Funny How These Things Happen!

Funny How These Things Happen!

By

Charles Haynes

         “It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.” Now that she had stopped and sat down against the base of a large tree, Elsa could sense the cold attempting to take advantage of her just as Hans had!

         Elsa loved her brother. She loved all five of them. She had enjoyed being the youngest – the little sister. She had relished having five big brothers. But the unspeakable had happened.

         Just as the cold seemed to be doing now, Hans had attempted to take over little by little. A quiet, suggestive comment here. An unsolicited touch there. Elsa knew, at first, that there was nothing to it. There couldn’t be. She and Hans had always been close, but not in that way.

         In fact, it was Hans that showed up and gave himself, without reservation, in order to rescue Elsa. That was the time Elsa had fallen through the ice. Hans had almost died. He had a long recovery. But, because of him, Elsa was okay.

         She had been skating too early. She knew better. But fun and excitement had beckoned then, just as Hans had beckoned later, and just as the cold was doing now.

         The other girls at school were jealous of her. She knew they were. Some even told her so. The young boys, those at school, were all polite and very careful not to offend. She was assured of that because of five big brothers. 

         Her brothers were all well known in the village. Gunther’s work for the local grocer took him into most homes. He delivered the groceries to the village patrons just as had always been the custom. You could tell that he was glad to deliver the groceries – this time of year by sled. He often walked several miles in order to get to villagers in one of the outlying areas. Even though he walked great distances, he tried not to complain. He said he had often been rewarded with some handsome tips, especially when it was cold and stormy.

         For many months, it seemed, Teddy, the second child, had been travelling into the next district to apprentice to the blacksmith, something he had been wanting to do since he was a little child. 

         Mr. Anker, the “village Smithy” as he was sometimes called, was well liked by everyone and was a pillar of his local community. He had been a town councilman for two terms and many of the townspeople were trying to talk him into running for mayor. 

         Teddy said he wanted, one day, to be as well-liked as Mr. Anker. Mr. Anker had talked to Teddy, on more than one occasion, about how one day he would need someone to take his place. Teddy said the conversation would always end with Mr. Anker reminding him, “I’m not getting any younger, don’t ya know!”

         He would make comments about “old age” and “running out of steam”! Teddy, however, said the Smithy was so spry and so strong that he could never imagine him having to retire or being unable to carry on with his work.

         Suddenly, Elsa felt a tugging in her lap and remembered Tiko. Tiko was her little dog. She had raised him from a pup. Leif had surprised her with Tiko one day, during the spring when he came in from the fields. 

         Old Mr. Andersen’s girl dog had had a small litter and he offered Leif one of them as partial payment for some work that Leif had performed for him. Leif said he sure didn’t want a dog, but he knew someone who did, so he brought Tiko home and presented him to Elsa. Now, she could not imagine being without little Tiko.

         She pulled him up closer, inside her coat, and spoke softly to him. He wasn’t used to being out this late. By now he would be in his little box which Elsa had prepared for him. It had a small pillow and an old blanket that her mama had contributed. The blanket was very worn and frayed, but Elsa knew that it was just perfect for Tiko and Tiko had seemed to approve. By this time, he would be in his box snoozing, over by the fire.

         She knew that Tiko was glad to be with her even without his warm box. She knew that Tiko loved her. She had thought that Hans loved her, too. She felt a tear run down her cheek. Her cheeks were ruddy and chapped as they tended to be this time of year. She had to stop thinking about Hans and what he had done. Somehow, she was sure her brother loved her and would do anything for her. “This can’t be!”, she thought. Everything seemed like a dream! A bad dream!

         She forced herself to think of how happy she was when Leif had first come home and made her close her eyes while he went back outside to retrieve her new puppy from one of the horse’s saddlebags. Later, when she thought back about that evening, she remembered how she thought she had heard the yelp of an animal. It must have been Tiko.

         Leif was the middle boy, but probably the one most likely to continue with their little farm after Papa was gone. Papa had slowed down a lot, even though he seemed to be doing well, but was still sharp as a tack mentally.

         But if ever there were trouble brewing - if someone was up to something, it would most likely be Olaf. He was the last boy and something of a troublemaker.

         Unusually strong and fast on his feet. He was also a very good skater. He had skated for one of the local teams and made Papa very proud of him. Papa said he could skate with the big leagues, if he wanted too. 

         One day when Papa’s back was acting up, for the “umpteenth” time as Papa liked to say, he commented that “maybe Olaf could become a professional skater and get out of this place and take the rest of you kids with him”. Papa doesn’t usually talk like that, but his back was really giving him a lot of trouble. Everyone would be lost without Papa.

         Elsa’s other brother, Gustav, was away at school. He had had some sort of religious experience, an awakening, through which he had become convinced that God was calling him into the ministry. He had saved everything he could for more than a year and had sold a piece of land that he hoped to build a house on someday, in order to have enough money to attend seminary. The school was over three hundred miles away.

         Everyone that knew him said that he was a different person. He and his friends lived to enjoy themselves. Every weekend they would be out and about dancing and frequenting the local pubs. His friends considered Gustav to be rather flighty. They said that he would get over it. Instead, his resolve deepened. He had one aim and that was to preach the gospel.

         His friends found it frustrating. Suddenly Gustav, the life of the party, the one that all the girls adored, was consistently refusing to take part in his friends’ shenanigans. Instead, Gustav was going to church or praying or studying his Bible. But the most frustrating thing was when Gustav would try to get them “saved” as he called it.

         Eventually, the friends moved on and Gustav left to fulfill his call.

         Elsa recalled the time that her, minister-to-be brother, took her aside and opened his big black Bible. He read to her and told her about Jesus and his love and sacrifice for her. Elsa listened and was touched by the love of her brother. But as she listened, she was even more moved by the Jesus he told her about and his special love. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and what Gustav said that Jesus had done for her.

         Still, Elsa had no one to talk to. There was no one she could tell about what Hans had done. Even though her relationship with Hans was greatly damaged and would never be the same, she had to consider her family. Such news about Hans could kill her mama and papa. No telling what her other brothers would do if they found out, especially Olaf. Olaf was well-liked but he had a temper, and no one wanted to get on his bad side.

         She didn’t want the townspeople to find out. There had never been such a scandal in their little town. How embarrassing it would be for her family to face the people in the village. No! they were her family and she had to protect them, just the way they had always protected her. Well, almost all the time. There was only one thing to do.

         Elsa made sure that she found a place for herself and Tiko well off the main road. The snowstorm was supposed to last for several days. No one would be able to see her. She made sure of that.         

         By this time, the cold had become more than an acquaintance. It was fast becoming a special friend. Strange how that happens! She knew, as all kids do in this part of the world, how to protect herself from the fierce winters. She dressed in layers with thermal underwear.  Wouldn’t go out without her heavy winter hat or “pipo”. Gloves were essential. A person would instinctively brace themselves against the wind. Elsa, on the walk out, had continued to pull and readjust her coat to protect herself and her Tico.

         But the cold was persistent! Nothing more, nothing less.

         It didn’t rear up and present itself as some overwhelming monster, waiting to pounce. Nor did it pretend to pummel its prey into submission with blow after blow. It just persisted. Those were not gale winds that flipped the tail of her coat or caused the leaves to crackle in the trees. Technically, the winds were little more than gentle. 

         But the cold – the cold was persistent! 

         Elsa had not moved from her original position. She remembered how, in the final dim light of a gray day, she had looked down and could see a piece of dead vine in between the toe of her boot and the sole. That was some time ago. Now, as she reached down, she could tell that the snow was half-way up her boot.

         But she was ready. Even though she had been in the same position for several hours, she had become almost comfortable. She recalled how the first waves of cold had affected her. She had become chilled to her core. Now, though, she knew it was going to be okay. She could hardly feel the chill anymore.

         A couple of times she thought she heard her brother calling for her in the distance. Sounded like Hans. It was faint – far away.

         By this time, all the men in the community were out looking for Elsa. No one had a clue regarding where to look for Elsa. And why she was gone was a mystery. 

         There were no strangers in the community. Never was. The village was remote and hardly ever catered to visitors. Not in the middle of winter. Maybe on occasion in the Spring. Not in the Winter.

         Some weeks later there was a special meeting at the local church. Most of the townspeople were present. The Pastor spoke. The Mayor spoke. Elsa’s mom and dad were given seats of honor. It was a special tribute to their son, Hans.

         Somehow, Hans had managed to find Elsa and Tico, even though they were well hidden. 

         Funny how these things happen! 

         Someone suggested that maybe Hans was able to hear Tico’s soft yelps. Maybe he could hear Tico whining. But he found them. Hans was persistent, just like the cold!

         The cold had not given up. The cold had called to Elsa and wooed Elsa and refused to give up. Elsa, however, had long since given up and given in. The bitter, evil cold could do whatever it desired. Elsa was comfortable, relaxed. Elsa had closed her eyes and was silent.

         In his attempt to locate Elsa, Hans found it necessary to navigate a steep hill and the stream which ran icily next to it. In doing so, Hans apparently fell and broke an ankle, landing in the shallow creek. The temperature hovered in the low twenties and would grow increasingly worse as the night progressed.

         Still, hardly able to walk, Hans had managed to locate his sister, his only sister. He was wet. His clothes were freezing on him. But he knew Elsa was in trouble and would not make it through the night in the outdoors, and he couldn’t walk well enough to carry her. 

         He took off his heavy outer jacket which was mostly dry, and wrapped Elsa and Tico with it. Hans brushed the snow away from Elsa’s body and with them between him and the tree, the three of them spent the night.

         Just after daylight the next morning, a searcher found them. Hans had on a long sleeve shirt, mostly dry. His pants and boots were frozen to his body. He had frozen to death with his arms around his sister.     

         The special service at the church had given honor to a hero. Hans had come through for his sister. He had given himself, once again, without reservation for someone he loved.

         Elsa listened as the minister read, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Tico squirmed by her side. 

         It’s funny how these things happen!

         (The first two sentences are from Hans Christian Andersen’s, “The Little Match Girl” - Pinkney, J., & Andersen, H.C.1. (2002). The Little Match Girl. New York, Puffin Books)