The First Snow Flake
(A
Christmas Story)
It
was Christmas Eve, 1959 and my wife and our two children were driving to my
parent’s farm. I have not been back for several years as my job kept me very
busy. I worked for a large news paper in Boston and had moved up the ladder
from a reporter to a news editor. But this year we were all going to be
together for Christmas.
We were driving west now
in my home state of New York, heading into the farm country of the western part
of the state. As the big cities moved behind us we saw more open land with
farms dotted here and there. The look of the farms started to give me a twinge
of homesickness. I thought of the farm I grew up on and smiled to myself. They
were good years growing up and I had such wonderful memories to dream on. As I
thought of the farm and my folks, my mind started to go back to my younger
years, back fifteen years ago to be exact. It was a Christmas that will live in
my mind forever but the events started three months earlier. It was during the
time of war and we had gotten word in September that Jim was missing in action
and presumed dead.
_______
“Papa, there is a green
car coming up the lane.”
“I
see it Andy, go inside now,” said Papa.
I went
inside and told mama and Maureen about the green car coming up the lane. They
both turned a ghostly white and ran to the door. Mama was rubbing her hands
together and grabbed Maureen’s arm, they stood there waiting.
I
turned to the sound of the car door shutting and saw two army officers walking
towards papa. Maureen shook off mama’s hand and went quickly out to the army
officers and papa. Mama went on out to them and I turned to see my brother
Danny moving through the kitchen and hobbling on crutches as he went through
the screen door to the porch where the rest were. I naturally followed Danny
out on the porch. Danny was wounded in the Pacific fighting on one of the many
islands there. He was a Marine and his right leg had been torn up by a hand grenade.
He came close to losing the leg, but they were able to save it, though he would
have a bad limp the rest of his life. I was ten years old when all of this was
happening and it was a lot to take in.
The
first officer spoke up, “Maureen Miller?”
Maureen’s
knees started to buckle and papa held her up as she said, “I am Maureen
Miller.”
“Mrs.
Miller I regret to inform you that your husband is missing in action. His plane
was shot down over Germany and no one saw a chute open as the plane crashed
into the ground. I am sorry Mrs. Miller he is presumed dead.”
Maureen
started to collapse to the wood floor of the porch. Papa picked her up as the
two army officers handed papa an envelope, then saluted and went quickly to
their car. Danny moved along side of mama and put his arm around her. Papa
managed to get Maureen into the kitchen and into a chair. I followed Danny as
he tried to help mama but his bad leg was hindering him. I moved beside mama
and took her hand; she looked down at me and softly began to cry.
“It’s
all right mama, I will help you,” I said.
We
all were in the kitchen sitting at the table. As I looked around at each one
there, I saw papa’s face; it was as if it was set in stone. He showed no emotion
but he was trying to help Maureen and mama as best as he could. Danny just sat
there staring at the wall, saying nothing.
Papa looked over at me and said, “Andy, you go
and start the chores.”
“Yes papa,” I said, as I
got up and left the room as quick as I could. I felt terrible sitting there, my
chest hurt and I felt scared because mama and Maureen were now crying so very
hard. And I did not know what to do; I could not believe my brother Jim was
dead.
I walked into the barn
and sat down on a wooden bench and started to cry. The tears would not stop and
I just curled up on the bench and cried my eyes out. I cried so long that I
drifted off into a fitful sleep. That is where papa found me when he came to do
the milking.
“Andy, Andy, wake up.”
I opened my eyes and sat
up beside papa. He put his arm around me and we leaned back against the rock
wall of the barn.
“You will have to help
your mama and Maureen in the days ahead. It will take time for them to pull
themselves together. They have suffered a great loss today and we must help
them all that we can.”
“Yes papa.”
Papa looked down at me
and said, “You must remember to say a prayer for them when you say your prayers
before bedtime.”
“Yes papa, I will, I surly
will, I will pray tonight, ok?”
Papa said, “Good, now
let’s get the cows into the barn and get the milking done.”
“Yes papa,” and I was off
heading for the pasture to bring the cows in. I didn’t have time to play in the
creek or catch frogs and explore. This day was serious and papa asked me to do
a man’s job.
_______
My wife was saying
something to me and I turned and said, “What was that?”
“Is there a place to stop,
for the children need to use a bathroom,” she replied?
“Yes, there is a small
gas station in the little town ahead, at least there use to be. My mind is
taking me back to that Christmas, I am sorry,” I said.
“I understand, don’t apologize
it’s ok,” she said.
The gas station was still
there so we filled up with gas and used their bathroom, then headed on down the
highway. We were about twenty-five miles from the farm. Then a memory came back
to me and it was at the gas station we had just left, I remembered the door. It
happened almost two months after we got the news about my brother Jim.
_______
“Come on Andy, and bring
the hammer with you,” papa said.
“Yes papa, what are we
going to do,” I asked?
“I have been hired to put
a new door on this bathroom,” papa said.
I helped papa with the
door, in a few hours we were done and packing up for the long ride home.
Papa asked me, “Would you
like to have a bottle of Coke-A-Cola?”
“Yes,” I said with great
excitement.
We started the long drive
home, papa and I each with a drink. I took my time drinking mine; it was not
every day a boy got a Coke-A-Cola and didn’t have to share it with someone. I
finished my drink and was enjoying what was left of the fall colors as they
sped by, but soon I fell asleep. The old pickup rattled down the road bringing
us closer to the farm and it just sang me into slumber land.
“Andy, we’re home.” said papa
as he shook me awake.
I opened my eyes to the smile of papa as he
opened his door and got out. I managed to get my door open as well. I was still
half asleep as I walked into the house.
“About time you two were
getting home,” said mama.
I sat down at the kitchen
table and watched mama bring me a glass of milk and a sugar cookie. Papa went
to his wood shop to take care of his tools; they were his pride and joy. I turned
back to the milk and cookie and thought how mama was not crying as much as she
had been. She tried to keep herself busy about the house and farm. There is a
special bond with a mother and her first born; I wished I could make things
better for her. She sat down with me as I ate the cookie and drank the milk.
“You had a busy day
helping papa,” she said.
“Yes mama,” I replied.
“Mama,” I asked?
“Yes Andy.”
“Mama, when is it going
to start snowing?”
“Oh, it could start
anytime I guess,” she answered.
“I can’t wait for the
snow to come mama.”
“It will come soon enough
I reckon,” she said.
“Do you think it will
snow before Thanksgiving Day,” I asked?
“It might, it will come
when the good Lord sends it. Now, did I ever tell you about the first snow
flake and how special it is,” she said?
“No mama, tell me now,
please,” I said back to her.
“Well it was my granddad
who told me about the special power of the first snow flake of the season. He
said when baby Jesus was born at Bethlehem in the manger the angels of God announced
to the Sheppard’s in the fields with their flocks of sheep that a Savior, the
Christ is born. And he said that the Arch Angel Gabriel was watching from
heaven and he was rejoicing that the Messiah was born. But he also knew that
the Messiah would have to die on the cross to complete the mission and save
mankind. Granddad said when Gabriel thought about the agony the Messiah would
go through he began to weep and one tear got by his hands and fell from heaven
to the earth. When it hit the cold air of Bethlehem, it became a snow flake. It
gently fell and floated, fell and floated until a small breeze blew it into the
stable where baby Jesus lay in the manger. Granddad said the flake landed on
the swaddling clothes and melted on the heart of baby Jesus. So God, to honor
the worship of His Son by Gabriel, made the first snow flake of the season a
special snow flake. Any one that can see it and catch it before it hits the
ground can make a plea for a wish to come true. And to show you believe it will
come true you take the drop of water from the melted snow flake and put it on
your heart and your wish is good as gold.”
“Oh mama is that true,” I
asked.
“Well, that is what my
granddad told me when I was your age.”
“Have you ever caught the
first snow flake,” I asked her?
“No Andy, I never have,
but you might if you try real hard.”
“I will mama, I will try
with all of my might,” I promised her.
I finished my milk and
cookie, and then I put my coat and hat on so I could help papa with the chores.
Mama made sure my coat was zipped up and she gave me a big hug and said, “Run
along now and you be back for supper.”
“Yes mama,” I said, as I
went out the door.
Wow, the first snow flake
of the season, now I knew what I was going to do to help the family for
Christmas. I thought as I walked to the barn about how I should plan for
getting the snow flake. Papa always listened to the radio each evening. He
would hear about the war and the local news, but he would hear about the
weather for the next day. But he listened to the radio after my bed time. Mama
would tell me the weather, no, Danny was the one, he sat with papa every night
and listened to the news and weather. Yes I would ask Danny every morning about
the weather. I had to catch that first snow flake.
After chores were done we
were all sitting at the supper table finishing our meal together. I was still
very excited about the chance of catching the snow flake. But I watched as the
talk shifted back and forth, there was little talk of the war in front of
Maureen, although she did not cry as much as she did in the beginning, she
would get very quiet and seem to drift off into another world. She was getting
better, so was mama and Danny. He seemed more like his old self every day.
Danny did not use the crutches any more; he used a cane when he was walking a
long distance. But he did have a very bad limp and the doctors said he would
have that the rest of his life.
As for the loss of my brother Jim, papa said
that time cures all hurts. I guess papa is right, it has been two months and
things are getting better. I noticed when ever Jim’s name would come up though
papa would have that same look on his face as he had when the army officers
give us the word on Jim. His face was like a stone, hard. But I know we all
missed Jim and still grieved for him. He was so much fun to have around he
would bring laughter to everyone. He was always playing jokes on the family. He
would sneak up behind you and grab you causing all kinds of yells and screams.
Jim would laugh and laugh till the tears ran down his face. He would sneak up
behind mama and grab her real quick, and then there would be a scream and
sometimes the sound of a dish breaking on the floor and the sound of Jim
running for cover, laughing so hard he staggered back and forth. Jim was always
smiling and always ready to help when help was needed. He was the first born
and he and papa worked side by side on the farm. All Jim ever wanted to be was
a farmer. He met Maureen in high school and they were a pair from that time on.
They got married a few months before Jim enlisted in the army; he was
twenty-two when he joined up. Danny was twenty when he enlisted in the Marine
Corp and shipped out to the pacific.
Mama looked over at me
and said, “Get done what ever playing you want to do. I will run you some bath
water and you will do a good job washing, we have church tomorrow, now be off
with you. I played and got all washed and was in bed before the radio was
turned on. I thought about what I was going to do and worked on my plans
carefully. I thought ahead as to how I would say my wish. I didn’t want to mess
this up, it was way to important and I didn’t want to catch the first snow
flake and not have any idea what I would say. Then I drifted off to sleep.
_______
“Are we there yet daddy,”
asked my little girl.
“No, but we are getting close
now,” I replied.
We had spent one night in
a motel and we now were about one hour from the farm. We would get there just
at dark and a good time for arriving. Mama and papa have not seen my children
since they were little babies. My son was six and my daughter was four and they
had no memories of their grandparents. There was no trouble between us, it was
just my job and time slipping away so quickly. Mama and papa stayed close to
the farm and travelling all the way to Boston was out of the question. I made a
promise to myself that I would make every effort to be with my parents on
Christmas every year. My wife, bless her heart, agreed.
“Daddy?”
“Yes son.”
“Daddy, do they have
Thanksgiving Day at the farm?”
“Yes they do,” I said as
I smiled broadly at my wife.
“Did they have
Thanksgiving Day when you were a boy?”
“Yes Jimmy, they sure
did,” I replied with emotion.
_______
“Good morning mama, did
it snow yet,” I asked?
“Every morning you ask me
that, no not yet,” mama answered.
I ran into the living room
looking for Danny. He was sitting in a chair reading a day old news paper. He
looks up at me running into the room and looks straight into my eyes and says,
“No snow today,” then goes back to reading his paper. This has been going on
since mama told me about the first snow flake. I turned back towards the
kitchen and saw Danny shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath.
He looks up again and says, “Do you know what day this is?”
“Yes, it’s Thursday,” I
replied.
“No, it’s Thanksgiving
Day,” he said.
“Thanksgiving Day, wow,
you know what this means,” I asked?
“No, what does it mean,”
asked Danny?
“It means Christmas is
only one month away,” I said as I tore out of the room on the hunt for papa.
No one understood the
urgency that was in my heart, a month till Christmas. I found papa in the barn
finishing the feeding.
“Happy Thanksgiving
papa,” I said.
“Well happy Thanksgiving
to you Andy,” papa replied.
“Is the turkey ready,” I
asked?
“Yes, do you want to help
me take it in to mama,” papa asked.
I helped papa with the
turkey. He had dressed it early this morning and had hung it up in the milk
house to cool down. We carried it into the house and mama took it and put in
into the sink and finished preparing it for the oven. We ate our Thanksgiving
meal at supper time. Papa would always do the milking a little early and we all
would sit down at the table by six o’clock and papa would give thanks to the
Lord and we would eat our fill, laugh and truly enjoy the time together. I hoped
this year would go well with Jim being gone.
I lay in bed thinking of
the good day we had had together. Thanksgiving Day is a special time for our
family. After the meal and just before we had pumpkin pie, we would go around
the table and each of us would share what we were thankful for. It got to
Maureen’s turn and she said she was thankful for this family and the love and
support each one showed her. There were a few tears shed but they were good
tears and we thanked God for what He has given to our family. For the first
time in many nights I drifted off to sleep without thinking of snowflakes.
_______
“We are getting close now;
this is Millsburg my home town. The farm is a few miles further,” I offered.
“Daddy is this where you
went to school?”
“Yes honey, this is where
daddy went to school,” I answered my daughter.
My wife looked at me and
said, “Are you alright, you are not getting too tired are you?”
“No dear, the memories
keep flooding my mind and I am getting excited about seeing the family and the
farm,” I said to her.
“Daddy is that the school
you went to?”
“Yes Jimmy, that’s the
one. That’s where I went to school,” I told him.
_______
“Andy are you up, it’s
time to get ready for school,” mama yelled at me from the bottom of the stairs.
“Yes mama I’m up,” I said
as I was putting my clothes on.
I raced down stairs and
looked outside at the sky. It was barely light enough to see but I had to
check. I went back to the table and
asked mama, “Any snow yet mama?”
“No, no snow yet,” she
said.
“The weather man said
there is a slight chance this afternoon,” Danny said as he came into the
kitchen from helping papa with the chores. He no longer used a cane to get
around, he was doing much better but he still limped.
Danny
set down at the table with a cup of coffee and looked at me and said, “They
said if we don’t get snow today we may not get any till after Christmas.”
“After Christmas, mama
can I stay home from school today, I can help papa in the barn,” I asked her?
“Andy, no you can’t,
there is only four days of school left till Christmas vacation. Now you get
ready to go down to the bus,” said mama.
“Please mama, I can help
around here,” I pleaded.
“No you go to school
young man,” said mama sternly.
I got my lunch bucket and
put my coat, hat, boots and mittens on and headed down the lane to the highway
where the bus would pick me up. I watched the sky closely as I walked the lane.
I have been asking God to help me catch the first snow flake when I say my
bedtime prayers. Now I asked him to hold the snow back till I can get home from
school. Please God I need to catch that snow flake.
All Day in school I kept
one eye on the sky. Every time I saw some motion I was afraid it was snowing.
The day dragged on and on, I ate lunch and had recess and was back in the class
room for studies. By the time I finally got on the bus to go home my eyes were
very tired and so was I. I almost wore myself out fretting about the snow
coming while I was inside and unable to get outside. But it didn’t snow; I
still had a chance to catch that first flake.
The days went by
sometimes they seemed to crawl, other times they seemed to fly by. School was
finally out and Christmas vacation started. I jumped out of bed each morning to
clear skies and no snow. Mama didn’t ask me about my desire to catch the first
snow flake much anymore. I believe she worried just a little about how
determined I was to do this thing. She really didn’t know the half of it; I was
totally determined to do this.
It was now December 23
and we still had no snow. Papa said he couldn’t remember it taking so long to
snow. We had finished dinner and papa asked if I wanted to go with him and
Danny to cut a Christmas tree. Mama made sure I was dressed warm and we all
headed to the hill back of the farm. Papa drove the tractor and Danny and I
rode the trailer. We reached the grove of pine trees and papa shut the tractor
off and we three began to look the trees over to find the best one. They all
looked good to me but papa was very fussy about his Christmas tree. We spent an
hour looking all over the hill of pines.
“This is the one,” said
papa.
“That’s a beauty,” I
said.
“Danny said, “You really
know how to find good trees in all of this.”
Papa let me do the
sawing, even though it took me a long time to get the job done.
“Make sure you cut it
straight, anything you do, do your best,” papa told me.
“Yes papa,” I said.
I slowed down trying to
make sure my cut run true. I wanted to please papa.
“Always take pride in the
work you do and do the best job you can,” offered papa.
“But the bible says pride
is a bad thing papa,” I asked?
“Your right Andy, it
does. But this is not the kind of pride mentioned in the bible. The kind of
pride the bible says is bad, is the kind that you can see on a man and it hurts
all those around the prideful man. The kind of pride I am talking about no one
can see, and it hurts no one,” papa explained.
I made my cut with the
saw and it turned out fairly well. Papa said it was a good job. We loaded it up
and started for home. Danny started to sing the song Oh Christmas Tree as we went down the farm road home. Danny had a
beautiful voice and papa and I loved to hear him sing. We reached home and got
the tree inside. Papa got the tree stand out and set the tree in it and filled
the stand with water.
“There, we are ready for
tomorrow and the trimming of the tree,’ said papa.
“The tree is perfect,”
offered Maureen.
We finished the day with
chores and supper and had a good family time just looking at the tree and
talking. I loved the smell of the pine tree. It made the house smell so good; even
with all the baking being done for Christmas the pine tree still smelled above
the other smells. It has become a scent that belongs with Christmas. It was
past my bed time so I went up without anyone telling me to. I got into bed and
then jumped back out; I forgot to say my bed time prayers. I asked God to bless
mama and papa, I asked him to bless Danny and Maureen. I asked Him to make Christmas
really good this year and as usual I asked Him for the first snow flake of the
season, amen.
_______
“There s the old Dunbar
place, we are two miles from the lane going to the farm,” I offered.
“It seems so long since
we have been here,” My wife said.
I looked at my wife and
thought how lucky, no, how blessed I was to have her. We met at an evening
service at church; she had come to Millsburg with a close friend. The friend
was visiting her cousin that lived in town. I walked up to her and said, “My
name is Andy Miller,” and held out my hand. She took it and said, “My name is
June Collins and I am so glad to meet you. As they say, the rest is history.
She and the kids are my life and I have come to understand my parents much
better.
“Daddy, will Santa Clause
be able to find us on the farm,” my daughter asked?
“Yes sweetheart, you will
see Christmas morning,” I reassured her.
_______
I opened my eyes and
looked out the bedroom window, not snowing. I threw on my clothes and raced
down the stairs to the kitchen. Everyone was sitting around the table and I
jumped into my chair.
Papa looks at me and
smiles and said, “I thought you were going to sleep the whole day away.”
“Not on Christmas Eve
papa, this is a big day,” I replied to him.
“Mama?”
“No snow yet,” she said
smiling.
“No,” said Danny shaking
his head.
Papa looked at Danny and
said, “What is all of this about?”
So Danny told him about
our morning routine.
Papa looked at me and
said, “It will snow soon, I would get your sled dusted off and oiled so it will
be ready to take to the hills.”
Papa and Danny left to
take care of some feeding that needed to be done. I had forgotten about sled
riding with my attention focused on the first snow flake. I made my mind up I
could do both, because sled riding was as much fun as drinking hot chocolate.
My day was filling up fast. I looked at Maureen sitting at the table; she
smiled and said, “It will snow Andy.”
I was about to say
something to her while I was looking out the window. Movement high in the sky,
I looked closer, and then burst out of the kitchen door making a bang with the
door that scared Maureen and mama. I tripped on the steps of the porch and went
sprawling out across the yard, realizing I only had my socks on. I jumped up
and ran towards the barn then stopped and ran back towards the house. I was
running back and forth while mama and Maureen were standing at the kitchen
door. They must think I am crazy or something. But I was focused on a special,
all alone, white, drifting snow flake. I kept myself under it and knew this was
my only chance to catch it. Slowly it came towards my hands, closer, closer,
almost here and a small breeze blew it towards the barn. I leaped towards the
barn with both hands stretched out as far as I could, yelling, “Please no.” I
hit the ground on my stomach naturally closing my eyes, then I slowly opened
them and looked into the cups of my hands and there it was, a fluffy white snow
flake, the first snow flake of the season, “Gotcha!” I never moved a muscle; I said my wish, word
for word as I had planned it. Then I smiled and felt the most, the warmest
feeling inside that I have ever felt, “Thank you.”
“Andy are you alright,”
yelled mama.
“Yes mama, I’m fine,” I
answered her.
“Well, get into the
house, you don’t have a coat on and you are in your stocking feet,” mama
ordered.
I ran back into the house
keeping my hands cupped and went in. Mama looked at me when I came in and was
going to say something, but I lifted my hand up so she could see the melted
snow flake. Her eyes started to fill with tears and she turned suddenly and
went to the sink to finish what she was doing. She looked back at me once,
smiling with tears running down her face then went back to her work. I sat down
in my chair; Maureen had sat back down in hers across from me finishing her
coffee. I opened my hand slowly and looked at the small drop of water.
“What’s that, is it a
drop of water,” Maureen asked?
“No, it’s not a drop of
water, its Gabriel’s tear, I explained.
Mama stood still and
Maureen said, “Gabriel’s tear? What are you going to do with it?”
“Watch,” I said, and I
took my hand and put it quickly to my heart and held it there.
“What did you do that
for, putting your hand on your heart,” asked Maureen?
“Isn’t that where you
keep the important stuff,” I replied.
Mama dropped a dish to
the floor.
I dressed and went
outside to the machine shed. I was looking for my sled. It was where papa put
it last Spring. I got it down and wiped it free of dust and started rubbing the
runners with a stone to get the rust off. I then took it to the shop and found
Danny working on a handle of a manure fork. He looked up as I came in and went
back to the job at hand.
“I need some oil for my
sled,” I said.
He just pointed to a
shelf and kept working. I got the oil down and rubbed the runners and put some
on the steering bar.
“There, she’s ready for
some snow,” I said loud enough so Danny could hear.
“That’s nice Andy, now go
play I want to get this done before dinner,” Danny said.
I went outside and stood
there for a moment thinking about the snow flake. Suddenly without realizing it
there was snow falling all around me. It took a few seconds for it to sink in.
Then I let a war hoop out of me that brought Danny out of the shop on a dead
run. Papa threw the door open on the milk house and mama and Maureen came
running to the porch. It’s snowing I screamed. Everyone had run out looking at
me and they didn’t notice the snow at first. I stood there with my head back
and my mouth open and my arms held straight out from my sides, catching snowflakes
and laughing at the same time. I had startled everybody but they too were
enjoying the snow. The flakes were huge and fell so thick you couldn’t see the
barn from the shop. I let out another yell and started running around the yard.
“Come on mama it’s
snowing,” I said.
Everyone stepped out into
the snow and I think for a second they all felt like kids again. The snow fell
hard and began to pile up.
Papa came over to the shop and said, “This is
going to add up fast.”
We stood there watching
it snow when mama yelled for dinner. We marched through the snow leaving tracks
behind us. We sat down to a wonderful dinner and talked and laughed.
After dinner I went back
outside and played in the snow. I made a snow man and then I made a wall for a
fort and I was standing there thinking how I could make an igloo, when all at once
a snow ball hits me in the back, I turned around and saw Danny laughing and he
said, “A pretty good throw, huh.”
“That was nothing,” I
said as I grabbed a hand full of snow and quickly made a snow ball and hit him
as he turned to go back into the shop. Then the war was on, I ducked in behind
my fort wall and prepared for battle. The snow balls were flying back and forth
with comments “Missed me, gotcha with that one.” Then I looked up and papa was
walking to the house carrying a basket of eggs. He looks at Danny then at me
and says, “Don’t even think about it.” Danny began to smile and he had that
twinkle in his eye that I haven’t seen for a long time. Papa was just past the
line of fire between Danny and me, when Danny let loose with a snow ball at
papa, I joined in and papa started to run for the house weaving back and forth till
he made it to the porch and he never lost an egg. He turns around to us and
gives the “V” sign for victory and then ducks into the kitchen as the snow
balls hit the door behind him. Danny fell into the snow he was laughing so hard
and I caught the giggles too and folded up into the snow behind me. I blurted
out, “Did you see papa run,” and we laughed again. It was a good time and I was
glad to see Danny having some fun and laughing again.
Mama sticks her head out
of the door and yells, “You two trouble makers like a cup of hot chocolate? If
so get in here while it’s hot.”
We sat at the table still
laughing and having a grand time, even papa.
“Papa, when are we going
to trim the tree,” I asked?
“After supper, just like
we always do,” papa replied.
“Can I go in and look at
the tree for a second,” I asked papa?
“Yes, for a second, then
we have to get the milking done so we can enjoy mama and Maureen’s cooking, so
hurry along,” papa said.
I went into the living
room and sat down on the floor in front of the tree. Papa sure new his trees;
this was a perfect tree. I tried to imagine what the tree would look like with
all the lights and decorations on it. We would have fun tonight trimming the
tree; I would try to make it fun.
“Time to go to the barn you two,” yelled papa.
I got up and seen that
Danny was standing behind me looking at the tree.
“She’s a beut, huh
Danny,” I said?
“Danny looks long at the
tree, and then he says soberly, “There was a time in the Pacific that I thought
I would never see a Christmas tree again.”
I grabbed his hand and
said, “It’s ok now, you’re ok now, let’s go help papa.”
We turned and headed for
the barn and the milking that needed done.
We finished our chores
and waded through the snow back to the kitchen. It was dark but the light in
the kitchen window felt warm and inviting. Papa thought there must be ten
inches of fallen snow already. We stepped into the warmth of the kitchen and
the wonderful smells of the hot food. We hung up our coats and hats, took off
our boots and washed up for supper. After everyone was sat down, papa gave
thanks for the food and for the love that was in this family. He thanked God
that He was in control and He loved us all, amen. We ate like kings and queens.
We had roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked corn, and baked beans.
There would be pie waiting for our desert. We ate and we laughed, then we ate
some more. It was a grand time and I said to God under my breath, “thank you.”
After the huge supper
mama and Maureen cleaned the table and did the dishes. We men went to the attic
to get the decoration and bring them down the small ladder that went into the
attic from the hall way. Papa and I went up into the attic while Danny stayed
at the bottom of the ladder to set the boxes on the floor. Papa directed me to
the boxes after he found the light switch. I slid the boxes, one at a time to
papa. He then handed them down to Danny. We got all four boxes down and we came
down to Danny and hauled them down to the living room. Mama and Maureen were
finishing up in the kitchen as we set the boxes by the tree.
Mama came into the living
room carrying a tray of cookies and eggnog and one big mug of hot chocolate. I
didn’t care for eggnog, hot chocolate was my drink. Papa opened each box and
mama would carefully unpack everything. Papa and Danny got the lights out and
tested them before they put them on the tree. It use to be papa and Jim who put
the lights on the tree, but no one said anything. Danny started to sing Jingle Bells and we all joined in as we
trimmed the tree. When we finished we sat in the chairs and the couch and was
delighted with the tree. We sang carols and talked well past my bed time. Mama
put the empty boxes in the closet and made the room look neat as a pin. Then
the dogs started barking.
“Now what’s going on,”
papa said as he went to the door and opened it to see what was there.
“Did you see anything
papa, “I asked.
“No, not a thing,” papa
said as he come back inside and sat down.
The dogs quit barking and
we settled down to enjoy what was left of our evening around the Christmas
tree. There was small talk and laughter and a good Christmas spirit. While
everyone was talking and laughing suddenly Maureen got still as death. She put
her hand on her heart and looked down at the floor. Her face was white and her
eye brows were pulled together and her forehead was wrinkled up.
“Good grief child, are
you all right,” asked mama as she went to her side.
Maureen didn’t say a
word; she slowly got up and started for the kitchen. Her breath was coming in
short, shallow bursts. We all got up and followed her into the kitchen. I was
getting scared; I had never seen anything like this before. Danny come up to
her and said, “Sis, are you ok, let me help you to a chair.”
She just waved him back
and stopped in front of the kitchen door that goes out to the porch. She stood
there for several minutes, then very slowly she reached for the door knob and
turned it till the door started to come open. At the same time we could hear
footsteps on the porch. Danny came quickly to her side as she flung the door
wide open. There was a man standing in the dark of the porch covered from head
to toe with snow. Maureen just leaped into the arms of the man and screamed so
loud it made our ears ring. The man pushes his way into the kitchen and the
light, now it was mama’s turn to scream and she did, for standing in front of
us was Jim. Danny went to mama’s side to support her for she was starting to go
down. He held her up as Jim with Maureen in his arm came over to mama and
kissed her and put his other arm around her. Jim put his hand on Danny’s cheek
and the tears were flowing now. I had stayed back not wanting to get in the
way. Then we heard the crying, papa was setting at the table with his head in
his arms and he was shaking and crying. Jim stepped away from everyone and
knelt by papa’s side putting his hand on papa’s shoulder.
“It’s alright now papa,
I’m home,” Jim said to papa.
Papa turned in the chair
and put his arms around Jim and kissed him on the cheek and both men cried in
each other’s arms.
I remember asking papa
one time, “Do grown men cry?” Papa said if they do there is nothing wrong with
it. He said, “Jesus was a strong man, but yet he cried over a city and over a
man.”
I thought about it later,
no one knew how much pain papa had been in since hearing of Jim’s death and how
he took that pain and loved his family. I guess seeing Jim there it just came
out all at once.
Jim and papa settled down
and Jim sees me standing in the corner of the kitchen. He stands up and said,
“Andy.” I walked over to him and said, “It’s about time you were getting home.”
He grabbed me in those big arms and I was feeling my big brother again.
“About time huh, you knew
I was coming,” he said?
“Yep, I did,” I said back
to him with a big grin on my face.
Everyone laughed and mama
started to make some hot chocolate for everyone. We all sat at the table and
Jim told us what had happened.
“My plane was all shot up
and the engine quit. My chute was torn up from shrapnel flying around in the
cockpit. I didn’t have a scratch on me. I rode the plane in trying to keep
enough speed to glide it to the ground. Just before it hit the ground I slid
the canopy back and before it stopped sliding I jumped out of the plane and ran
for the woods. The plane exploded and burst into flames. I was in Germany, but
the way the plane burned no one thought I had survived. I hid in the woods for
a couple of days slowly moving towards France. Once I got over the border I was
picked up by French partisans. They got me to the US lines and eventually back
to England. Everything there was in a mess because of the German offensive in
the Ardennes. And the city of Bastogne was surrounded with American
paratroopers inside the city. So I took it on myself to get home after they
told me I had leave coming. I flew to the states and made my way here. I walked
all the way from Millsburg because the roads were snowed in, and here I am.
We talked and cried and
laughed around the table just like old times. Jim had heard about Danny’s wound
before he went down. But he didn’t know how bad it was.
Then mama looked at
Maureen and said,”You knew he was out there didn’t you.”
“I can’t explain it but my heart knew I
guess,” Maureen said.
Mama said, “Love is more
powerful than all the weapons of war.”
Papa said, “Andy, you
better get to bed now, we are coming shortly.”
“Yes papa,” I said as I
gave my big brother a hug and said, “Merry Christmas Jim.”
“Merry Christmas Andy,”
Jim said as I headed towards the stairs.
It was a good thing it
was so late, because after my prayers and my thanks to God for Jim’s return and
the first snow flake, I hopped into bed and barely had the covers pulled up and
I was asleep. That night I dreamed of snowflakes that swirled around Jim; my
big brother.
The sun was up and I was
still in bed. It had been a long night and late to bed meant late to get up for
me. I thought about last night and it seemed like a dream. Was Jim really home?
I got up and dressed, then went out into the hall. I stopped outside the door
where Maureen and Jim’s room was. Slowly I opened the door and sure enough Jim
was looking at me from under the covers. He threw a pillow at me and started to
laugh his special laugh.
“Merry Christmas Jim,
Merry Christmas Maureen,” who now was peeping out from under the quilt.
I turned and ran down the
stairs and into the kitchen.
“Merry Christmas mama,
Merry Christmas papa, Merry Christmas Danny,” I said with spirit.
They each returned my
greeting and mama brought me a glass of milk as I sat down at the table. Soon
Jim and Maureen came down the stairs and joined us at the table. Mama had
breakfast ready to serve. We all sat down and papa said the blessing, “We thank
you our Heavenly Father for the return of Jim to his family, we thank you for
the protection you gave him and Danny when they were at war. And we pray for
those who are still at war that you would protect them and bring this war to a
speedy end. We thank you for this day and what it means to us to celebrate the
birth of Jesus Christ. We thank you for the food and the love of this family.
And we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Papa prayed a good prayer;
it was one we all wanted to hear. The food was passed around and mama and
Maureen fussed over Jim all through breakfast. With the joy of Jim being home
we never thought to go to the tree to see if there was anything under it, we
had our Christmas present at the table with us.
“Maureen all smiles said,
“Andy you’re not asking if it snowed yet?”
“No, don’t have to now,”
I answered her.
“Because it snowed
yesterday,” she said?
“No, because I caught the
first snow flake of the season,” I replied.
“The first snow flake,
what’s that all about,” asked Danny?
“Tell them mama,” I said
with a mouth full of pancakes and maple syrup.
So mama told them what her
Granddad had told her and what she had told me about the first snow flake that
fell at Bethlehem; how it was from the tear of Gabriel. Everyone stopped eating,
except me, and looked at mama and then their eyes rested on me.
Maureen said, “That’s
what you were doing when you placed that drop of water on your heart?”
“Yep,” I said not looking
up, and putting more pancakes into my mouth, boy how I loved mama’s pancakes.
Maureen said, “When you
caught the snow flake, what did you wish for?”
“That Jesus would make
Jim alive,” mama can I have another pancake please?
Mama was fighting back
tears as she put another pancake on my plate.
Brother Jim looked at me
for the longest time and then he said, “You believed that Jesus would make me
alive and bring me home?”
“Uh-huh,” Could I have
the butter and maple syrup please.
Papa said, “You never
doubted, not even for a second?”
“Nope, didn’t you say
Jesus can do anything,” I said thru a mouth full of pancakes and syrup.
Papa was quiet for a time
and then he said, “Yes I did, indeed, yes He can.”
_______
“Alright kids we’re here
now,” I said as we drove up the lane and stopped in the yard by the kitchen
door. The door flew open and out comes Jim and Maureen with their three boys,
then mama and papa and finally Danny and Sara with their twin boys. Jim opened
the door for June to get out and gave her one of his bear hugs and then I got
out with Jimmy and Susan. Then there were hugs and kisses all around as we made
our way into the kitchen. When I got inside the doorway I stopped and looked,
everything seemed just the same as when I was growing up here. Mama had the
table set and managed to sit everyone at the table. I don’t think I ever saw it
so long before. When everyone was settled and all the hellos were done we sat
down at the table. Papa asked the blessing and gave thanks for our family then
we ate a wonderful meal as a family should. When we finished, the ladies
cleared the table and did the dishes. I was pleased to see June get right in
there with the rest of them and help, she fit in well. I got up and went out
for our suit cases and Jim helped me take them up stairs.
“You’re in your old
room,” Jim said.
“Jim it does my heart
good to see you,” I said.
He gave me a big hug
again and we went down stairs. Mama with the help of her daughter’s in-law
brought into the living room hot chocolate for everyone and we all sat down,
kids on the floor and watched papa and mama get the boxes of decoration out.
The tree as usual was perfect and our time together trimming the tree was
perfect too. It was a happy time but now it was time to put the kids to bed. We
got everybody up stairs and in bed. I came down to the kitchen and said good
night to mama and papa. We hugged again and they went to bed. I sat down at the
table with my two brothers and we talked.
“How is the mill doing,”
I asked Danny.
“Fine, business is
booming. We live in a house just outside of town now. But mama wanted us to be
here for Christmas,” Danny said.
We talked about
everything and caught up with each other’s lives. Jim was happy here on the
farm and one day we knew he would take it over when papa was gone. And that was
fine with Danny and me. Jim’s heart was here on the farm, just like papa.
Danny asked me, “You like
living in Boston?”
“I thought I did, till I
came back to the farm, now I’m not so sure,” I said.
“You remember Jake
Clark,” asked Jim?
“Yes, he gave me my first
job at his paper,” I answered.
Danny said, “I talked
with him the other day and he said he was tired of the winter and cold and
snow, he was heading for Florida to stay. Then he asked if you were still
working for that news paper in Boston. He said if you ever show your face
around here again to stop in and he would make you a deal on his news paper you
could not refuse.”
Jim said, “If it were me,
I’d take it.”
“You would huh, doesn’t
sound too bad, just how certain is it,” I said.
It’s set in stone, the
price is ridiculously cheap and the bank will give you the money without
question,” Danny said.
“You got it all worked
out the two of you,” I said.
“Well actually the four
of us, mama and papa are in on it too,” offered Jim.
We talked some more and
then got up and took care of what was needed under the tree and said goodnight
and went to bed.
I went into my old bed
room and June was still awake. The kids were sound asleep. I sat down on the
edge of the bed and undressed and put my pajamas on and sat there thinking and
finally said to June, “You like it here at the farm?”
“Yes I do, I love your
family, each and everyone,” she said.
“How would you like to
move here permanently,” I said as I was staring at the wall.
“Would you like to move
back,” she said?
“Honey, I asked you
first,” I said.
“I know, but I want to
know if you want to,” she said.
“Yes, being back here
feels right and its more than a bit of homesickness,” I said.
“Good, that is what I
have been waiting to hear. I have been praying for months that God would open a
door and lead us back here to live,” she offered.
I was surprised but
pleased to hear that, “So it looks like you got your wish.”
“There was never any
doubt,” she confessed.
I looked over at her and
smiled then said, “Hey, you been catching snowflakes?”
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Copyright © December 2011 by: T. A. Cline
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