A Christmas Disaster - Part 7

A Lovely Good Morning to all my Faithful Friday Fiction Fans!
And a Merry Christmas!
Can you believe there are only four more days until Christmas 2012? Where has the time gone? 

Yesterday we got snow!!!!! Now it must be winter! Of course most people who live farther up north wouldn't even call what we got "snow." But it was! The first snowfall of the season. We ended up with about a quarter of an inch, but even that was pretty. I got to watch it snow while I ate breakfast. :)

Now for an overview of my week.
On Saturday morning we decorated cookies with the kiddos who had spent the night. Doodle Bug's way of decorating a cookie (he only did one) was to grab the cookie and get icing on his hand, then grab a handful of sprinkles and shake them over the cookie. Then, since he couldn't get all the sprinkles off the icing on his hand, he solved the problem by sticking his hand in his mouth. :)
Sunday was usual. Some music practice before lunch, visiting, playing with my "Baby Doll," and then relaxing at home.
Monday, Mom and I went shopping for some "rocks" and "siding" for my gingerbread house. (By the way, look for a post with lots of pictures of the construction of that house on Sunday or Monday.)
On Tuesday I spend almost the entire day constructing my gingerbread creation. :)
The first half of Wednesday I worked on the gingerbread house too. Finally finished it all! Wow! That was a lot of work but such fun! I'd like to make another one next year, but with someone to help. How many of you have made gingerbread houses?
Yesterday we worked on getting things done and then did presents with my brother and his family in the evening. Doodle Bug LOVED the little flashlight he got. :) And Pickle Puss will be spending hours playing with her paper dolls. However, I think Funny Boy and Goofball will be spending the most time with the new duplo. :)
As for today, it will be busy! We have to clean the house, change the sewing room in to the play room, pack the closets with all kinds of things and get ready for our Open House! I just wish all of my readers could come.

What should I post next Friday? I can't decide between TCR and Dr. Morgan. Anyone have a preference? Maybe I'll get something else ready in time, but it's rather doubtful.

I think you've waited long enough. Here is the final part of A Christmas Disaster. Hope you enjoy it!

A Christmas Disaster

Part 7

Last week . . .
    Somehow Derek managed to get through supper without saying a word. He knew his parents would really wonder if they knew he didn’t have a voice. “And probably Mom would think I’m coming down with something,” he snorted to himself as he tied his shoes and grabbed his coat.

    Never had there been a more nervous group of students gathered backstage than there was that cold, December evening. The house was packed, chairs had been set up in the aisle and people were even standing in the back. The tour buses had returned to the added discomfort of the students.
    Backstage every eye was on Derek.
    “All right,” he whispered, “everyone take a deep breath and let it out. Relax. In a few minutes the orchestra is going to go out and tune. Backstage hands, remember, you’ve got to pay attention. Costume crew, you ready?” Heads nodded. “And actors, if you can’t remember your lines, ad lib. You’ve all done spur of the moment acting. Now’s the time to really do it.” He smiled. It was the first smile they had seen all day. “We can do this, guys. Let’s have a word of prayer and then go out and show everyone a real Christmas play.”
    Hands clasped with other hands and Jerry offered a short but heartfelt prayer.

    The lively strains of Deck the Halls which filled the auditorium caused all heads to turn to their neighbors in confusion. Mr. Sheets, Mr. Hoskins and Mr. Simcox exchanged anxious glances. What was going on? That was not the opening music!
    The curtains opened upon the Gary’s living room just as it had closed the night before. The couple from the city, having been snowed in with the Garys, were sitting together listening to Mr. Gary read The Night Before Christmas, with his children at his feet and his wife in her rocker, in preparation for sending the youngsters off to bed.
    A sudden knock on the door sounded.
    “Now who can that be at this time of night and in this weather?” Mrs. Gary wondered as she rose to answer it.
    It was Mr. Thompson, the carriage driver. “Can’t stay long, Mrs. Gary,” he assured her when invited in. “I just had a package I was asked to deliver. Merry Christmas everyone!” And then he was gone.
    Upon opening the package, a large wooden nativity set was revealed and set up on a low table out of reach of the puppies’ sharp teeth.
    “Oh, Papa!” one of the children exclaimed, “tell us the real story of Christmas. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Please!”
    Mr. Gary complied and the scene faded out to strains of soft music.

    The audience was captivated. No one knew what had happened or even guessed, but this new play was a continuation of the other, so it must have been planned ahead of time. Only Mr. Sheets, Mr. Hocker and their assistants knew otherwise and wondered.

    Mr. Gary’s voice was heard again telling the Christmas story that never grows old. As he spoke, the lights came on in an inn and a knock was heard.
    “Please sir, do you have a room? A small room, anything?”
    “I’m sorry. There is no room. But I have room for your beast in the stable.”
    “Might we stay there too?” The man’s voice was pleading. “Please, we’ve looked everywhere and . . .” his voice faded away as he looked at his exhausted wife.
    The kind innkeeper agreed at once, repeating his apologies about there being no room.

    Next came the shepherds in their field. Many were the astonished looks when it was realized that the sheep were real. When the angels appeared in bright glory, the orchestra began playing Handel’s “Glory to God” while a choir of unseen voices sang with such joy that many eyes filled.
    The shepherds came and then the wise men. When at last all the visitors had gathered in the small, crowded stable with a star shining on it from behind the mountains, the Gary living room once again appeared.
    “. . . But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart,” Mr. Gary concluded quietly.
    All was still for a few minutes and then the rich man from the city cleared his throat. “Thank you, sir. That story used to be read to me every Christmas when I was a child, but when I grew older I thought I had outgrown it. But I realized just now that no one can outgrow it. How can you outgrow such love as that? Love big enough to leave the glories of heaven to be born in a stable with smelly animals and then live and die so that others might live. Such love is beyond my understanding.”
    “It is indeed past our understanding,” Mr. Gary replied. “Shall we kneel here and thank the Lord for sending such a gift to us?”
    Those in the Gary house knelt and Jerry’s voice once again led in prayer. It wasn’t a memorized prayer he prayed, for those words were forgotten. Many in the audience instinctively bowed their heads as well.
    Strains of Joy to the World filled the auditorium as the curtain began to close. No one heard much of the song for the audience was on their feet applauding and cheering, though many had tears streaming down their cheeks.
    As the curtain opened again for the third time, Mr. Gary, known to his friends as Jerry, raised his hands for silence. When it came he spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “We’re delighted that you enjoyed this final performance. Some of you may have noticed that it is not the same one you have seen other nights.” A ripple of laughter followed. “It was a last minute thing to put this together and a lot of hard work. But if you enjoyed this play, all the credit goes to our tireless, though now rather voiceless inspirational leader, Derek Marley!” A stunned moment of silence followed this startling announcement before thunderous applause rolled across the room and up on stage. But Derek didn’t appear.
    At last Mia, carrying all three puppies and still in her shepherdess costume, came up to Jerry and whispered to him. Jerry laughed and raised his hands again. “It seems folks that your applause is wasted right now, for Derek has taken the sheep back to their pasture, but Mia has a word for you all. Mia.”
    With a merry grin, Mia looked out at the audience. “Having been Derek’s sister all my life, I know what he’d say. He’d tell you, if he had a voice, that the inspiration for tonight’s play came from these three puppies. Merry Christmas and good night!” Then she fled and the curtains closed. The Christmas disaster had been turned into a success.

 

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