"A Christmas Carol Reimagined" by Gratiana Lovelace, 2016

Ch. 01: Ben Scrooge is told to change his ways

"A Christmas Carol Reimagined", Ch. 01: Ben Scrooge is told to change his ways,
December01, 2016 Gratiana Lovelace (& Something About Love blog Post #1008)

(An original fan fic story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace; all rights reserved) [(1) story cover, left]

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story characters with: Richard Armitage as Ben Scrooge, Danielle Denby-Ashe as Peggy Cratchit, Aidan Turner as Ben's nephew Frankilin Durin, Ken Stott as the late Jacob Marley,, and others as noted.]

Authors Introduction Note / Wattpad Description: My fan fic "A Christmas Carol Reimagined" ) [(1) story cover logo left] is the tale of a miserly middle aged man—a friend to no one–who is scared into realizing the folly of his ways when he is visited by three ghosts (past, present, and future). He then vows to be compassionate toward his fellow man and through his good deeds, he redeems himself--and he comes to know the meaning of love.

"A Christmas Carol Reimagined", Ch. 01: Ben Scrooge is told to change his ways

My fan fic ) [(1) story cover logo left] is the tale of a miserly middle aged man—a friend to no one–who is scared into realizing the folly of his ways when he is visited by three ghosts (past, present, and future). He then vows to be compassionate toward his fellow man and through his good deeds, he redeems himself--and he comes to know the meaning of love.

Below is my "mash up" of "A Christmas Carol" (original story by Charles Dickens) with Elizabeth Gaskell's "North & South", JRR Tolkien's (via Sir Peter Jackson's films of) "The Hobbit", and is set in the 1850's:

For the lead character of Mr. Ebenezer "Ben" Scrooge, we need a growling and scowling younger (rather than an old) man—so in my version, he is a growling and scowling younger middle aged man [(2) right]. And instead of being a banker, Ben needs his banker to extend his loan, or his cotton mill will fail. If that happens–his cotton mill failing–all his years of toil will come to naught. So in frustration, he lashes out at everyone and everything.

Only Ben's faithful, and quite shy relationally, Executive Assistant Miss Peggy Cratchit [(3) right] competently and stoically goes about her duties while trying to ignore Ben's high handedness at times. For she is in love with him. Though Peggy knows that theirs is a clash of stations and of cultures.

As such, they are discussing several matters of importance in the Scrooge and Marley Mill Offices (with Marley being his late partner) which are situated upon the first floor of one of the mill buildings—but uncomfortably chilled, for the lack of coals to light the fires for warmth this cold December morn. Mr. Scrooge does not believe in needless expense and waste. The only reason his Mill workers are warm is because the steam that drives the engines for the milling machines lets off heat surrounding each loom.

Peggy: "Mr. Scrooge, Sir, have you thought any more about my proposal to let the widow Mrs. Boucher and her six children stay in the Marlbourgh Mills Manor's back room behind the kitchen, and serve as your char woman and such for a shilling a week?" She asks timidly.

Ben: "Is this the family of the mill worker from the strike who killed himself?"

Peggy: "It is. They are destitute!" She replies in an impassioned plea.

Ben: "Are there no workhouses? Are there no prisons?"  [(3b)]  He scowls in annoyance.

Peggy: "Please Sir, the children could be useful as runners and such. You will see." She pleads. Peggy asks not for herself, but for the poor Boucher children

Ben: "They better!" He grouses. Feeling that he is becoming soft in his advancing years—at the ripe old age of thirty four years--Ben wonders why Miss Cratchit would care so much for a family that is not related to her.