Tales of Happy Valley
Chapter 14: The Tragic Tale of Jason Allardice
We interrupt our narrative to recall the sad tale of one of the happiest and brightest boys ever to grace the homes of Happy Valley, Master Jason Allardice.
Soon after the Allardices first moved to Happy Valley, Mama Sally gave birth to her fourth child, Jason.
Sally Allardice with her son Jason
It was a rough birth. In fact, Sally almost died, and but for some emergency pleading with the Grim Reaper, the Allardice girls would have grown up without a mother. Fortunately their father was persuasive in his pleas and Sally is still with us!
The Allardices are a very close family. The teens are much attached to both of their parents and actually prefer the company of their own family above all others. Even Gregsim takes a back seat to Momma and Daddy. Now that they are off to college, they still think of him all the time, but they think of calling their parents first!
Edward Allardice with his daughters Joanne and Janet
So, it's no surprise that when baby Jason came along, the teenage girls became very attached to him and proved to be faithful and attentive babysitters.
Joanne Allardice with her baby brother Jason
The baby became the hard-won treasure of the Allardice family, to be cherished more than anything else in life. This feeling was not lost to the girls.
It took a lot to pry them out of the hot tub, but any time the infant Jason needed something, they were there for him. They would hold him and play with him and pass him around among themselves without even being asked.
A midnight snack for Jason while Momma and Daddy get some much-needed rest
The girls enjoyed every little thing they could do for their beloved baby brother.
Janet changes baby Jason's nappies
And, of course, during his infancy Jason came to know and love all of his big sisters.
When the time came for him to start his career as a toddler, it was Janet who scrambled out of the hot tub to assist him.
Janet helps baby Jason become a toddler
From the moment he grew, Jason was a giggly, happy, adventurous baby, his sparkling eyes showing his quick wit even at this early age.
Jason Allardice, the Happiest Baby in Happy Valley
And quite a toddler he was, too! With help from his three sisters as well as Momma and Daddy, Jason learned all of his toddler skills in record time!
He continued growing, becoming ever more creative and charismatic, always able to charm a bottle or a snuggle from one of his sisters. He was near to maximizing his ability to think logically, perhaps owing to the constant exposure of his sisters' second obession beyond the hot tub--chess!
Joanne Gives a Bottle of Smart Milk to Baby Jason
With three beautiful, loving sisters and doting parents, Jason was well on his way to becoming a pillar of the Happy Valley community. He was without parallel among other babies born in the city, with naturally high ratings in all areas of his personality. Absolutely
everything was going his way!
But, sadly, this is the last picture that ever will be taken of superboy Jason Allardice, because among many others, baby Jason perished in
the bomb and continues to defy my attempts to resurrect him. And so Jason Allardice, whose parents had to fight for his life from the very beginning, finally succombed to the Grim Reaper. You see here the last recorded moment of his short but happy life.