christmas stocking

The children lined up in the playground after the Christmas holidays ,all chatting  about what they had received in thier Christmas stockings. They all had the usual an orange some nuts and a small toy . The little boy at the back seemed to find it hard to keep up feeling embarrassed as the other children starred at him . He was limping along to keep up but with a pocket full of marbellls and a large banana in the other I sopossed anyone would have had trouble , he didn't even like bananas much but his mother had told him anyone else would have been grateful to have one the size of that , so soon after the war . One of the little girls asked him if he spent the holidays in hospital ,he just shook his head , and discreetly removed the banana from his pocket wich now made him even more unbalanced    And he sort of slid across the playground trying to keep his body upright . His mother who liked to keep up appearances had insisted that he take all forty two marbles to school "what all in one day "he asked . Yes we don't want people thinking we're poor now do we . He had struggled down the road ,. When he entered the class the teacher gave him a second glance is every thing alright Alan yes Thankyou miss he replied being glad of a sit down. As he sat there he thought about what his mother had said "don't forget to show that banana off Alan and make sure everyone gets to roll you marbellls you'll have a lovely time". Alan did not share his mothers enthusiasm . How he had longed for an orange and tin soldier something he could keep to his self safely tucked away . He couldn't take it any more so at playtime with banana in hand he made a swop for two oranges . He felt much better eating one straight away. Then when the boys and girls wanted to look at his marbles he decided he would swop these too .  6 marbles for any one wanting to exchange. He got a ball , a wooden horse ,the tin soldier he wanted , a book and some sweets he then kept the last six so not to rise suspicion . Alan went home and straight to his room what a wonderfull Christmas he thought sitting on the bed eating his orange and playing with all his toys .