JOSH by Bob McMahon

December 23rd

The boy’s name was Josh. He was seven years old and suffered from leukaemia.

Today he watched from his bedroom window, fascinated, as the mesmerising snowflakes drifted slowly to earth, and the winter scene unfolded before him. The snowflakes fell throughout the day in a hushed silence and continued into the night.

Josh’s dad once told him that snowflakes were formed from tiny particles of dust which are carried up into the atmosphere by the wind. Ice collects around each soil speck, creating a snow crystal. When the snow crystals tumble back to earth, they bump into each other and join to create a beautiful snowflake. Some flakes are formed like flowers with six petals, whilst others resemble pointed stars like delicate pieces of lace.

Josh’s dad also said that each snowflake was a beautiful and unique gift to nature – just like Josh.

December 24th

Josh had never known an ordinary childhood. Throughout his short lifetime he only remembered hospitals, medicine, and tubes inside his body. He had listened to his parents talking quietly, and discussing him with doctors and specialists, but he never really understood that funny word leukaemia.

Today he cared not about hospitals, doctors, or medicines. His only concern was those beautiful snowflakes which hung from the branches of trees, covered the rooftops, and painted a white wonderland as far as he could see. All that mattered to him now was that magic carpet of snow outside.

With his mum keeping a watchful eye on him, and a promise from Josh that he would not venture out of the garden, the small boy thrilled to the marvellous scene before him when he went outside. He toiled for hours to build a snowman, but it took a great deal of effort from his thin frail body, and his snowman was no bigger than himself when he finished. Nevertheless, there was not a prouder little boy in the world when he stood back and surveyed his creation. The snowman had a red scarf tied around his neck, and a trilby hat which belonged to Josh’s dad. For his eyes he had two black buttons, whilst a bright orange carrot made a marvellous nose, and a black plastic strip from his dad’s garage provided the perfect mouth. Down the middle of the snowman were three larger buttons and Josh could not contain his excitement – he had never seen a more wonderful snowman, and he now had his first real friend in life.

That afternoon some boys walked past Josh’s garden and admired the handsome snowman. They asked if they could play for a while, and Josh had never been happier. He had his snowman, his friends, and it was Christmas Eve. As dusk descended, Josh said goodbye to his new friends, and goodnight to his special friend – the snowman. Josh explained to him that it was late and that Santa would visit that night. He asked the snowman to keep a watchful eye for the man in red and his reindeers. The snowman stared straight ahead, but Josh thought that he detected a certain sparkle in his eyes, and a hint of a smile. Back inside the house, Josh’s mum and dad talked only about Christmas Eve, presents, and Santa, but Josh dreamed only of crystals, snowflakes and snowmen.

December 25th

During the night the temperature began to climb and the handsome snowman began to melt. He became smaller and his buttons dropped from his midriff. Soon his plastic mouth, his button eyes and his carrot nose all slid down to the ground. Finally his bright red scarf and his trilby fell into the pile on the ground.

The snowflakes which had formed the snowman also melted and all that was left of them was the speck of dust from which they had originally been created. The wind started to gust and the dust specks were carried back up towards the sky.

Josh slept through the night but he didn’t get to see Santa. As the snowman melted so Josh’s breathing became laboured. When the trilby hat finally fell from the snowman, so the sounds from Josh ceased and he stopped the laboured breathing.

Somebody passing the house would not have seen the pile of bits and pieces that once formed the snowman, for like the snowflakes, they were no more. When the dust specks were carried back up into the atmosphere, so Josh’s spirit ascended to the heavens with them. He saw the wonderful ice crystals and the sparkling blue white snowflakes which they formed. His friend the snowman was with him once again, guiding Josh all the way to the gates of Heaven.

When they reached the special gates, Josh asked if his friend the snowman could enter with him. HE said yes, and the snowman put his arm around Josh, entered the gates and promised to be Josh’s friend forever.