Dashing Through the Snow
By: Heidi L. Lane
Jingle Bells
James Pierpont - 1857
Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh/
O’er the fields we go laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring making spirits bright/ What fun it is to ride and sing a
sleighing song tonight
O Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the
way!
O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the
way!
O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride/ And soon
Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank; misfortune seemed his lot; / He got into
a drifted bank and then we got upsot
A day or two ago the story I must tell / I went out
on the snow and on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by in a one-horse open sleigh /He laughed as
there I sprawling lie but quickly drove away
Now
the ground is white go it while you're young / Take the girls tonight and
sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob-tailed bay two-forty as his speed / Hitch him to an
open sleigh and crack! you'll
take the lead
Washington, Dee Cee
Friday, December 15, 2000 E.R.
7:30 PM
Looking out over the snowy field that lay in front of the White House as she waited for the other staffers and the First Family to return from the sleigh ride, Beth sighed happily. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful, Jody? The sky is a brilliant blue, the snow is laying on the field like a great white blanket…” She turned to find her mentor scowling at her.
“It’s cold out, Beth. My hands are numb. My toes are numb. I do believe that if it gets any colder, my hair will freeze off."
Beth giggled and glanced sidelong at the older man, “I believe that’s physically impossible.”
“It might happen. Shock those little… things that hair grows out of, your hair might fall out.”
“I think they’re called follicles, Jody,” Beth said turning back towards the edge of the balcony they stood on. Looking towards the road she added, “Here they come.”
“It’s about time. Now, maybe, we can go back inside,” Jody groused.
Beth looked up at the older man and said, “Jody, you’re shivering. Are you feeling alright?”
“I feel fine, Beth. I told you I was cold. For someone from California, you don’t feel the cold all that much.”
“It’s all these layers,” she replied flouncing back through the French doors that led into the building. “They don’t let any cold in, or any heat out.”
“Hey, Jody; Beth,” C.J. said entering the room from another door at the same time.
“Hello, Corbin,” Jody greeted his oldest friend, grinning he asked, “How was the sleigh ride?”
“It was fun for me, I’m not sure about the horse though. It’s pretty cold out there.”
“You’re a little late,” Beth said, glancing up at the clock.
“We almost got upsot,” Jesse replied.
“Upsot?” Jody asked.
“The sleigh nearly fell over, tipped over, whatever. We ran into a drifted bank. No one was hurt fortunately.” Jesse said.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells…” Beth sang softly.
“What?” Jody asked, looking over at his deputy.
“His story reminded me of a song. The third… no the second verse,” Beth answered.
“What did the press think?” Jody asked C.J.
C.J. frowned trying to think of a reply. Jesse interrupted him, saying, “They ate it up until we nearly fell on them.” He shrugged, “They were standing near the snow bank.”
“Please tell me that the President wasn’t driving,” Jody said closing his eyes in frustration.
“I can’t; he was. He was also driving when we almost ran over a few of them. They got out of the way. It’s alright,” Jesse said, smirking at the expression on Jody’s face.
“It will be if we never let the President near the business part of a sleigh again,” C.J. remarked. “We have to figure out how to spin this.”
Beth waved a hand to get their attention, “In his enthusiasm for the equestrian arts, the President didn’t see the snow bank…”
“Or the press,” Jody added.
“This just gets better an’ better,” Lee said, entering the room and fixing all the staffers with glares. “Was he also driving when the sleigh went up on the sidewalk?”
Beth began chuckling softly as Jesse replied, “No, that was… um, his wife.”
“Let’s not let the First Family near any more sleighs or other vehicles in the future,” Lee responded, glowering at the still-chuckling young lady.
Jody nodded and said, “This is why such things are best left in the hands of someone with the proper training.”
“What do I say to the press?” C.J. asked, sounding slightly flustered.
“Look out!” Beth said softly at the same time as Jesse said, “Sorry.”
“Seriously, you two!”
Beth shrugged apologetically and said, “How about what I said earlier and what Jody just said.”
“In their enthusiasm… for the equestrian arts, the President and First Lady lost control of the sleigh they were driving. This is why… etcetera,” C.J. glanced at Lee.
“Sounds good, go with it; but leave Mrs. Franklin out of it. She has her own people to figure this out.”
“We did,” Jesse said, smiling as the rest of the staffers started heading to their respective offices.
“What we?” Beth asked, looking up at her old friend.
“I helped.”
“Really… How?
“I provided moral support.”
Beth’s laughter echoed off the ceilings of the stately old building for several minutes thereafter.
End