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 It began the way most miracles do: by accident or
the hand of God, take your pick.
It might have been the weather, at least partly. For winter, the day
had been almost balmy and warm. You know, sweaters instead of heavy
coats. No mittens in sight.
Then there were still some Christmas lights on the stores, and that
little bunch of Girl Scouts out raising money in front of the Read
Me Now bookstore. Jasper Blankenship was inside going through the
books to fortify his cabin’s library for winter and sat, listening
with a smile to the girls as they laughed and waited for customers
that weren’t really coming along too briskly.
“It’s a shame there aren’t more people out today for those girls,”
said Sarah McKinley, behind the counter. Jasper nodded and paid for
his books, then walked out to the truck. He stopped and thought for
a while, then brought out his violin, rosined the bow, and walked
over to the sidewalk next to the girls.
“You girls like fiddle music?” he asked.
“Sure do.”
And Jasper began playing fiddle tunes.
Carla Martinez was driving down the street, headed for the Soup ‘R
Market when she saw the Girl Scouts dancing with each other in front
of their table to Jasper’s music. Before he’d had time to finish
that tune, she’d returned with her guitar and joined the fun. Jim
Albertson, the local school principal, showed up with a harmonica,
and he wasn’t bad at it.
Dud got out his accordion and joined in the fun.
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By this time, it was getting
dark in the street, and several people turned headlights on the area
in front of the bookstore. Older people had joined the Girl Scouts
dancing in the streets, and Delbert Chin from the Chinese restaurant
across the street sent one of his girls out with a huge pot of
coffee and paper cups.
The party was on.
It lasted until the cars’ headlights began to wear down the
batteries, but during its brief lifetime, the street dance and
mid-winter party cast a blessing on us all.
It must have been the weather.
[Text from file received from
Slim Randles]
Ol' Jimmy Dollar
is Slim Randles' first children's book. The book is for kids
K-3rd grades and is even better when parents read it with children.
Ol' Jimmy Dollar makes for sweet dreams and if you have a dog
even better. Available now on Amazon.
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