Charlie Saves Christmas

Once there was a little steam engine named Charlie. Charlie lived in a rail yard with other engines. This was home.

  There was Marvin and Charlotte the diesel engines who lived in the roundhouse. They had warm and cozy homes, while Charlie was in the back of the yard all alone. This made Charlie very sad, because he was no longer needed.

  Everyday, Charlotte would carry the mail to all the nearby towns. Marvin pulled cars full of people going to and from work.

  Marvin and Charlotte would return home from their daily trips and be put in the roundhouse for the night. They would laugh at Charlie, “See the old engine? He can’t do anything anymore.”

  Charlie longed for someone to need him. He remembered when he was the only locomotive and people came from miles around to ride in the cars he pulled.

    Charlie sadly watched the days; the weeks and the seasons go by. No one ever came to visit Charlie. No one paid any attention to the sad little engine.

  Soon winter came and there Charlie sat all covered in snow.

  Charlie knew that Christmas was going to be here soon. He could see all the houses aglow with lights and decorations.

  Seeing all the people hurrying onto the cars Marvin pulled, with all their gaily wrapped presents made Charlie even sadder. Hearing the Christmas Carolers made Charlie long for the days of old.

  Christmas Eve arrived and the snow was falling so hard that Charlie couldn’t see the roundhouse across the yard.

  Marvin and Charlotte were back from their regular trip and headed quickly for the roundhouse.

  The Station Master turned off all the lights and went home to spend Christmas Eve with his family.

  Charlie shut his eyes, preparing himself for a cold winter night. Suddenly, the sound of sleigh bells woke Charlie from his slumber.

  “What could be going on?” Charlie wondered. Charlie peered through the snow and much to his surprise, appeared a sleigh and eight reindeer.

  A chubby little man in a red and white suit hopped out of the sleigh. He quickly walked over to where Charlotte was sleeping.

  “Excuse me,” said the chubby little man.

  When Charlotte gave no reply, the chubby little man spoke a little louder, “Excuse me, I need your help.”

  Charlotte glared at the little man.

  “What do you want?” she gruffly asked.

  “I have presents to deliver tonight and it is snowing so hard my reindeer can’t see to fly. So I was hoping that you could help me deliver my load tonight,” said the little man.

  “I just can’t, I just can’t,” huffed Charlotte.

  The little man turned to Marvin.

  “Would you help?” he asked Marvin.

  “No I won’t, No I won’t.” Marvin replied quite angrily.

  The little man turned away and started to walk back to his sleigh. He stopped suddenly, turned and walked over to Charlie.

  “Hello, little engine,” the man kindly said. “Would you be willing to help me tonight?”

  Charlie peered at the little man and suddenly he remembered.

  “You’re Santa Claus!” Charlie cried.
 
  “Yes I am,” responded the little man.

  Charlie thought a minute and then said “ I remember long ago the children would be so excited about your arrival. They would be so full of joy hoping your would bring them the present they had been wishing for all year. Yes Santa, I will help you.”

  Charlie knew that somewhere in his tired old body, that he would be able to help, he was needed again. Charlie’s wheels began to slowly turn and he began to move from where he had been left for so many years.

  As Charlie pulled out into the yard, Marvin and Charlotte laughed. “He’s so old, he’s so old. He doesn’t work like we do.”
    Charlie ignored them and set about hooking himself up to a car. Santa loaded up the sleigh and the reindeer.

  “Alright Charlie, let’s go, we have lot’s of children to visit tonight,” Santa shouted above the storm.

 
  Charlie plowed through the snow, carrying his special load to the next town. He patiently waited as Santa went from house to house delivering presents. All through the night Charlie helped Santa.

  Charlie and Santa had just finished delivering to the last house when the snowstorm finally stopped and the stars began to shine brightly in the sky.

  “Thank you Charlie, you saved Christmas! I have a special present for you when you return home,” Santa said with a twinkle and a smile.

  Santa climbed into his sleigh and prepared to head for home.

  “Good-bye Charlie, Merry Christmas,” Santa shouted as his sleigh and reindeer flew out of sight.

  Charlie turned and headed for home.

  “I was needed, someone finally needed me again,” Charlie smiled as he slowly plodded through the snow toward home.

  Charlie saw the rail yard and began to feel sad. Charlie knew he would return home to the back of the yard and again be forgotten.

  Charlie pulled into the rail yard that was covered with a blanket of sparkling new snow. Marvin and Charlotte were still asleep in their cozy homes in the roundhouse. Charlie slowly pulled into his old spot; it felt good to be home.

  The sun slowly rose over the houses and Charlie knew it was going to be a beautiful day. Charlie was happy just knowing that the children were waking up to a wonderful Christmas day.

  Yet, deep inside there was sadness, Charlie was still alone. Charlotte was going to stay home today, as there was no mail to deliver. Marvin prepared to carry people to spend the day with family and friends. Charlie just sat.

  Charlie saw a happy family strolling down the street toward the station. When they got to the entrance they didn’t head for Marvin, but instead they turned and walked over to Charlie. They stood and looked at Charlie with smiles on their faces. Soon Charlie noticed that two boys on brand new blue bicycles had rode up and stopped near Charlie.

  Then Charlie saw a mother and father coming toward him pulling a little girl on a new red sled. Suddenly, cars began arriving with kids of all ages, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. They all got out of their cars and gathered around Charlie.

  The mayor stepped forward and began to speak.

  “ Charlie, we are here to honor you for making this the best Christmas ever. We know that without your help, Santa wouldn’t have been able to deliver the children’s gifts.”

  The Station Master then placed a banner on Charlie that said “Charlie, The Official Christmas Engine.”

  “We are moving you back into your old home in the roundhouse and tomorrow we will give you a new coat of paint and restore your old numbers,” announced the Station Master.

  Charlie had never been so happy. He tooted his whistle with glee as the crowd cheered.

  When the cheering had stopped, a little girl stepped forward with a large, shiny, red Christmas bow. She placed the bow on Charlie’s cattle guard.

  “Charlie, We love you,” the little girl shouted with joy.

  Charlie beamed with happiness for he knew he was needed again.