Question

What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the chapter ‘The Best Christmas Present in the world’ written by Michael Morpurgo. It is a very heartening story which depicts-
A couple’s emotions of longingness to unite again. Emotions of army men (who are at war) to make peace with each other.

Complete answer:
The narrator had purchased a roll-top desk from a junk shop in Bridport. Since it was in a bad condition with its roll-top in several pieces, one leg clumsily mended and scorch marks all down one side, so, he began mending it on Christmas eve. The roll-top seemed to have been damaged both by fire and water. He removed all its drawers but couldn’t remove the last drawer because it was stuck. So, he opened that last drawer with beastly force and found a secret drawer underneath.

Inside that secret drawer was a black tin box which had a letter inside it. On the box, a piece of lined notepaper was stuck, with some information written on it in shaky handwriting which read “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” Inside the box, there was an envelope. The address on the envelope read: “Mrs Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, Dorset.”

With the given lines we can conclude that the recipient of the letter was Mrs Macpherson therefore, the letter must have been put in the drawer by her. Also, in the story, we get to know that she lived alone while her husband was away for war. Therefore, we can deny the possibility of anyone else putting it in the drawer.

Now, a possible question that can arise from the given question is, ‘ How did the roll-top desk reach the junk shop in Bridport?’ The answer to this question is also given in the story. Mrs Macpherson’s house had caught fire one day after which she was transferred to a nursing home. Thus, the furniture of her house must have been sold due to the damage.

Note: To the narrator, the roll-top desk seemed to have been damaged both by fire and water. It possibly happened so because Mrs Macpherson’s house had caught fire which would have burnt the desk and when firemen came to extinguish it, then, it must have further got wrecked by the water pipes.