It was a huge conflagration and it completely destroyed the high school the night that everyone was with family and reducing roast turkeys to bare bones. The town parents (much too modern a place for ‘town fathers’) after tsking a lot then hemmed and hawed over the smoking ruins worrying about how to reopen the school. It took a few days to decide to use the few spaces scattered about town and tents or portable classrooms. It would take a couple of weeks to receive equipment and get things set up. Winter recess would be early this year. “We’re sorry for any inconvenience.” they apologized.
That was the unexpected enabling situation that allowed Edgar’s family to take an early winter vacation with great savings because of some airfare specials and utilizing Dad’s must take vacation time. A couple of days later they were in the famed spooky Black Forrest with all its mysteries in a small cottage which was one of a pair.
The family did some touristy things for a couple of days but then came the heavy snow the afternoon of December fifth. They had little choice but to stay in the cottage as the roads were impassable. Edgar was fortunate that in the other cottage was a similar family and the two boys became friends right at the beginning of their stays.
Even after bedtime, Edgar could not resist the beauty of the moon lit unblemished snow surrounding the house. Then he made a decision. Such beautiful snow needed decorations. SNOW ANGELS for certain, in this case. Edgar bundled up well and slipped out of his room through the window. A few snowballs were packed and thrown before a couple of snow angel were made. He then proceeded around to the front of the cabin and made a couple of more for the olds to admire in the morning. He couldn’t help wondering about the metallic rattling and some sort of bell clanking in the distance. Did some misguided cow get out of her barn on this snowy night because of a careless intoxicated farmer?
Next, he headed for his new buddy Jürgen’s window. He was shocked that he did not encounter a pristine snow field when he rounded the corner. Instead there was a guy in monster costume hauling Jürgen from his window. In the few seconds it took to take in the scene, the monster character had dragged Jürgen to the picnic table and forced him over it. He was about to start whacking the helpless youth with a big heavy stick on his tail.© YLeeCoyote
Edgar was incensed beyond words. He was instantly full of fight or flight hormones in addition to his usual high level of testosterone. A quick sprint leading to a hard block and the monster was sprawled on the ground like a well-sacked quarterback. Edgar grabbed the stunned faux beast by the ears and pulled him over the table.
“Get that chain, Jürgen, to hold him in place said Edger in his usual dominating mode.”
“Right!” replied the other youth. They slid the chain under the table and tied it over the monster to hold him in place.
“Let’s give him some of his own medicine and see how he likes it.” said Edgar. He picked up the shillelagh the monster had been about to use immediately repurposing it for a far better cause – spanking the inebriated monster. Over and over he swung the cudgel as hard as he could at the well-deserving rump.
After a while the beast somehow gained great strength from the pain and pulled free for it’s hard to tie a chain tightly. With a loud yell he ran off abandoning the chain about the table, a bell and a basket on the ground and the cudgel still in Edgar’s hand. “I doubt that he’ll be back anytime soon, Jürgen. Are you hurt, mein Freund?”
“No, thanks to you but I’ve never heard of turning the tables on Krampus.”
“Krampus?”
“Yeah. He is sort of like Saint Nick except he beats bad kids rather than bringing toys to the good ones. This character was probably after whoever was staying here.”
“That was a quite corporal legend just like the fake Santas we have back in the states.” responded Edgar. “Get dressed and we can play in this wonderful snow.”
They had a snowball fight and made a wonderful Snowman with stone eyes and stick pipe. It was a glorious night to remember for a lifetime. So was the bell as a souvenir that Edgar would talk about even to his grandchildren a half century later.