by John Snyder
“No. I’ve been so busy ringing the bell that I haven’t had much time to look for her lately. I ask just about everyone I see if they know her—nothing yet. Right now, I’m content with my job ringing the bell and collecting for the poor.”
“I hope you find her, and I hope she embraces you with an open heart.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’ll give it my best try right after Christmas. The rest is up to her. It’s out of my hands.”
“I wish you the best. I have a feeling everything is going to turn out good for you. You certainly deserve it.”
“Thank you, Howard. I guess I should hang up now. I don’t want to run up the telephone bill since Bob was generous enough to let me use the phone to call you. Merry Christmas.”
“Okay, Jacob. It’s been wonderful talking with you. Merry Christmas…and good-bye.”
“Good-bye, Howard.”
* * *
That night, the little girl who had been watching Jacob ring his bell earlier in the day helped her mother wash and dry the dishes. Unusually quiet, she had something important weighing on her mind.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, dear?”
“You know the money I have been saving?”
“Yes?”
“I saw a man dressed like Santa today ringing a bell and collecting money for the Salvation Army.”
“And?”
“He looks like a nice man, and I want to know if I can put the money I saved in his kettle.”
“I wonder if that is the man your daddy was reading about in the newspaper.”
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. Are you sure you want to use your money that way?”
“It’s to help poor people.”
“I know, but you’ve been saving for a long time.”
“Yes. I’ve been saving up for a new doll. But my old doll is just fine. I’d kinda like to give my money to the poor so they have a nice Christmas.”
“If that’s what you want to do, it would be very generous of you.”
“Can I do it tomorrow?”
“I don’t see why not.”
* * *
Jacob dreamed deeply that night. In his dream, Jacob met a woman who said she knew Emma, and she gave Jacob her address. Delighted at learning of Emma’s whereabouts, Jacob’s hopes were rallied. Finally, he would have the opportunity to get reacquainted with his daughter and hopefully to gain her forgiveness. He set out immediately for the address the woman had given him. When he arrived at Emma’s address, he became overwhelmed with emotion. His stomach churned with anxiety. While walking up the few steps to the front door, his knees buckled. Pausing at the door, he took a deep breath before knocking.
Emma came to the door. Opening it, she got the surprise of her life when she saw her father standing there. She began to cry and embraced him. They stood there for a moment in each other’s arms without saying a word. Then she spoke. “Dad, I never thought I’d see you again. Where have you been? I’m so happy to see you.”
She kissed him on the cheek.
“Well, don’t just stand there, come on in!” Emma pulled him through the doorway by the hand.
“Emma, I came to apologize for all I have done and to ask your forgiveness.”
“Oh, Dad, I forgive you. I do. I’ve missed you so much.”
Astonished, Jacob said, “You do?”
“Yes. I wish our last meeting hadn’t ended so abruptly. I should have given you a chance. I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right, my dear. We’re together again now. Let’s make the best of it.”
Suddenly a young girl appeared in the room.
“This is your grandpa. Come over here and give him a big hug.”
Jacob kneeled down on one knee and opened his arms. The little girl ran over and enthusiastically hugged him. Jacob smiled broadly.
The touching scene was interrupted by the ringing of Jacob’s alarm clock, startling him awake. The smile faded from his face as he realized the wonderful reunion was just a dream. He closed his eyes in hopes of recapturing the moment with Emma and his granddaughter, but it was gone—faded away. Devastated it was but a dream, though a pleasant one, Jacob sat up on the edge of his bed and rubbed his face, a bit bewildered, as he thought about Emma. His brief moment of joy was replaced by sadness and the yearning to reconnect with her. The dream made him want to search for her again, but he didn’t even know where to begin. He and Bob had already been down that road and it was a dead end.
Before going to breakfast, he went into the bathroom to splash the sleep from his face. The cool water revitalized him. He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment, wondering if he would ever see Emma again. Then, he toweled off his face and went out to eat his morning meal.
After breakfast and sharing some laughs with his buddies, Jacob trudged through the snow-covered sidewalks to get to the corner of Charles and Light. He arrived a bit early. After setting up his kettle, he sat on a stoop at the entrance to a building.
“Good morning, Jacob. I brought you some coffee to warm you up.”
The woman who owned the restaurant next to where Jacob rang his bell handed him the cup of hot coffee.
“Thank you, Mabel. It looks like it’s going to be a cold one today.”
“If you need more coffee, or need to get warm, stop in and visit with us for a while.”
“Will do.”
Jacob took his gloves off and cupped the coffee mug in his hands. The warm coffee was a welcome relief to the cold that stung his hands. As he sat there, even before ringing his bell for the first time, people began filling his kettle with their generosity. Feeling he should begin ringing the bell, Jacob set down his coffee, which wafted steam into the frigid air. After putting on his gloves, he retrieved his bell and prepared to ring it. He pulled the bell back over his shoulder then shook it in his hand, anticipating its ring. His motion produced nothing but silence. He shook it again, harder—still nothing. At a loss, he looked into the bell and discovered the clapper was frozen solid to the side of it. After freeing the clapper, he chuckled to himself, then began ringing merrily as the sound of his bell carried for blocks.
As Jacob looked around for donors, he noticed the little girl he’d seen the day before standing across the street. Again, she just stood there looking at him. When he glanced back at her, she turned her head as if she was standing there for some other purpose. They stared at each other numerous times. When their eyes met, she would again look away. This went on for about ten minutes.
Suddenly she garnered the courage to approach him, stepping off the curb after looking up and down the street for approaching traffic. She crossed over to Jacob’s side, walking up to him with a somewhat timid expression. When she arrived at the kettle, she stood there continuing to observe Jacob collecting money before looking up at him, her bright blue eyes blinking several times.
They stood silent, staring at each other before Jacob, in a reassuring tone, said, “What is it, honey?”
“Good morning, sir,” she said.
“Good morning.”
She was standing there with a jar full of change.
“Sir, I have been saving my money for a long time. Can I put it in your kettle?”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do? There are a lot of coins in that jar.”
“Oh, yes. I’m real sure.”
Jacob tilted the kettle in her direction as she spilled the contents of the jar into it. The coins made the most beautiful sound as they hit the bottom. The generous offering from someone so young and innocent made the sound even more gratifying.
“Thank you so very much. Merry Christmas and may God bless you.”
She stood there and kept looking at him. His Santa coat and hat along with his white beard made him resemble Saint Nick.
“What is it?” he asked gently.
“Are you Santa?”
Jacob laughed. “No. I’m just one of his helpers.”
She continu
ed gazing at him.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Mary.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
Jacob stared off into space for a brief moment. Mary was his granddaughter’s name. Thinking about her made him sad.
“What’s wrong, mister?”
“Oh, nothing. You just reminded me of someone there for a moment.”
“What’s your name?”
Jacob thought for an instant then playfully said, “You can call me ‘Jingles’ if you want to. That’s what Santa calls me. Do you live nearby?”
“Not far from here. Just down the street. Where do you live?”
“Well, actually, I don’t have a home. You see, I’m poor and I live at the Salvation Army Mission. It’s a great place to live.”
“Can I ring the bell once?”
“Sure you can.”
He handed the bell to Mary. She gripped it quite awkwardly and began ringing it shyly.
“Oh, come on, you can do better than that. You need to ring it loud to get people’s attention. Here, let me show you.”
Jacob positioned himself behind her. Grasping her right arm, he moved it up and down, demonstrating the proper technique. She got the hang of it real quick.
“That’s it. You’re going great!”
Mary’s face radiated a deep sense of pride. When she received her first donation, she looked up at Jacob and smiled. He winked at her, nodding his head. This motivated her to ring the bell even louder. All but a few passersby dropped coins into the bucket. The gifts were pouring in as Mary delighted in ringing the bell. After a short while she began to slow down. It was obvious that she was tiring.
“Jingles, my arm is getting tired. Can you ring it for a while?”
Jacob laughed. “You had me scared a little bit. You were doing so well I was afraid you were going to put me out of a job.”
“Whew, I don’t know how you can do this all day without your arm getting sore.”
“It’s not my arm as much as it is my aching back,” he said, grinning. “Why don’t you stand next to the kettle and tell people Merry Christmas as they walk by?”
“Okay.”
She positioned herself beside the kettle and greeted everyone she saw.
“You’re doing great,” Jacob encouraged her.
“You give all this money to poor people?”
“I am doing this for the Salvation Army. They give the money to the poor.”
“Oh.”
“Actually, it’s the generosity of all these people who make it possible to help others.”
“A few people didn’t even look at me when I was ringing the bell. They just walked by without putting any money in the kettle.”
“Well, some people may not have much money and can’t afford to give. Others may not be moved by the spirit of giving and wish to keep their money for themselves.”
“That’s being stingy.”
“Yes, but God doesn’t want people to give if they don’t give freely. He loves those who give without reservation. The small gifts from those with little are more valuable to God than the gifts from the rich.”
“Wow, I didn’t know that.”
Jacob resumed ringing the bell. Large fluffy snowflakes began to fall, and a group of carolers started singing on the opposite street corner. The ringing bell, the snow, the carolers…the mood was perfect for inspiring the Christmas spirit in the hearts of everyone around. People flocked to Jacob’s kettle to give.
Mary and Jacob had a wonderful time. They talked and laughed. She relieved Jacob from time to time so he could rest his arm…and his back. As the day wore on, Jacob suggested that Mary go home so her parents wouldn’t worry about her.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” he asked.
Mary thought for a moment. She couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather be doing during her Christmas vacation from school.
“If Mommy lets me come up here again.”
“I hope she does. I could sure use your help.”
What he meant was…he would sure enjoy her company.
“Bye, Mr. Jingles.”
Mary skipped down the street, giving Jacob one last look over her shoulder before she turned the corner and disappeared from his sight.
By the day’s end, Jacob could hardly carry the kettle back to the mission. The money raised by Jacob thus far amounted to more than what was collected by all the other bell ringers combined. His tally alone far surpassed the prior year’s total for the entire campaign.
“How do you do it, Jacob?” John asked while counting out the money Jacob dumped on the table.
“First of all, I love what I do. The generous people of Baltimore are responsible for the rest. The glory goes to them and to God.”
Bob overheard the conversation and smiled.
Jacob’s thoughts kept returning to Emma. He was optimistic that time would facilitate their reunion. However, for now, he stayed focused on his mission to collect as much money as he could to help those in need, recognizing this was his calling for the moment. Ringing the bell filled his heart with the spirit of the holiday season. The significance of Christmas this year gave Jacob far more joy than it had in decades. But he couldn’t shake the nagging vision of finding Emma. Doing so before the holiday would make it all the more spectacular.
Pastor Bob thumbed through some papers on his desk while entering the proceeds from the bell ringing campaign into his ledger. When he noticed the numbers that Jacob was posting, the wrinkles on his forehead became more prominent as he concentrated more closely. It was amazing. For a man who doubted himself so fiercely, Jacob was certainly outshining all the other bell ringers and far surpassing everyone’s expectations, even those of Jacob himself.
Later that evening, Bob said, “I was in my office doing some paperwork. All this money you are collecting is giving me paperwork nightmares.” Bob laughed.
“Ah, quit complaining,” Jacob jested. “It gives you something to do and it keeps you out of trouble.”
“Yeah, right,” Bob joked.
“I met a little girl today while ringing my bell.”
“That’s nice.”
“She’s a special child, generous beyond her years.”
“Yeah? Tell me about her.”
“She walked up to me and poured a jar of coins she had been saving for a long time into my kettle.”
Jacob’s voice began to quiver, his eyes moistened. “She was so thoughtful and kind. It was the cutest thing. She actually thought I was Santa Claus.” Jacob laughed.
“You are kind of convincing.” Bob chuckled.
They looked at each other. From Jacob’s expression, Bob could see that he was deeply touched.
“Perhaps she was a special blessing sent as a reward for your good deeds.”
Jacob smiled while continuing to tell Bob more about her and the wonderful day they’d spent together.
Chapter Sixteen
Some of the other bell ringers viewed their repetitive task as mundane—just a job. Jacob found it invigorating. Keen on getting each day started, he got such hope and purpose from the simple act of ringing a bell. As Jacob set up his kettle, his emotions ran deep. A lump formed in the back of his throat and his eyes welled with joy. He looked to the sky, thanking his maker for another opportunity to initiate a positive difference in the world, and to pay back, if even in a small way, the good fortunes he once experienced—not to mention to repay what he stole while in his alcohol- and greed-infused state of mind.
The gray sky threatened more snow. Jacob inhaled the crisp morning air deeply into his lungs, waking his whole body.
After about an hour of ringing, he looked across the street, hoping to see Mary again. To his delight, there she stood, her face illuminated with a brilliant smile.
“Well, hello, Mary,” he called to her from across the street.
“Hello, Mr. Jingles.”
“Come on over here, but watch for traffic.”
She ra
n across the street, almost breathless when she reached him.
“I told my mommy all about you. She said I could help you again today. She told me to tell you that you are doing wonderful things and to keep up the good work. Can I help you collect money again today?”
“Sure.”
“I brought this coffee can from home. I can collect money in it.”
Mary stood with Jacob the rest of the morning, collecting donations and putting them in his kettle. Her companionship made him feel content. They laughed and joked to pass the time. Oh, how he wished he hadn’t thrown away his chance to have a relationship with Emma and his own granddaughter. He truly enjoyed Mary’s company and felt blessed to have it.
“I’m going to go up the street and collect some money for you,” Mary said a while later.
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
About an hour later she returned, her tin can overflowing.
“Great job, Mary,” Jacob said with a big grin.
“I told a lot of people what you taught me about giving. They gave me lots of money,” she said as she poured the money into the kettle.
“You hungry?”
“I sure am, Mr. Jingles.”
“How about a hot dog?”
“That would be great!”
Jacob took Mary’s hand and they walked into the restaurant next door to his kettle.
Mabel greeted them both with a smile.
“Come in and warm yourselves up for a bit. Who’s your pretty friend, Jacob?”
“This is Mary. She’s my helper.”
“Well, hello, Mary.”
“Hi, ma’am.”
“Aren’t you a pretty little girl?”
“Thank you.”
“We’re starved, Mabel. How about fixing us up with two of your delicious hot dogs? I’ll have mine with mustard. How about you, Mary, what will you have on yours?”
“I’ll have mustard, too.”
“Okay, that’s two dogs with mustards. Anything else?”
Jacob looked down at Mary, then back to Mabel and said, “Give us two hot chocolates with that, will you, Mabel?”
“Sure thing. Coming right up. Go sit at the table by the window and I’ll bring everything out to you in a couple of minutes.”
