Snookataria.

Snook and Jack sat facing Jamie. Snook had lit a few candles and turned out the overhead light. "It's a bit more cosy like this." The candle light danced their shadows on the walls.

Jamie wiped his lips with his handkerchief. "That's some sweet apple pie there Snook. Me mam used to make apple pie ye know. She'd always be burnin' the crust though. She wasn't the best cook, but the pie was better than her dinner, It was still yummy, not as delicious as this pie, don't be tellin' her I said that now."

The three of them sat wrapped in the glow of candle light, sipping coffee and eating apple pie. Jamie began to tell his story of being chased by the leprechauns. "Not believin' doesn't mean they are not there. I wasn't a believer at first me self you know." "Was just as Autumn was beginnin'. days were still long. The leaves on the tree's were turning brown, as the colds of autumn started to creep in."

"There he was up in a tree. I seen him with the corner of me eye. I could see his green clothes in the brown leaves. I seen him there each night for a week. So, I decided to do some research at the library. Apparently, they hang around were they think there is gold to be had. Now I didn't have any gold, just the kerrygold."

Jack. "Kerrygold? is that a type of gold?"

Jamie. "It sure is, only the best butter there ever was. No but's its got to be butter and it ain't butter if it ain't Kerrygold." "Speaking of which, ye wouldn't happen to have any left from the last bit I left with ye, would you Snook?" "It would go down well with one or two of those cookies you have in that jar there."

Snook left the table briefly put some cookies on a plate, took the Kerrygold butter from the refrigerator and put a butter knife on the table. Jack watched Jamie butter two cookies and then sandwich them together. That's new he thought and decided to try it himself.

Jamie. "Now I didn't have any gold. Only Kerrygold, but I did pick up a saying from my father. If it ain't gold we don't want it on our table." "Well this particular leprechaun had over heard me say that and wanted the gold I didn't have." "So, I set out to trap the little fella by saying in ear shot that I kept the gold in a secret compartment in the refrigerator." Pausing to take a bite from his buttered cookie and a sip of coffee. "It worked too, only thing was, I caught me a lady leprechaun." "I still have a picture, here let me show ye."

Jamie took out his wallet, passed jack a picture.

Snook also took a look. "Oh she's beautiful."

Jamie. "Yup her father thought so too, and when he heard she got captured, my troubles started." "A whole clan of them descended on the cottage, me butter would be melted in the fridge, the milk would be sour. I'd boil water and it would pour ice cubes. As it turns out, the three wishes I thought I was entitled to catching the leprechaun. Well it turns out lady leprechauns can't give three wishes."

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Snook. "I didn't know there was lady leprechauns."

Jamie. "Yup, that's how they get baby leprechauns."

Jack. "That makes sense." "Not much else seems to right now. Magic, flowers growing on tree's, four apple pies from one. No offence Snook."

Snook. "None taken, Jack's not sure if he is a believer or not."

Jamie. "If I can give ye some advice Jack. Ye don't have to believe, just don't doubt." "What I mean is, what might not be real to you, can be very real to someone else."

Jack. "Yea, I guess so. I believe others believe."

Jamie. "That's a good enough start." Jamie finished his buttered cookie drank down the last of his coffee. "Well as I was saying, they made my life miserable, I had to release the lady leprechaun and agree to move away or they were going to keep harassing me. I even had to sign an agreement." "If I didn't have that picture there. I would begin to doubt it meself." "Most people seem to believe what they see, but sometimes you have to believe to see."

Jamie looked at the clock on the wall, noticing time was getting late. "Well I must get meself back home to bed. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I trouble you for one or two of those cookies to take with me?"

Snook put a half dozen cookies into a tub and passed them to Jamie. Jack stood offered his hand and said, "Quite a tale you have there, I wouldn't have believed it without the picture."

Jamie. "You two sit there, I can find my way out. Thanks for the coffee and cookies Snook." Jamie left the kitchen and made sure to close the door hard behind him so Snook and Jack would hear it.

Jack. "He's an interesting chap, leprechauns eh."

Snook invited Jack to join her in the living room. "It's a bit more comfortable in there than on these chairs."

Jack. "Sure, I don't mind a bit of comfort now and then."

They both moved to the living room and Snook brought the candles with them, placing one in the fireplace and one above on the mantel.

Jack. "Why'd you put the candle in the fireplace?"

Snook. "I like the glow it gives from the fireplace" "Makes the room more homely and it's too hot to light a fire."

They most of the evening talking about the picnic, well Snook did. How everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Jack commented he was surprised there wasn't a tear the whole day with so many kids around. That was the last Snook heard from Jack as she recalled the events of the day and spoke about them. The next she heard from Jack was snoring. Snook retrieved a blanket from the cupboard and placed it over Jack. She blew the candle out on the mantle but left the one in the fireplace burning, in case Jack woke in the middle of the night.

Both were woken by thump thump thump! on the door. Jack woke disorientated not exactly sure were he was, he knew he wasn't at home. Snook woke thinking, that better not be Jack again. Before she got to open the door she seen Jack raise himself from the chair in the living room and wondered who this could be.