Bobba Long the Bowlegged Snowman
Published by J. Lee McPherson
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2011 by J. Lee McPherson
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Cover
Design by - Donna Schoolfield
Editing by – Donna Schoolfield
and Barbara Harless
** Bobba Long the Bowlegged Snowman **
At the North Pole snowmen of every shape and size frolicked in the snow outside Santa’s workshop. They knew it was almost time for Santa to yell out to the reindeer so they could be on their way to deliver presents to all the good little boys and girls around the world. Although some of the snowmen were given the ability to fly, one of these gifted snowmen was as bowlegged as could be. Every year, he tried to follow Santa so he could see all the children who received presents, but he just couldn’t keep up. Instead he only bobbed along through the air at a slow speed, and that is how he got his name ‘Bobba Long’.
This year Bobba Long decided he was going to go one way or another, and when Santa loaded up the sleigh and proceeded to take off, Bobba Long grabbed hold of the sleigh’s runner and away he went, speeding through the sky as Santa shouted to the reindeer:
“Fly! Fly! While the moon is high!
Away to the children before day is nigh!”
Soon Bobba Long could see the lights of cities and small villages appear as the reindeer pulled ahead at lightning speed. Bobba Long was very excited. He was so excited that he lost his grip on the sleigh and went tumbling through the air.
Down…
Down…
Down he went, not knowing where he would land, but as the ground was coming up to meet him he suddenly spied a little white cottage, and managed to maneuver his way in that direction. He realized that he was able to slow down now too, so that he could maybe land in one piece.
He landed just inside a white picket fence, where Evergreen trees stood decorated with Christmas lights, as was the house itself. He got up and dusted himself off. The landing had been a little rough but Bobba Long felt very happy that his legs were only a little shaky. His bowed legs never were very strong at the best of times, but he managed to walk up to the door of the house and knock three times, and then knock three times more.
Lo! And Behold! The door opened and an old man stood there with a big grin. He reached out and shook the snowman’s hand.
Bobba Long said, “My legs are bowed and it’s hard to stand.” But then he broke out in a jolly sing-song voice, and said, “So you can call me Bobba Long!”
The man sang, “Then you can call me ‘Henry’!” And they both laughed.
“I will stay outside so I don’t melt, and then when Santa comes tonight I will hitch a ride back to the North Pole,” Bobba Long told Henry, “If you don’t mind.”
“That would be just fine,” Henry said.
So Bobba Long went out and sat beneath the big evergreen tree in the yard, and gazed up into the sky, whispering, “I will be here waiting for you, Santa.” Then he yawned and fell right to sleep. Soon he entered into Dreamland where he saw Santa through the window of his workshop. He was with all the elves, producing toys of every kind.
Suddenly, in Bobba Long’s dream, Santa came and opened the door of his workshop and said to the snowman standing outside, “I know that you are different from the other snowmen outside my workshop, but soon, Bobba Long, you will be able to fly so fast that you will outrun all of my reindeer!”
Bobba Long was so happy that he laughed aloud, and woke himself up to the sound of Santa’s sleigh flying away into the night! Then Bobba Long became very sad, for he had missed the ride back to the North Pole.
Now he was worried. ‘What shall I do?’
It wasn’t long before Bobba Long saw the sun starting to rise in the sky, but even that didn’t cheer his spirit, for he felt he might never go back to be with the other snowmen at the North Pole, or watch Santa and his elves working in his workshop. Then the worst thought of all came to his mind, that when the spring thaw came he would melt away with the rest of the snow.
Meanwhile, inside the cottage, Henry had opened a package addressed: ‘From Santa to Henry’, and inside the package were four sticks of wood, a letter, and, for some reason, a small red bow tie. The letter from Santa had instructions for Henry to follow. He was mystified. Nevertheless, Henry decided to follow Santa’s instructions exactly. But for now he figured he’d better go check on Bobba Long.