Olive - The Chosen One

by Daisy L. Bloom

  Cielo, Destiny and the girls were in the boat behind and also broke out into Chorus. You could hear Sunshine and Rainbow shouting ‘Pace e Amore’ - ‘Peace and Love’ to the fairy Gondoliers. It was the ride of a life-time well until the real thing! The boys were thinking ‘Venice here we come……..’

  It was then that Dandy saw the most beautiful denim fairy jacket of his life. It was adorned with diamante crystals, diamante buttons and had a huge picture of a Gondola on the back in red and black crystals with the Venetian Hotel written in italic letters. It was amazing! He knew that Luna would just love it but, how was he going to buy it without Luna seeing?

  He took Destiny’s arm and said ‘‘well mother-in-law, I would like to take you for a little fairy bonding chat.’’ Cielo took Luna’s arm and said ‘‘come on son, let’s go mask shopping.’’

  Dandy took Destiny to the sparkly shop ‘Diamantes are Forever’ and said ‘‘please buy this jacket and pretend it’s for you without showing it to Luna.’’

  He slipped her a couple hundred dollars and went mask shopping with the boys. They decided that if you were going to get a mask then it had to be an authentic one from Venice otherwise it just wouldn’t be the same, they would buy something after the show instead to remind them of this fabulous day.

  The show was due to start in half an hour. They made their way into the auditorium. Mio Dio! What a sight! No-one had ever seen anything like it even on the film set where the famous fairies Brad Renate and Valentina Burleau sang their hearts out and made the love story of the century. The whole place was adorned in gold. There were huge gold statues. The huge chandelier hung dangerously from the ceiling with its crystals shimmering. Red velvet seats with gold trimming adorned the auditorium, all very stravagante! Every one shouted bellissima, bellissima, bellissima!!!!

  Every little fairy felt like they were flying on fairy clouds. It felt like sparkle dust was literally everywhere. The music started up. The main theme tune of the Phantom bellowed out. You could hear the audience tremble from the sheer excitement of it all. The music rumbled throughout the auditorium. Everyone would remember this experience for the rest of their lives. It would be engrained on their brains. It was a show-stopper!

  Whatever could top this?

  The boys had booked an adventure honeymoon to the Grand Canyon for the following day and they were taking everyone with them. Cowboy rooms were booked for all the fairies but, Luna and Dandy decided they would like to be real Indian fairies and sleep in a tee-pee. They thought ‘if you are going to a Cowboy/Indian reservation, let’s do it right!’

  They had to be up the next morning really early but, first they thought ‘let’s hit the roulette wheels.’

  Cielo and Destiny were always very sensible as far as money was concerned. They didn’t always have it in the early days of their marriage so they said ‘‘we are willing to lose 20 dollars and no more!’’

  They believed that you should not gamble more than you could afford to lose because let’s face it no-one comes out a winner where gambling is concerned as you just put it all back. However, what fun and it was the wedding night.

  ‘Ok, let’s choose our lucky numbers’ thought the boys.

  Both of Luna’s sisters were born on the 22nd so for him that was a lucky number so he chose that. Dandy was born on the 25th so that was another lucky choice. Low and behold both 22 and 25 both came up.

  ‘Mio Dio’ thought the boys ‘we are on a fairy winning roll!’

  They took all their winnings and placed it on number 13 as this was always lucky for Dandy. Number 19 came up so all was lost!

  ‘Well’ thought Cielo ‘this is Vegas, what’s a few dollars. That’s what life is all about, winning and losing!’

  You can’t always be a winner! Wasn’t that just the truth? After all, the boys were winners in love and that is what made their world spin.

  They were up bright and early the next morning to catch the fairy helicopter from the Vegas helipad.

  ‘This is beyond exciting’ they thought.

  Because there was so many of them, they had ordered two fairy helicopters. The two girls wanted to go with Luna and Dandy along with Dandy’s parents. Cielo, Destiny, Sunshine, Rainbow and Johnnie went in the other.

  ‘Great’ thought Destiny to herself ‘it will be peace to the mountains all the way! On the other hand Sunshine was so much fun. There was never a dull moment when she or her daughter was around. As for Johnnie, he always had a very dreamy far-away look on his face. The helicopters took off. It was an amazing view over the roof-tops of Vegas. They couldn’t help think it would be equally unbelievable to take this ride at night time when you could see the lights of the strip. They glided lightly through the air, just hearing the slight whirring of the helicopter blades. They each wore a head-set so they were able to talk to the fairy pilot at all times. He would point out places of interest to them. The Grand Canyon was a huge space of rocks and deep crevices. No-one had ever seen such a place in their lives. They were surprised to see little houses spotted about on the way in. People actually lived amongst these rocks.

  ‘Wow! It must be just so cool’ thought everyone. When they landed, a cowboy horse-drawn carriage awaited them, they all managed to squeeze onto one. A cowgirl fairy sat opposite everyone and told them stories as they were taken along a very bumpy road to the reservation. Little wooden houses were set in a little cluster with a couple of tee-pees for the adventurous. ‘‘Tonight after your dinner, we will all sit around the log fire and we will share some true fairy cowboy stories with you. We will have a sing-song so if you have any instruments with you, please feel free to bring them along.’’ said the cowgirl fairy.

  ‘Hello!’ of course they did.

  They had brought along a mouth-organ, a banjo and a pair of castanets. They were surrounded by trees and the joys of the forest. They could hear animals in the distance, owls hooting and maybe a Coyote howling. It felt a little eerie but, living a little on the edge was always exciting……

  After washing in an old-fashioned iron tub, they were served an amazing feast of ribbed steak, fairy jacket potatoes, sweet corn and some vegetables. Very tasty! This was all followed by a fairy apple crumble. Heaven!

  ‘Fairy Heaven’ they thought.

  Afterwards they made their way outside to where a camp-fire was burning. There were several cow-boys sitting around waiting for their guests to arrive. One of them held a guitar and seemed all geared up for a night of singing.

  ‘‘Who knows God gave me everything I own?’’

  ‘Not me’ thought everyone in unison but, we know a few Elvis songs. Elvis it was!

  One of the cowboys began to tell a story of when the Indians attacked and his family was slaughtered. It was a generation back but the girls couldn’t help think ‘not the best thought to take to bed with you!’

  Johnnie got a bit bored after a while and decided to take a walk in the woods to meditate and have a cigarette. He had a lot of bad habits that Johnnie!

  He returned half an hour later ready to sing us one of his own songs ‘Peace in the woods.’

  ‘Okay!’ thought everyone.

  One of the fairy cowboys known as soulful Jessie suddenly sat upright. His nose started twitching.

  He said ‘‘I can smell smoke and it’s not coming from the camp fire!’’

  They all looked up towards the woods in unison and saw smoke billowing amongst the trees. Everyone turned towards Johnnie and said ‘‘were you smoking up there?’’

  ‘‘Yer man but, only one.’’

  ‘‘Well that’s all it takes, just one cigarette thrown into dry trees and grass, everything is up in smoke! You should think before you throw. Never throw a lighted cigarette end. Are you nuts?’’

  Johnnie hung his head in shame, it was an accident, he just didn’t think but, this was going to be a lesson he would never forget as long as he lived. The fairy fire-brigade was called. Fairy helicopters came quickly and sprinkled sand and water to put
the fire out. The fire was raging and took hold really quickly, thick black smoke billowed throughout the trees. Fairies were heard screaming, animals tried to dash to safety. The Grand Canyon forest was going to be ruined for ever unless someone did something very quickly.

  3rd Wish - Please stop the forest fire

  Olive got up.

  She took Willow’s hand and said ‘‘come with me, you know what I have to do. I have to save this forest. This is part of the Cowboy’s legacy. We cannot let it be burnt to the ground.’’

  They went behind one of the tee-pees. They held hands as they were both anxious by what was happening. They made a heart of little rocks.

  Olive said ‘‘calling Priscilla, calling Priscilla.’’

  Within a flap of a fairy wing Priscilla was there.

  ‘‘Yes my fairy child! What is your wish?’’

  ‘‘Please save the forest. Put the fire out and save these people’s homes. I wish it.’’

  Suddenly a load of pink fairy dust flew out from the skies over the forest. The fire was distinguished. It was another wish that had been used wisely.

  This experience will never be forgotten. Johnnie had learnt a very big lesson. Everyone was bonded even more by their experience of near-death. One day, they would all return to the Grand Canyon but, everyone agreed there would be no smoking!

  The next morning the family left the Grand Canyon and returned to their hotel. They had to pack quickly as they were leaving and going back to Italy and their beloved olive trees. They were all exhausted but, had experienced the time of their lives. They decided there was just nothing quite like Vegas!

  Viva Las Vegas!

  CHAPTER 8

  FIGGY

  Figgy was waiting for Olive the very next morning when she got up. He looked a bit forlorn as he had missed her so much. Olive was such a good listener.

  It is true that Figgy was known as a fibber because he had a tendency to tell little white lies. Olive knew that he had a good heart and did this to protect himself from the bullies.

  All his life, he had been bullied and it just wasn’t fair. He felt he didn’t fit in but, Olive always seemed to be able to spare some time to reassure him that the problem did not lie with him. She gave him the confidence to move forward. The bullying at school had left a huge impact on the way he handled himself in life. He felt it hard to relate to people, was a bit of a show-off and tried to cover up his real personality. Olive couldn’t understand why at the time he didn’t go and tell the teachers or even his parents but, he just said he was too ashamed and embarrassed. He couldn’t handle it! After all he was a big boy!

  It seemed to Figgy that no matter what he did, someone was always there to poke fun at him. He felt he wasn’t particularly good at anything. He did a lot, he tried a lot, he was just average in everything. He hadn’t quite found his gift or niche in life. Olive thought perhaps she could help him find his gift. She believed that everyone has something special about themselves, everyone! It was just a case of finding it. Sometimes when people knock you down all the time, that gift stays dormant.

  Olive took Figgy to dancing lessons but, he had two left feet! She gave him singing lessons but, he found it hard to concentrate as he was a little tone-deaf! She lent him her guitar but, he wasn’t musical in any way! She did a fairy Xmas nativity play but, he insisted on the non-speaking part! What was she to do with him?

  There was no denying that Figgy was artistic and good with his hands. Maybe painting would be his thing, after all they lived in the middle of an olive tree field, there was beauty all around them, if only Figgy could apply himself! Olive thought maybe this might be the thing and decided to give it a go. Olive was very arty herself, everything just seemed to come to her so naturally. She brought a couple of easels, a few pencils, a rubber and some oil paints. Olive and Figgy arranged to meet every day at 10.00am, focus on a point of beauty and sketch it.

  Figgy was a natural. He had found his gift in life! It wasn’t long before Figgy was selling his paintings at art exhibitions all over the world. He became very attached to Olive but, as Olive explained to him ‘‘I love you as a brother, my heart only beats for Oak.’’

  Figgy understood and accepted that to have Olive in his life, it would be as a sister not as a lover. This was fine! Some of Olive was better than no Olive.

  4th Wish - Bullying to stop

  Olive knew that she had helped Figgy in a way that no other person had but, she felt for the other little fairies that were withdrawn and scared because of being bullied. She always believed that bullies bully because nine times out of ten, they have either been bullied themselves or are insecure in themselves and so take it out on other people. A person who bullies another needs pity, help and understanding but, if they persist then they need to be punished.

  ‘Time for another wish’ she thought. This affects so many people and can ruin the rest of their lives.

  She laid out a circle of leaves and chanted ‘‘calling Priscilla, calling Priscilla.’’

  Within a flap of a fairy wing, Priscilla the fairy God-mother was there.

  ‘‘Did you call my fairy child’’ she said.

  Olive explained what had happened to Figgy and how because of the bullying, it changed his personality. It made him into a person he wasn’t and because of this she wanted all bullying to be stopped. She wanted a bully to realize what they were doing as soon as they started, to have a fairy flash go through their brains that made them think to themselves ‘Stop! What am I doing? I must stop this and become a hugger!’

  ‘‘I wish for all the bullying to stop’’ she said.

  The fairy Godmother waved her magic wand and red fairy dust flew over the land.

  ‘‘Your wish is granted my dear.’’

  As she flew away she thought to herself ‘that is why Olive is the chosen one. She has a compassion for others, she is wise and so far has used her wishes wisely.’

  CHAPTER 9

  THE ART OF UNDERSTANDING

  Olive had a new student called Pixie who started to come for singing lessons. She had an exuberant personality, was full of life, held her head high and had an air about her that could be mistaken for haughtiness. Her voice could reach really high notes. When she sang, she lifted herself up right onto her little pixie fairy toes.

  Pixie felt that she was the most mis-understood fairy in the universe. She had a heart of gold. Why couldn’t others see it? She was a bit of a day-dreamer, she dreamed of far-a-way places, exotic beaches, finding that hidden planet and chatting with the aliens. Yes! Aliens!

  To an outsider she appeared to have it all. People either loved her or hated her, a bit like Marmite! But, those who loved her, adored her and those who hated her, hated her with a vengeance. But, that’s another story! She had a hard exterior but, inside she was like a soft marshmallow. That is why other fairies thought they could walk all over her! They also thought she was a bit cuckoo and lived in a cuckoo land that no-one understood.

  Pixie got up one day feeling a renewed spirit. She looked into the mirror and said ‘from this day forward, no-one and I mean no-one will bring me down.’

  Olive (her music teacher) had told her ‘you need to learn to love yourself for who you are before you can expect others to love you. Love and respect will follow.’ Pixie took this statement to heart and made a pact with herself that every morning she would look in the mirror and say ‘I love you Pixie, you are beautiful and no-one can bring you down.’ After all, fairies like that just have their own inner demons to deal with and that is why they act that way. She sealed this daily ritual with a kiss x baci x

  Pixie thought it would be a little over the top to wear a jumper with ‘I love myself’ emblazoned across it. She would just adopt a different approach in the future when she felt misunderstood or even misguided.

  Pixie had two brothers. They both adored her, after all was she different! If you felt down, Pixie would always lift your spirits and make you laugh by sharing one of her many dayd
reams. She had her head in the clouds that one! They thought this but, that was part of her appeal and charm. They thought that she tried too hard to please and was too bothered by what other fairies thought of her. So what if she was the first one to dance on a table at a party or wind herself down a fairy column provocatively! So what if she had the odd tattoo, after all it just added to her character! And ok her skirts were a little too short but, she had the legs!!!!

  Pixie knew that sometimes fairies would be pretend to be her friend just to find things out about her. She put together a plan to make them misunderstand her even more. Who are they? Boring fairies of the universe, they have no right to judge!

  Pixie decided that you get one chance in this life, just one and she was going to make the best of hers. This was her life not a rehearsal! She wanted to be the first fairy to fly to the lost planet. She knew of some fairy astronauts that were building a fairy sky rocket and were looking for volunteers to join their adventure to look for the lost planet. She always felt in her heart that aliens would like her and maybe even understand her. She thought this because she was different!

  She decided to confide in Olive about her fascination with aliens and how she had put herself forward to land on the moon or to find a hidden planet. She felt that if she could sing, she could woo those aliens and they would come running just to befriend her. After all, how can you not love someone who is full of music? She asked Olive if she would come with her to ‘Wings & Dazzle’ and help her find some dresses that would be alien appropriate. She thought maybe a silver plastic zipped dress with some retro boots based on that 60’s era that she had heard so much about would make her stand out. Along with some silver heavy false eyelashes, they would look cool and maybe a wig! Yes! That would look really good.