like two dragons. She wore a light blue summer dress with little white flowers on, short silver hair with a blue headband. She didn’t speak, she just gave Penny a slight smile and a small nod of her head. Which Penny took as being Tanya’s greeting. ‘Hi’, Penny said ‘Come and get a closer look. Pointing out the children, Penny informed them. That is Millie, Archie and Mason, they are the children starting us on our adventures, hopefully. Penny held up crossed fingers to Toby and Tanya
Everyone had finished eating and the children wanted to play. Jess and Daniel tidied up what was left, putting all of the rubbish in the bin. Then once clean, Millie was then allowed to open her gifts. She had a lot of cards, most of which were pink with unicorns, butterflies, flowers or teddies and lots and lots of glitter. The cards which held money inside, Jess took and placed carefully inside a little pink purse, with a glittering ‘M’ on it, which she had opened earlier. Its matching bag and hairband were placed together on the table. Colouring books, sweets and clothes made up the rest of the gifts on the table. She now had only one gift left to open, which was from her Mummy and Daddy. It was a huge box, with a pink bow on it. Millie’s eyes were glistening with excitement. Mason and Archie, jumping around also eager to see what was inside. She pulled the bow and the sash dropped to the floor. Millie peeked over the edge of the box. Taking in a huge gasp she could not believe her eyes. It was the pram she had looked at through the toy shop window earlier that day. She began jumping up and down, begging for the pram to be taken out of the box, if only she had her doll, she thought. Then as if by magic, Jess pulled out Millies’ favourite doll from a bag. ‘Sophie, oh thank you Mummy, you brought Sophie too’, Jess smiled, she knew that she had one very happy little girl. Unimpressed the boys had hoped one of her gifts would be a kite. They all loved the outdoors and kites were such a lot of fun. Daniel, took the picnic things back to the car, along with the presents and balloons Millie had received, except the dolls pram. That! Millie was taking on its first outing around the Botanical Gardens. Proudly, she placed Sophie into her new pram, took Penny, Tobias and Tanya out of her pocket and placed them at Sophie’s’ feet, so that they could see clearly. The prams bright red paint glossy and smooth, shining in the sunlight. Archie and Mason ran along ahead jumping in and out of trees, picking up sticks and looking for worms. Jess and Daniel holding hands walked behind her, watching the children playing happily. They wandered, from brilliant sunshine and followed a narrow footpath, with magnificent green leaves hanging like umbrellas overhead. The coins silently, took in their surroundings. The footpath meandered through sunflowers so tall that Penny and her friends could not see the round flower heads with their yellow petals. They continued along the path until the sunlight began breaking through the leaves into a vast meadow of, flowers blue, white and yellow covering like a carpet the grass beneath, bright butterflies, moths of many colours and sheep wandering peacefully. Taking no interest in the people who had appeared and interrupting their silence. The sheep continuing to graze, while the butterflies and moths danced among the flowers. Beyond the flowers, with perfectly maintained grass stood a sculpture. ‘This is the Millennium Bug sculpture, children. Come and take a closer look’, they all approached the sculpture touching it carefully, following the curved lines of what appeared to be a metal wasp like creature with it’s young. ‘There are a number of amazing sculptures in the gardens. As well as a Native Woodland, glasshouses full of rare and beautiful flowers and plants. Then there are the tropical bugs and insects, you can even hold them if you like’, stated Jess. ‘YES! Get In, I cannot wait to see them’ said Archie, he was the adventurous one, with a highly active imagination, the mischievous oldest of the three children, dark hair and eyes, tickling his younger brother. ‘Oh No!’ Mason said, shaking his head and putting his hands behind his back. Trying to escape his brothers tickling, he was the quieter more thoughtful child, he loved dinosaurs. He would imagine riding them like horses and flying through the air like birds. Millie bent down to speak to Penny, Tobias and Tanya in her pocket, she asked if they would be interested in seeing and touching the insects. As if rehearsed, they all stated that they would like to see them but had no interest in actually touching them. The soft, hairy bodies of huge spiders or the hard shell like backs of the beetles, as big as your hands. The smell of damp mud and wood. Pincers and far too many legs. Held no appeal to any of them. Penny did see something which she would like to explore. Three water fountains, spouting through the mouth of what looked like the door knocker at the Cathedral earlier in the day. ‘Can we go and look at the fountains’, Penny asked Millie. Millie glanced towards the fountains, she ran to her Daddy and with Mason and Archie asked if they could all go and see the water fountains. With its huge white lilies floating on the top of the water ‘Now children’, Daniel instructed, ‘You must be very careful where there is water. You must only ever go near with an adult. You must not go too close as water can be very dangerous. If you were to fall in you could drown. Do not mess around with or near it, okay!’ ‘Ok Daddy’, they replied, nodding their heads. Penny, Tobias and Tanya climbed to the top of Millie’s pocket, to get a better view. The colours glistened and the trickling sound of the water began to make Penny and her friends, relax and close their eyes. They hadn’t realised just how busy a day they had had. Penny slid down the pocket too tired to hold on any longer. Tobias and Tanya joined her, they asked how Penny had come to be in Millie’s pocket. So Penny began to explain about the journey to Durham, the Royal Mint and of course her friends Pasha, Petra, Peter and Pandem. She told them of the Ian the nasty 1p piece and his nostril hair. This still causing her to giggle uncontrollably. Then she explained about Reg the kind 1p piece who gave them an idea of everything they had to look forward too. She told them of the Cathedral, the statues and the cobbled streets. Which neither of them had managed to get a glimpse of during their time in Durham. Penny then asked them of their adventures, what or who had brought them to Durham and how long had they been away from The Royal Mint. Tobias, explained that he had been placed in a bottle for quite some time and was no longer sure just how long he had been away from The Mint. So taking a closer look at his coin heart Penny discovered that he was stricken in 2007, meaning he had been in circulation for a long time. Tanya, however had been in circulation only a short while, she too had been stricken in 2020 the same as Penny. That made a lot of sense, thought Penny. This explained why she was so beautifully shiny. Also, why she was so painfully shy. She had only been with one person before. But he was an adult and had left her on the window ledge in his kitchen. This was her first real adventure with children. Millie and her brothers were all becoming tired. They had all had a long and exciting day. They had all eaten more than their fair share of sweets, chocolate, cake and sandwiches. The sunshine and running around taking their toll. The day had been a glorious one, Jess and Daniel could see, their children were struggling to stay awake. They were all very weary and both Millie and Mason were complaining of being too tired to walk ‘Come on then kids’, said Jess, ‘I think it’s about time we headed home. It’s been a long day. We can always come back another day. Archie, wasn’t as tired as his little brother and sister and wanted to go and visit the bug house. ‘Please’, he begged, ‘Just a little look, please. I will be quick promise’ Jess looked at Daniel and with a knowing nod, Jess took Archie by the hand as Daniel packed up the dolls pram, jackets and twigs. Strapped Millie and Mason into their car seats and gave them both a cool drink of water. Jess and Archie, wandered into the bug house. ‘Quickly Archie, we are all tired. Just a quick look. We will come back another day, I promise’ Archie gripping hold of his Mummy’s hand, dragged her to a glass case, with long furry looking creatures with lots of legs, ‘millipedes’, said Jess . Then onto another with beetles in. ‘dung beetles’, said Jess. Archie was amazed at just how clever his Mummy was. She knew everything ‘Come on Archie, let’s go home, get bathed, supper and into bed. We have all had a very busy day. We will come back again, maybe in the summer holidays, when you don’t have school the next day’. They walked over to the car. Archie jumped in and strapped himself into his seat. ‘Could I please have a drink too’, asked Archie. ‘Yes, of course son’, Daniel replied and passing him his drink he looked at the three rosy red faces of their children and smiled. ‘I bet they are all asleep before we get out of Durham!’ said Jess. ‘Yup!’ agreed Daniel as he started the car and they set off for home. Little did they realise, that not only did they have three very tired and contented children. They also had three very tired coins, snuggled in the pocket of Millie’s cardigan. Penny, Toby and Tanya closed their eyes and drifted into a sound and well deserved restful sleep. Dreaming of more adventures to come …
