A Christmas Carol - Stave 2 - The First of the Three Spirits

In A Christmas Carol - Stave 1 - Margaret's Ghost, Prime Minister Theresa May met Margaret Thatcher's ghost, who warned her that she would be haunted by three spirits.

Stave 2 - The First of the Three Spirits

When Theresa awoke, it was dark. She heard the clock strike twelve. It was past two when she went to bed. Surely the clock was wrong.

Margaret's Ghost bothered her exceedingly. Every time she resolved within herself, after mature inquiry, that it was all a dream, Theresa found herself asking "Was it a dream or not?"

"Not."

Theresa, starting up into a half-recumbent attitude, found herself face to face with an unearthly visitor. It was a strange figure - at once both old and young, far and near, bright and dark. From the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light; and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm.

"Are you the Spirit, sir, whose coming was foretold to me?" asked Theresa.

"I am."

"Who, and what are you?" Theresa demanded.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past."

"Long Past?" inquired Theresa.

"No. Your past."

Hand-in-hand, they passed through the wall, and were walking across a beach.

"You know this place?" inquired the Spirit.

"Yes. It's Bournemouth. But how is it so bright and warm? and why are people wearing such unfashionable clothes. Anyone would think that Tony Blair was still Prime Minister.

"I am the ghost of Christmas past and this is October 2002"

"October isn't Christmas."

The ghost sighed. "You are rather literal minded. Don't you want to hear the speech?"

They entered the auditorium just as a somewhat younger Theresa started her barnstorming speech warning that people were calling the Conservatives the nasty party and that they must truly represent the whole of Britain. Theresa applauded enthusiastically.

The ghost asked "Do you think that your party is seen as being more or less nasty since you became Prime Minister?"

Theresa said "That's hardly fair. It will be years before my premiership will have any real effect on people's lives."

The ghost said "You were Home Secretary. Let's visit a Police Officer, who will be one of the first to be affected by your choices."

Before Theresa could say a word, they were standing in a front garden looking through the window at a child unwrapping presents with the help of his adoring parents. The mother was the very Police Officer who had foiled the bank raid the previous night. Or some years in the future depending on which way you choose to look at it. The boy started wheezing and she helped him use his inhaler.

Theresa looked worried. "What's wrong with the boy."

"His name is Tim. He has asthma and some other problems. Quite bad."

"He'll be fine though. The house is warm and his parents are able to care for him." Theresa's tone was less confident than her words. "He'll be fine, won't he?"

"The family are stretched to the limit and their circumstances will deteriorate as your policies bite. I see a vacant seat," replied the Ghost, and an inhaler without an owner. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die."

"No, no," said Theresa. "Oh, no, kind Spirit. Say he will be spared. That the family will get the help they need."

The spirit retorted "There is no magic money tree."

Theresa observed that the Spirit's light was burning high and bright; she seized the extinguisher-cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon its head. She was conscious of being exhausted, reeled into bed, and sank into a heavy sleep.

 Tomorrow - Stave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits