Katrina Spencer, a 19 year old college student, had just completed her A level exams and had decided that there was no better way to celebrate her summer vacation than to spend them with the one person whom she loved immensely; her dear Uncle Jack. She had idolised him since childhood and found him hilarious and always fun to be around with because he reminded her of an absent minded professor.

Uncle Jack, who was in his late fifties, lived alone in a derelict country cottage and spend most of his time in his back-garden shed, which he had converted some time ago into a work-place using his expertise skills in D.I.Y. Now it was his private den and he spend most of his day hidden away inside doing the one thing he relished the most; inventory. He also had one distinct feature which set him apart from everyone else, and one of the reasons Katrina wanted to see him; his unique laughter. He had the most hilarious laugh one could imagine and it was very hard not to laugh at it. Katrina’s mother, Janice, would drive her to the cottage and warned her time and time again to keep a straight face as it was impolite to laugh at elders. After all, Uncle Jack couldn’t help it.

Janice pulled up the car just outside Uncle Jack’s cottage and gave her daughter a stern look.

“Now are you sure you’ll be alright, Sugar?”

“I’ll be perfectly fine, Mother. Don’t worry, please just go. I’ll ring you when I want you to pick me up.”

“Good girl. Oh, and Katrina. I want you to promise me that you won’t laugh at Uncle Jack’s laughter.. Put your hand on your heart and cross it.”

“Oh Mother, you know I love him to bits. I’ll do my level best not to. I promise.”

“Alright, well you just take care.  Bye, Sugar.”

And with those reassuring words, Katrina opened the front passenger seat door and made her way out. She waved to her mum as she drove off.

“Uncle’s going to be really pleased to see me,” She said to herself, ” I’m going to give him a surprise!”