Mr Mingin Read Free Page B

Secretly Chloe wis gled. Naebody had ever spiered her hoo she felt afore, and she wis stertin tae panic …
    “Dae ye really hae tae go, lass?” said the auld man, lookin doonhertit.
    “Aye, aye, I hae tae get hame. Mither will be bealin if I dinnae get at least a C in Maths nixt term. She gies me extra tests durin the holidays.”
    “That doesnae soond like a holiday tae me,” said Mr Mingin.
    Chloe shrugged her shooders. “Mither doesnae believe in holidays.” She stood up. “I hope ye liked the sassidges,” she said.
    “They were magic,” said Mr Mingin. “Thank you. Undeemous kindness!”
    Chloe noddit and turnt tae run aff towards her hoose. If she taen a short-cut through the backies, she’d be hame afore Mither.
    “Fareweel!” Mr Mingin cawed efter her saftly.

4
Mince
    Feart o bein late for hamework oor, Chloe sterted tae gang faster. She didnae want her mither nebbin at her wi questions aboot whaur she’d been or wha she’d been talkin tae. Mrs Ploom wid be bleck-affrontified if she foond oot her dochter had been sittin on a bench wi somebody she wid describe as a ‘soap-jouker’. Grown-ups ayewis hae a wey o speylin awthin.
    Chloe stapped hurryin, though, when she realised she wis aboot tae gang past Raj’s shoap. Jist the yin chocolate bar , she thocht.
    Chloe’s love o chocolate made her yin o Raj’s best customers. Raj ran the local newsagent’s shoap. He wis a muckle big joco jeelie o a man, as sweet and colourfu as his slichtly ower-priced sweeties. The day, though, whit Chloe really needit wis advice.
    And mibbe some chocolate. Jist yin bar, mind. Mibbe twa.
    “Haw, Miss Chloe!” said Raj, as she cam in the shoap. “Whit can I tempt ye wi the day?”
    “Hullo, Raj,” said Chloe smilin. She aye smiled when she saw Raj. It wis pairtly because he wis sic a braw mannie, and pairtly because he selt sweeties.
    “I hae some Rolos on special offer!” annoonced Raj. “They’re oot o date and haurd as stane. Ye micht loss some o yer wallies when ye chaw intae them, but at 10p aff ye cannae whack it!”
    “Mmm, let me think aboot it,” said Chloe scoorin the raws and raws o confectionery.

    “I had hauf a Lion bar earlier on, whit’ll ye gie me for the ither hauf? I’ll tak onythin upwards o 15p.”
    “I think I’ll jist tak a Crunchie, thanks Raj.”
    “Buy seeven Crunchie bars and I’ll gie an eichth Crunchie bar for free!”
    “Nae thanks, Raj. I jist want yin.” She pit the siller doon on the coonter. 35p. Siller weel spent considerin the braw feelin the chocolate wid gie her as it slippit doon her thrapple and intae her belly.
    “But Chloe, dae ye no unnerstaun? This is a yince-in-yer-puff opportunity tae enjoy the popular chocolate-smooried hinniecomb bar at an eediotic price!”
    “I dinnae need eicht Crunchies, Raj,” said Chloe. “Can ye gie me some advice insteid?”
    “Ye’re jokin. I’m no responsible enough tae gie oot advice,” replied Raj wioot a hint o irony. “But I’ll gie it a go.”
    Chloe loved gabbin tae Raj. He wisnae a parent or a dominie, and whitever ye said tae him, he widnae ever judge ye. Hooever, Chloe still gowped, because she wis aboot tae try tae tell anither wee lee. “Weel, there’s this lassie I ken at the schuil …” she began.
    “Aye? A lassie at the schuil. No you?”
    “Naw, no me. Some ither lassie.”
    “Richt,” said Raj .
    Chloe gowped again and keeked doon, no able tae look him in the ee. “Weel, this freend o mine, she’s sterted talkin tae a tink, and she really likes talkin tae him, but her mither wid dae her nut if she foond oot, sae I – I mean, ma freend – doesnae ken whit tae dae.”
    Raj keeked at Chloe expectantly. “Aye?” he said. “And whit’s yer question, hen?”
    “Weel, Raj,” said Chloe. “Dae ye think it’s wrang tae talk tae tinks?”
    “Weel, it’s nae guid tae talk tae streengers,” said Raj. “And ye should never let onybody gie ye a lift in a caur!”
    “Richt,” said Chloe,