Scrooge had been trying to sell his house all year - but to no avail. He was fed up with the cold winters, and longed to move to Spain, where he had found a villa he was ready to take on at a knock-down price being sold by a motivated seller. Now it was Christmas again and there was still no sign of a buyer for his own home. Scrooge hated Christmas.
Bob, at the local estate agents, Cratchit & Co, had almost given up on ever selling Scrooge's house. Scrooge was far too mean to put any lights on inside, or light a fire to make the house look cosy and inviting, despite Bob's best efforts. Instead, it remained unwelcoming and cold. He refused to let people see the house when they wanted to, and only allowed viewings when it was convenient for him. The few offers he had received, he had treated with derision - even though the asking price was really far too high - which put everyone off taking it any further. Scrooge even insisted that any buyer would have to purchase (at extra cost, natch), the threadbare carpets and even some wet logs at the end of the garden which he described as firewood.
That night, Scrooge had three disturbing dreams. The first vividly showed him what life had been like before he became so mean, and before his wife had left him. The second showed Christmas dinner at his estate agent's house. It was rather a jovial family affair with Bob, his wife and their small son Tim, all enjoying themselves greatly. But slowly the scene changed to illustrate what life would be like if Bob couldn't sell any houses and had no money. The third dream showed Scrooge's grave. He had died an embittered old man who had never sold that house, and never moved to sunny Spain.
Waking up in his bed, Scrooge realised that wasn't too late. He raced around the house putting the lights on and setting the fire ablaze in the living room. He then rushed down to see Bob at Cratchit & Co, and told him to reduce the price immediately, and to tell everyone that he would heartily entertain any reasonable offers. Scrooge even told Bob that he would increase the commission if the house was sold quickly.
So, Scrooge did sell his house and moved to Spain where he enjoyed many long years in the sun. He even married an attractive young lady he met in a local Tapas bar. Scrooge never forgot to send Bob a Christmas card, as without all of Bob's tenacity, forbearing and hard work, he would never have had his new life.
The moral of this story is to be as accommodating as possible, and always to try and find an estate agent like Bob. Arlington & Hall in Poole is just such a firm as Cratchit & Co. Call us - we might change your life.
Happy Christmas everyone - with apologies to Charles Dickens.
