This year I felt it was time for a re-write of a nostalgic family story. A feel good story from the past. THE SNOW GLOBE (REWRITE) It was such a busy time of year. People were bustling, excitedly anticipating the upcoming holidays. Folks would be rushing to finalise Christmas shopping before the last minute. Lily decided to leave the baby with her aunt Edie while she finished her last-minute purchases. Kelvin, her husband, would drop her off at Eaton’s on his way to the office. Once done, they for lunch, and she would take the subway home. If she brought Robin, her five-year-old, she could even squeeze in a visit with Santa. She dressed and prepared breakfast for the family. Then she dressed Robin and told aunt Edie she would be back mid-afternoon. Out the door, in haste, not to keep Kelly waiting, her older child in tow, and noticing the lightly falling snow sticking to the ground. She hoped it would not worsen, as she and Robin were only clad in shoes. In any case, she had already decided to take a cab from the subway station as Robin would be tired after the trip downtown and missing her nap. The traffic moved like strips of red and white Christmas ribbons toward the city centre, headlights and tail lights lit to see better through the snow. The snow now came down smartly and clung to all it touched. “Look Mommy. the lights look like candy canes.” They arrived at the store shortly before it opened. Lily gave her husband a quick kiss goodbye, took Robin by the hand and stepped out on the sidewalk. “I’ll see you at the Savarin in the Windsor room at noon,” she said as she closed the car door and watched as her husband drove away. This would be a busy day. A crowd awaited at Eaton’s main entrance, ready to enter the store as soon as the doors opened. A volunteer for the Salvation Army stood nearby ringing bells in hopes of donations. She placed some coins in Robin’s hand and encouraged her to donate. Perhaps she should have left Robin at home. Once enveloped in the Christmas spirit, she felt the excitement of the oncoming holiday. The store was decorated for the holidays, and Christmas music was piped throughout. She and Kelly, the two girls, Aunt Edie, and Kelly’s mother Maude would all be together for Christmas. The only one missing would be Darcy, her son. He had told her that he and his wife Zelda were going to her parents for Christmas dinner this year, but she had sensed a certain melancholy in his voice. It would be her first Christmas without him there to celebrate. The time flew by, and Robin started to mewl at one point. “I’m tired, Mommy. I don’t want to walk anymore. Just a few more things to see, and she would be finished, but Robin was getting more and more tired and lagging behind or hanging on her coattails. “I have an idea,” she said as she crouched down face to face with the little girl. “You just sit on this chair, and I will be right over at that counter to get something from that salesgirl. Now don’t move. I will be right back.” “Okay Mommy.” Lily approached the sales counter and turned to ensure that her daughter was still sitting on the chair. Satisfied that she would not move, she began her conversation with the girl. It could only have been seconds, a minute at most, but when she turned back to look at the chair, the child was gone. “Oh my goodness! My daughter is not where I left her,” her voice panic-stricken. “Don’t worry Madame. She can’t have gone far and I am sure she will begin to wail in no time.” “Oh no,” Lily replied. “She is the silent type.” Meanwhile, Robin had seen a table near where her mother had been displaying an array of round glass balls. She watched as customers shook them, and curiosity got the better of her. She hopped down from the chair and approached the table. There were magnificent little villages inside the globes. When someone shook them, it snowed inside. She observed someone else turning one of the glass balls upside down and then setting it on the table. The snow came down in a flurry, resting on the ground around the village. She could not resist and picked one up to try for herself. It was magical. Clutching one of the globes, she slipped it inside the white rabbit muff she had around her neck, gripping it firmly with her hand for safekeeping. Then she remembered she was told to sit and wait on the chair. She turned around, and there next to the counter was her mother. As she approached, she realised it was not her mother. Then, looking around, Robin realised that she did not know where she was, so she stood next to the counter and wept in silence. What seemed like hours for both Robin and Lily passed. Lily then spotted her daughter and quickly gathered her up in her arms. “Why did you not stay where Mommy put you? I was so worried. Thank goodness you are safe.” Lily’s heart was beating over time as she was anxious about the possibility of losing her child. Lost in thought, she did not hear what Robin was trying to tell her. With the incident behind them, she put the little girl down but held tightly to her free hand. Robin smiled, happy to be reunited with her mother and comfortable with her little treasure. A quick glance at her watch, Lily realised that she had just enough time to get to the restaurant to meet her husband. She strode hastily across the main floor of Eaton’s department store, past the bronze statue of the founder at the front door, and out into the fresh air. It had stopped snowing, and the sun was shining, sidewalks almost dry. Just a block or two to the restaurant, she looked forward to a relaxing lunch with her husband. Once at the restaurant, she saw Kelly was waiting for her. They were escorted to their table and began to look at the menu. Kelly ordered two glasses of water and a Shirley Temple for Robin, who sat quietly at the table, her one hand still fondling the snow-globe inside her muff. Lily recounted the missing child adventure while they sat waiting for their lunch, and both agreed that you cannot take your eyes off a child for even a second. As Robin held tightly to the globe in its little hidey-hole, a smile came across her face. Lily happened to notice and said, “What is it Robin?” With that, the five-year-old removed the globe from its safe spot and showed it to her parents. Pleased with it, she began to show them how she could make it snow on the tiny village. “Where did you get that,” her mother asked in astonishment? “At the big store,” the child replied, not realising what she had done was wrong. Kelly looked at the scenario and let out a hearty laugh. “Never thought we would have a cleptomaniac in the family,” he said. Lily’s face displayed an air of confusion. It was apparent she did not know how to deal with the situation. “Don’t worry Lil, after we have lunch you can take it back on your way to catch the subway.” “What will I say? “Just tell them the quiet child that was lost was not really lost but planning her next caper,” Kelly said with a chuckle. The rest of the lunch was uneventful, and on her way home, Lily returned the globe. No one was the worse for it except Robin, who wondered why she lost her newfound treasure. That Christmas, under the tree, there were several gifts for Robin. A baby doll, a doll-house and her favourite of all time, a snow globe.
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Stephanie Bell-Boissonneault"When researching Family never leave a stone unturned, not even a pebble." Archives
July 2023
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