LOVE IN A CHRIST MAS SANDPIT

The joys of childhood friendship and those first faltering steps away from mum and dad take centre stage in Ray Connolly's charming seasonal tale, exclusively written for Daily Express readers

- By Ray Connolly

TOM DIDN'T start at playgroup until the middle of the autumn term, and he cried that first morning — although that wasn’t what he’d expected would happen. His mother had taken him there promptly at 9.30am in his new red fleece-lined jacket, and he'd dashed ahead of her through the park, so keen was he to begin his new adventure. At just four years old he’d talked about nothing else for weeks.

But, as he’d come in sight of the little hut at the wooded end of the park and suddenly found himself surrounded by noisier, older, more self-confident children, his excited scampering had stopped.

Silent now, he’d fallen in at his mother’s side, his mittened fingers sliding between hers as they entered the playgroup hut.

At first his mum stood by him, seemingly as intimidated by the other mothers and a couple of fathers, as her son was by their offspring. And together they watched as the other children set about their projects of play dough and paints.

“I expect he’s a little shy,” said the administrator, a large, frizzy-haired lady called Judy whose denim overall was spattered with rainbow paints.

“Most of the children feel strange on their first day. It helps if the mothers can stay to settle them in.”

“But I can’t stay, Judy,” he heard his mother say, as she gently extricated herself from Tom’s grasp.

“I have to be back to feed the baby. My mother-in-law’s looking after her.”

Tom moved his grip to his mum’s raincoat belt. “Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll be all right,” the large lady consoled. “Won’t you, Tom?”

Tom looked at the expression on his mother’s face. Her eyes were wet behind her glasses. She fondled his cheek, and instinctively he pushed his head into her coat for protection.

“Would you like to come and paint a picture for me?” Judy enquired as, bending low over him, she reached for Tom’s hand before very gently prising it away from his mother’s raincoat belt.