Judge Jolly (standard:mystery, 1120 words)
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Jul 17 2008	Views/Reads: 4386/2548	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The loss of a cell phone leads Todd Chambers on a journey to retrieve it, with unexpected consequences.

JUDGE JOLLY 

Todd Chambers rifled through his pockets without success, his cell phone
wasn't in any of them, though he was certain he'd had it on leaving the 
house. 

With mounting concern he began recounting his movements and realised
there were many, beginning with his purchase at the corner store, then 
his ride on a crowded train, his visit to a coffee shop before finally 
meeting up with Gilly, his long – time girlfriend and spending the 
afternoon at the cinema. 

Thus there were many instances where it could have been lost or stolen,
but it wasn't the loss of the phone which bothered him so much as the 
directory it contained. Engaged as a counsellor in the rehabilitation 
of young offenders his cell-phone address book contained a hundred 
numbers, many of which he used frequently. 

He bade farewell to Gilly, saw her onto her train and then caught his
own home, full of concern at his loss. 

Indoors his house phone was blinking, indicating a message. It was from
his friend John, requesting that he call him back. 

‘Hello Todd,' John said, ‘I gather you've lost your cell phone?' 

‘Yeah, Todd scratched his head, ‘how'd you know, been talking to Gilly?'


‘Nope, I got a call from a guy, he said he found it on the floor of the
train, flipped through your directory and by chance found me. He left 
me his number if you want to call him.' 

‘Thanks Tom,' Todd jotted down the number, ‘I'll call him right away.' 

He tapped out the number, it was answered on the first beep by a throaty
voice, ‘Mr. Jolly, Mr. Edward Jolly?' 

‘Yes, how can I help?' The voice on the line sounded incredibly old. 

‘I believe you have my cell phone – you found it on the train?' 

‘I have a cell phone, yes.' 

‘I believe it is mine, Mr. Jolly,' it struck Todd that Mr. Jolly sounded
too ancient to be returning his phone. ‘I wonder, may I call and 
collect it?' 

‘At your convenience, you can find me at The Hall, Willow End,
Chudworth...' the speaker said between heavy breaths, ‘any time...' 

‘Tomorrow morning around ten then, and thank you Mr. Jolly.' 

Todd hung the phone up feeling pleased, Chudworth was a relatively
affluent small town several stations down the line, but he could spare 
the time it took to make the journey, tomorrow was a free day for him. 

So the following morning he took a taxi from Chudworth station to Willow
End, the road becoming a leafy avenue before rounding into a wide drive 
flanked by willow trees, at the foot of which stood a large, Tudor 
style detached house. 

Todd rang the bell and the big double doors were opened by a thick set
butler. 

‘Mr. Jolly is expecting me,' Todd said, somewhat overawed by the setting
and finding it difficult to conceive that the owner of this mansion 
could be the same man who'd found his phone on the train. 

‘Come through.' 

Todd was led through a large, low beamed hallway into an oak-panelled
drawing room of considerable size, at the far end of which an elderly 
man sat, his face hidden by the newspaper he was reading. 



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