Grandma Henke

Grandma Henke’s Christmas Story for the Grandkids 2006

Grandma Aberquacky was a little concerned as she watched the leaves change colors and begin to fall off the trees this particular year. It was time to be shutting up the house and sheds and getting things tightened down for winter before their long trip to the South. (They were what you might call “snow birds” in modern day language.) For many years now it had been the same routine without question, although Grandpa Aberquacky had threatened many a time to cancel their trip so he could continue his many, many, many scientific experiments and inventions. But, this year it was looking more and more like he was going to stall too long. She had prodded and prodded him to get packed, but all of her talk was just like water off a duck’s back … It just didn’t sink in!

“Grandma, quit yer pestin’ me about it.” Grandpa quacked at her one afternoon. “I’ve got me an invention here that will take care of that cold north wind comin’ through our house in the wintertime, and we are a gonna stay right here at Duck Creek!”

“Oh dear, oh dear”, muttered Granny as she waddled swiftly down the hall, her back tails swinging from side to side in a huff, “What has gotten into that old fool? He’s off his quacker for sure this time! I’m going to have to call in the children to talk some sense into him before it is too late!” And off she went down the lane to her children’s houses.

“You can’t be serious!” Whimmerwacky said preening her beautiful head of curly feathers. “Surely he knows how cold and hard the North Wind blows in the wintertime! You can’t possibly stay warm and dry under those circumstances!”

“Are you sure he is okay? He sounds a little quacked if you ask me.” Said their other daughter, Angiquacki. “Maybe he should see a doctor.”

“I am sure he is only kidding.” Quarrio added thoughtfully as he stood tall and raised his dumbbells high above his head in an futile effort to build up as much muscle as possible for all the flapping that lie ahead.

But, Grandma Aberquacky was right. Grandpa was not going to fly south this winter, but it wasn’t because of his invention, it was because of his broken leg. While Grandma had been talking to her children Grandpa had been climbing around the roof of his house doing a “winter fix up” when he lost his balance and fell right off the roof, forgot to flap his wings, and broke his leg. Now they were stuck there for sure! Thank goodness Grandma had a larder full of seeds and grains … but how ever would they manage to stay warm in the middle of the winter when the North Wind came through?

The grandchildren stopped playing with the toys Grandpa had built for them and held a meeting and all of them (Jabber, Gabber, Babber, Dabber, Labber, Mabber, Nabber, Pabber, Rabber, Sabber, Tabber, Vabber, Wabber, Zabber, and Freddy) decided they were no longer little weak ducklings … they were almost as strong as goslings … and they were NOT going to leave their grandpa and grandma alone for the winter. Their parents, being of sound mind, decided rather quickly that was a good idea and thought quickly of the nice warm southern sun without having children to quack at them day in and day out.

So it was that the grandchildren, under the careful watch of Grandpa Aberquacky prepared their home for the winter months ahead … using, of course, the wonderful new invention Grandpa had showed them. Soon enough, they were all safe and warm inside the house preparing for Christmas in the north. Grandma was busy knitting them little fittens for their big, flat feet, and caps for their heads.

Oh did the wind begin to blow in December! On Christmas Eve Jabber and Tabber Abberquacky slipped outside on a secret errand and returned with nothing else but a small green tree, which the goslings quickly began to decorate with pods and seeds and feathers and string. Grandma roasted seeds and nuts over the fire and Grandpa sat smugly in his chair feeling warm and safe. They were pretty certain that this year Santa would not be visiting them in Duck Creek … on account a the fact that every single year Duck Creek had not had a single creature stirring! Not even a mouse! Everyone and their dogs left for warmer places for Christmas! But, they weren’t going to take any silly chances this year. Just in case … they hung their old fittens on the wall by the fireplace … and just in case … they were being very, very, very good!

They were singing carols, playing games and putting puzzles together “when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter they all sprang to the door to see what was the matter!” And oh my you would not believe what met their eyes! There was a tangle of reindeer hoofs and antlers and pieces of sleigh and scattered toys and one slightly agitated Santa Clause. Apparently the North Wind had come up under his left when he least expected it, he had over corrected, and rolled the sleigh and reindeer right out of the sky into their yard!

Santa Clause was walking around picking up pieces of this and pieces of that, shaking his head, and looking into his empty bag … “Now this is NOT a good thing,” he said. “Not a good thing at all. How will I ever get the toys repaired and this sleigh fixed and back on the milky way in time?”

Grandpa Aberquacky was out the door in a flash, hobbling along on his crutches and quacking so fast not a single duck or Santa Clause could understand a word he was saying.

“Now slow down there, Aberquacky,” Santa urged. “I’ve got me a real problem here and I don’t need you getting in the way and makin’ it worse!”

“Get my toolbox,” grandpa called to the grand- children. “We can fix up that sleigh and those broken toys in no time! Not even the north wind can blow it apart by the time we are finished!” The scurrying that followed was something you would never believe! Those little grand ducks looked like little furry elves running all over the place fixing this and fixing that, quacking and waddling here and there!     Santa Clause sat back in amazement!

Soon, to his wondering eyes there appeared a beautiful silvery sleigh hooked up to eight rather bewildered reindeer! Toys had been magically mended, packages had been re-wrapped, and all was ready once again for Santa!

“Ho Ho Ho,” said Santa with a new twinkle in his eye! “Come Dasher, Come Dancer, Come Comet and Blitzen … Come Donder & Cupid and … Fancy and Scooter! Off we go to deliver our toys! Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho!” And in the distance they heard him exclaim as he rode right out of sight … “Merry Christmas to the Aberquacky’s and have a good night!”

“Hooray for Grandpa,” shouted the goslings! “Hooray for Grandpa’s invention!” They were jubilant and excited as they all turned to go back into the house. As one after another came through the front door they stopped and tripped and stumbled over each other as their eyes took in the bulging fittens on the wall and the stack of presents with their names on them that were beneath their Christmas tree. “Now when did he do that?” asked Tabberquacky in amazement.

Grandma Aberquacky was also amazed as she looked lovingly at her quacky little old husband. “My dear,” she quacked, “we are going to have to start selling this invention of yours! Why we will become millionaires in no time flat! It works like magic! It will become a household name overnight! By the way, you old quack, what are you going to name this invention of yours?”

Grandpa chuckled and ruffled his feathers a bit before answering, “Well Ducky, my love, I was thinking of keeping it simple. What do you think of simply calling it Duck Tape?.”              And they did.