We left Phil and Frankie conversing with Officer Carson, who is convinced the boys have wandered away from a rest home.  He is attempting to tactfully remind them of this by asking how they got there orange jump suits, to which question Frankie replies:

“We didn’t steal them, if that’s what you mean.”

“Why no  Paul, of course not.  I wasn’t suggesting that you stole them.  It’s obvious that they belong to you and that you, well, you belong in them.”

“Excuse me, Officer Carson, did you just call him Paul?”

“That’s right Curly, I did.”

“You know my name is Curly, and his name is..?”

“His name is Paul Bunyan, that’s right Curly  If you come with me, I think we might be able to find Moe and Larry down at the station having some Christmas cookies.”

“Just a moment please, Officer Carson, I have to talk to Frankie,  I mean Paul.  Excuse me…  Frankie, Frankie, hold on a second, listen to this.  I think that Officer Carson is missing a few brass buttons.”

“What are you talking about Curly?”

” He thinks you’re really Paul Bunyan, and he wants us to help him go find Moe and Larry from the Three Stooges.”

“Gee, this is a tough spot.  Better humor him.  Maybe if we let him think he’s taking us to the station, the other policemen can subdue him without anybody getting hurt.”

“I suppose that’s the best thing to do, but I hate to leave off building this snowfamily.  Still, we can’t let  a policeman wander around in his state of mind.  Look at him,  poor sap.  If it wasn’t for the uniform, he’d look just like any other big, dumb cluck.  Still, in a way, I envy him Frankie.  He’s not jaded, not cynical like so many of the rest of us; just believing in his fantasy world with childish innocence.  That’s what the world has lost, Frankie; that childish innocence.  We’ve got to fight to regain that, and then hold onto it, so we don’t all end up jaded, selfish, destructive, lonely people.”

“Yeah, but there’s got to be some rational ground between being jaded and selfish and walking around believing in fairy-tale characters.  You want to have some innocence, all right, but you can’t be foolish and believe everything, otherwise you end up like Officer Carson there.”

“I suppose you’re right, Frankie.  Still, there’s got to be a way to  believe in truth, to retain at least that much innocence,  without believing in fairy tales.  Poor Officer Carson.  On Christmas Eve too.”

“We’d better let him take us in.  He’s starting to look antsy, like he’s expecting the paddy wagon to come and take him away or something.”

“Okay, here goes.  Oh Officer Carson, Paul Bunyan and I have decided we will help you go and look for Moe and Larry at the station.”

“That’s great, say you’ll love the Christmas cookies too.  The sarge’s wife has been baking all week, and boy are her cookies and treats delicious.”

Unnoticed by Phil, Frankie, or Officer Carson, a young girl had just  joined them.

“Excuse me, Mr. Policeman.”

“Yes, who’s that?”

“It’s me, Mary Elizabeth.”

“Merry Christmas, Mary Elizabeth.  It’s nice to meet you, but, you shouldn’t be here–I mean, you shouldn’t be out in the cold without your mittens.  Does your mother know you’re out here?”

“No,  but my grandmother sent me out to invite you and these other two gentlemen in for some  hot cocoa and Christmas cookies.  She just put a fresh batch in the oven.  And see ,  my mittens are right here in my pocket. Besides, if my fingers get cold, you’ll hold my hands to keep them warm, won’t you?”

“Well, sure I  will Mary Elizabeth, but some other time.  I really think you should be running along now.  These gentlemen and I were just going down to the station–”

“Please Mr. Policeman, my grandmother will be so happy; she saw these two nice gentlemen here building the snowman and so she decided to make an extra batch, just for them, and then she saw you too and wanted to make sure you came into the house so she could wish you a Merry Christmas.”

“Well,   I wouldn’t want to disappoint your grandmother.  Maybe I could walk you back to the house and wish your grandmother a Merry Christmas, and grab a few cookies for myself and these other gentlemen while they wait here. What do you  guys say to that?”

“Mary Elizabeth  seems to really want us to go with her, and besides, her grandmother put in an extra batch just for us.  We would be ungrateful if we didn’t go and accept her kindness and wish her a Merry Christmas.   I think it best that we should escort Mary Elizabeth back to her grandmother’s house while you wait here.  We would be glad to bring you some cookie’s, Officer Carson.”

“No.  As long as you’re going with Mary Elizabeth, I think it best that I escort her too.”

“All right then, that’s settled.”

“Come on, my grandmother’s house is right next door.”

“Excuse me Mary Elizabeth, did you say your grandmother’s house is right next door?”

“Yes, see, we’re almost there already.”

“Well, do you have a sister, or a girl cousin staying with your grandmother?”

“I’ve got lot’s of girl cousins, but I’m the only one staying with my grandmother and grandfather right now.”

“Then who was that sick little girl I saw being carried into the house by a nurse last night?”

“That was no sick little girl, that was me.  I was tired, that’s why my Mommy was carrying me.”

“Your Mommy?  I thought your Mommy was in a terrible accident.”

“No sir, she wasn’t in an accident, she was in a play.”

“A play?  Why was she dressed like a nurse?”

“That’s her character.  Mommy was cast as nurse Mary Lee in the play Christmas in Connecticut.”

“She was cast in the play.  Oh brother, was I ever mistaken!  I feel like an idiot.”

“That’s okay Mister, everybody makes mistakes.  Come on in and have some of Grandma’s Christmas cookies, that will make you feel better.”

To be continued…

If you have read this and like it,  please  remember to “Like”  and “Share” with friends on social media.

Notes on  first version:  As with Campfire Creepers: My Friends Head. I acknowledge a debt to the Golden Age of Radio for inspiration in the development of the story line and characters in this piece.  I would like to specifically mention the outstanding Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show  as the basis of the dynamic between the two friends to whom you have just been introduced.  In recognition of the inspiration provided by the Harris and Fay Show, I have named the characters Phil “Curly”, and Frankie, after Phil “Curly” Harris, as himself, and Frankie Remley, who was a real life musician in Phil’s band, but whose character on the show was played by Elliott Lewis.  I hope you shall meet a character named Alice a little later in the story.

To my lovely wife Sarah, thank you for your ongoing support, patience and encouragement.  Thank you for listening to my thoughts and ramblings.  I am grateful  for your feedback, input, and ideas, all of which I value and treasure.

To listen to or find out more about the great radio shows of the past,    I recommend Sirius/XM Radio Classics channel 148 ,   http://www.radiospirits.com  , or http://GregBellMedia.com.