WEEKLY SOAP Riverside

Who will win top prize in the village show?

RUBY, are the teapots ready?” “Aye, captain!” Ruby said, giving Mary a salute and a cheeky smile. “I’ll help you carry them,” Mary said. “If you see George coming in, let me know. He doesn’t want me lifting anything. He thinks I should still be lying on the sofa with my feet up.”

“He’s concerned for you, Mary,” Ruby said. Mary rolled her eyes. “Concerned? He’s been killing me with kindness!” She laughed. “Today’s the first day I’ve escaped his watchful gaze. He means well, but it’s suffocating.”

“I’m pleased you’re feeling better,” Ruby told her friend. “And you look much better, too.”

She nudged Mary softly. “Doctor George is coming in.”

Mary turned to see George walking into the community centre with his leeks cradled in his arms.

He walked over to the table where the leeks were to be judged and unwrapped his precious parcel from an old cotton sheet.

Then he laid out three of his best leeks carefully across the table, smoothing out the roots, displaying his produce to its best.

A line of men at the same table were repeating his actions, all of them hoping to display their leeks, onions and parsnips to their best advantage.

There was a lot at stake and the winner of each category would take the Ryemouth Horticultural Show award of merit.

Then there was the prize they all dreamed of – the medal for Best In Show.

Across the hall from the tables of vegetables were the flowers. On another line of tables stood vases of dahlias, some as big as dinner plates, alongside roses, fuchsias and pinks.

As Mary and Ruby busied themselves preparing tea at one end of the hall, Big Jim strolled in, holding Buster tight on his lead.

Tension was building around the tables as those who had entered cast their eye over the competition.

“Did your doctor give you a sick note for those?” Bob Lewin joked to George when he saw the size of his leeks.

George did his best to smile, although he was concerned that Bob’s leeks looked larger and thicker. He pointed to them.

“I’m sure I saw those for sale in the supermarket this morning, Bob. Was it buy one, get two free?”

Both men looked up, startled by the sound of yapping coming from outside the main hall.

“Looks like the dog show’s starting,” Bob huffed. “I can’t see the point of it myself. This is a horticultural produce show, not a kiddies’ playground.”

“It gets the children involved, Bob, and that can only be a good thing for the future of the show,” George replied.

“Right, can we have a bit of hush!” The vicar’s voice boomed around the hall. “Before the judging begins, as is traditional at the horticultural show, we’ll start with the dog show.”

Bob groaned and returned to smoothing out the roots on his already perfectly laid out leeks.

“We’ve got three rounds this year. There are prizes for the waggiest tail, the dog wearing the best fancy-dress –”

“What’s the world coming to?” Bob grumbled to his leeks as the vicar went on.

“And a prize for the dog that looks most like its owner.”

As the dog show began, with pooches of all shapes and sizes being walked up and down the hall, George went to have a quiet word with Mary.

“You all right?” he asked her. “Not doing too much?” Mary caught his eye. “I’m fine.” She smiled. “I can take you home, Mary, if you need to rest.”

“I’m fine, George,” she repeated.

“Are you sure, Mary? You’re not tired?” “George!” Mary snapped. Ruby’s head turned when she heard this.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” she said, handing him a mug of tea.

George shook his head. “I couldn’t, Ruby. I’m too nervous about the judging.” With that, he walked across the hall to guard his leeks from prying eyes.

A few moments later, the vicar’s voice boomed out again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,” he said. “The judges have made their decision.”

Prizes were given to a springer spaniel called Benji who had the waggiest tail. The fancy-dress prize went to a Labrador dressed as Madonna, complete with blonde wig.

“And the prize for the dog that looks most like its owner goes to Big Jim and Buster!”

The hall erupted into a round of applause and everyone looked around for the winner.

“I only came in to have a cuppa!” Jim cried from the tea table.

“You didn’t enter the competition?” the vicar asked, confused.

Jim shook his head and Buster gave a sharp yelp.

“Well, the judges’ decision is final,” the vicar declared, handing the trophy to a stunned Jim.

One of the judges gave a piece of paper to the vicar.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced. “I have the results of the judging for the vegetables, starting with the leeks.”

George felt his stomach tighten.

A hush descended in anticipation of the winner being announced. Who would it be?

More next week.