The Shuttlecock in the Downpipe

It was when his downpipe started overflowing in the rain that he really began to get annoyed. Well, in truth, it was the next day when he discovered a shuttlecock wedged in the top where the downpipe joined the gutter that he truly flipped.

He knew they were trouble as soon as they moved in next door. Two teenage boys with a passion for playing sport in the garden and two ‘modern’ parents with little to no control.

He had grown weary of the constant ringing of his doorbell, the never-ending requests to give back their various balls, shuttlecocks, frisbees and other paraphernalia. But this, a bloody shuttlecock blocking his rainwater downpipe, this was the final straw.

As he stood looking at his soaked flank wall he snapped inside. This had been such a nice quiet road. Everyone minded their own business, everyone respected each others ‘space’, everyone left him alone. But these two boys had changed it and now this, now he had a damp wall.

Staring in anger at the wall and through to the garden beyond his eyes rested on a partially deflated rubber ball. A ball that somehow, despite their regular trips to his front door, had not been retrieved. Looking at the ball and his ladder propped against the wall gave him an idea. Of course he would have to wait until it was dark but it would be worth doing, worth doing indeed.

It was almost two weeks later as the cold weather took its grip that he was woken from his afternoon sleep by the sound of the sirens. The cold had given some blessed relief to the constant noise from the garden but now he was disturbed by a different ringing. He got to the curtains in time to see the police, fire and ambulance pull up outside next door.

Respecting his neighbours privacy, as he had hoped they would respect his, he settled down into his armchair and switched on the television.

It was two days later when he overheard a conversation in the queue at the Post Office that even he began to be interested in gossip.

“Oh yes,” said the woman who seemed to know, “All four were found dead.” She nodded gravely, “Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Apparently the Police found one the boys balls stuck tight in the top of the chimney. Such a shame, they were such a friendly family.”