Mr. Patchman

Story and Illustrations by Lehla Eldridge

Once upon a time there was a man who told me to tell you this story. So listen carefully and I will tell you about Mr. Patchman.

Mr. Patchman lives in an old farm house on the edge of a town called Prince Albert in Africa. He is called Mr. Patchman because his clothes are made from little patches of cloth that he has found. All the birds love him as he sings to them and he has lots of cats too.

When Mr. Patchman was a young boy his father said to him "You mustn't be a lazy man and expect fried chicken to just fall in to your mouth, you must work hard to keep your body strong and fit and you must always recycle things."

Mr. Patchman asked what he meant by recycling and his father said. Look at this flower, her pollen goes to the bees and her seeds float in the wind and will land in the earth. When she dies she will fall into the ground and will turn in to earth and another seed may land in that earth and grow another flower all over again. That is a kind of recycling. Nature does it all the time.

The young Mr. Patchman was drinking from a glass bottle and he went to throw it in the bin. His Father said "Recycle, recycle!!" and he took the bottle.

Later that evening young Mr. Patchman noticed a beautiful candle holder flickering in the light. He said "father where did you get that lovely candle holder?" and then he saw it was just the old fizzy drink bottle that he had used earlier.

So Mr. Patchman grew up always remembering his fathers words. He collects all the rubbish that most people just throw away, old bottles, cans, bits of clothes and he makes the most beautiful things.

He has made lamps and people from all over the world come to visit him and buy his beautiful things which are made from bits of tin and glass.

There are his lamps in different places all over the world. So if one day you see a lamp shining in somebody's window it may have been made by Mr. Patchman who lives in the small farm in Africa.

Now you can make your own things out of left over bits and bobs and if somebody asks you what you are doing you can tell them them about Mr. Patchman and that he told you to tell his story....