Blue Bell & the One Armed Bandit

BLUE BELL

And

THE ONE-ARMED-BANDIT

It was spring and Blue Bell hurried through the meadow. He kept looking furtively over his shoulder to make sure that he was not being followed. He just had the most upsetting experience. Blue Bell had bumped into his friend Buckeye, a giant chestnut with an enormous nose and Buckeye had told him of a new arrival to the woods, a character known only as The One-Armed-Bandit.
Buckeye had told him that this stranger could suck everything out of your pockets so that nothing was left, not even the fluff that nestled in the comers of the lining. Blue Bell was horrified. So scared was he that his clapper rattled vigorously as he stared open mouthed and wide eyed as his friend related the tale.
"We must run away and hide," croaked Blue Bell. "I don't want to have my pockets sucked bare," he complained, his eyes darting wildly from side to side.
"We should really tell the others in the woods about this fiendish monster," urged Buckeye.
"You're right," agreed Blue Bell. "Let's find our friend Jack Frost; he will surely know what to do."
"Yes, yes, he will be able to help." Then Buckeye frowned. "I do hope he is not too busy preparing' for the late frost. You know how anxious he gets when someone disturbs him.
"That is true but this is very important. Really the safety of the whole wood depends on us."
"Buckeye!" whispered Blue Bell suddenly. "You should hide in the tall grass, under those bushes and keep guard. You could then sound out a warning in case this One-Armed-Bandit should come this way," answered Buckeye.
"I'm not too sure that's such a good idea," for he was rather afraid at being left lone with such a ferocious beast on the loose in the woods.
It was while, they were debating this point when they noticed a shadow flitting over the ground toward them and looking up into the bright sunshine, saw their friend Fruit Bat Ray coming toward them.
"Morning you two," he said brightly.
"I don't know how you can be so cheerful at a time like this," moaned Blue Bell.
"Why? What ever is the matter?” asked Fruit Bat Ray, as he swung upside down from a nearby branch, his little black eyes blinking.
Between the two of them, Blue Bell and Buckeye told of the One-Armed-Bandit.
“Hmm, this is very serious, very serious indeed." He thought for a moment
while his two friends waited with bated breath.
Fruit Bat Ray furrowed his furry forehead as he considered things, then his face relaxed into a smile. "I have an idea. Why don’t I wait here with Buckeye and have my morning nap and if he spots anything I can fly to Jack's home and give the warning."
Buckeye readily agreed with this idea, for the last thing he wanted was to be left alone and perhaps face the One-Armed-Bandit
Having settled on that, Blue Bell hurried away. As he reached a little clearing in the woods he came across Saffron, a beautiful fairy. It was her job to polish all the faces of the newly opened spring flowers. She had just finished cleaning the snowdrops and they now shone like silver as the suns rays caught them.
"Good morning Blue Bell," she said softly, as her wings carried her to another bloom.
I’m not so sure it is," he replied breathlessly, his clapper rattling rapidly.
Saffron stopped polishing the freshly opened crocuses and looked at Blue Bell with her vivid green eyes. "What ever is the matter?" she asked her face showing genuine concern.
He told her of Buckeye’s story about the One-Armed-Bandit. She listened intently as he related the tale. When he finished she let her gaze drop back to the crocuses and they looked up expectantly, waiting for her to continue, cleaning them.
"Oh, that really is a problem," she said gently. “I would very much like to help but I have so much to do in the woods. Spring has come early this year and there are so many new blooms to clean and polish. I'm sorry Blue Bell but I really cannot spare the time just for the moment."
"It's alright Saffron," said Blue Bell, catching his breath. "I'm going to find Jack Frost. He'll know what to do."
"That's true," she said, smiling and nodding her head gently, "he'll be able to help I'm sure."
"Do you know where I might find him?" asked Blue Bell.
"Yes. I saw him under the huge oak tree. He was helping Puppet Pete with his new strings."
"He's not going to lay a late frost then?"
"Oh yes. He's all ready," she answered. "He's just waiting for the moon to be full and as this is the last one for the spring he wants to go out with a flourish."
Blue Bell jumped up with agitation. "Oh no! But that's tonight. There's a full moon tonight!" he exclaimed forlornly.
"Why yes," agreed Saffron, "You're right! In that case you should hurry because after today he will sleep for the rest of the summer and you know he gets very anxious if he gets woken up early."
"Oh yes, I should hurry." echoed Blue Bell and he scampered off.
Saffron looked down at the beaming faces of the crocuses and sighed happily. Gently took one of the flowers in her left hand and with the right, gently stroked the petals. The head of the flower appeared to reach up to her soft caress as she gently wiped it.
Blue Bell continued on his journey with even greater urgency than before, his clapper rattling endlessly as his little feet bore him along. He was startled when a voice rang out. Where’s the fire Blue Bell?"
Blue bell stopped dead in his tracks and looked about him.
Under a sapling, basking in a beam of sunlight was Biscuit Bob, an over sized vanilla wine cookie. Over sized because of all the dew he had soaked up during the night and swollen him. He was lying in the sun to dry himself out.
"How did you know it was me?" puffed Blue Bell.
"I could hear you coming from miles away. No one makes as much noise as you when they're running along," said Biscuit Bob sitting up slightly.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" asked Blue Bell apologetically.
"No not really. I was just passing the time until I had dried out enough. If I stand up too soon, I'd be no more than a pile of crumbs, soggy one's at that. Anyway," he continued, "you haven't answered my question."
"What question was that?"
"Humph," snorted Biscuit Bob. "You were in too much of a hurry to listen to me, weren’t you" He rolled his eyes in frustration.” I asked you, where was the fire?"
Blue Bell's eyes were almost out on stalks. "There's a fire in the woods. Oh no this is terrible, quite terrible," and he ran around in small circles. "As if we don't have enough problems as it is."
Biscuit Bob watched bemused as Blue Bell continued to jump up and down on the spot. "Relax," laughed Biscuit Bob, "It was just a figure of speech. What I really mean is why are you in such a hurry?"
"Oh thank goodness," replied Blue Bell, calming down a little, and he told Biscuit Bob about the One-Armed-Bandit.
"WOW!" he exclaimed. "This grave, very grave indeed. I don't have any pockets, which I can only suppose will make him very annoyed and he might suck me up instead. Not a pleasant experience I might add. That's how I came to be out here in the first place. I fell under a sofa and was sucked up the following day. Very nasty," he said solemnly, “very nasty indeed."
"I don't wish to appear rude," said Blue Bell, "but I really should be hurrying along. I have to find Jack Frost before he goes off to work tonight."
"That's all right," said Biscuit Bob. "I have to stay here a while longer, not quite crisp yet, another hour should do it."
Blue Bell bid his farewell and Biscuit Bob lay down again in the sun and stretched out his skinny little legs and smiled contentedly.
Blue Bell sped through the woods and such was his haste that he ran straight into Driver Dan, a broken golf club.
"Have you seen my handle and shaft?” he asked pointedly. I'm still looking for it you know. I can't do a proper job of sending a ball down the fairway without a decent handle and shaft to help me along."
Blue Bell stared helplessly at Driver Dan, perspiration running down his forehead. "I'm sorry Driver Dan but I'm unable to help. I haven't seen either. We did try looking for them when you first arrived but Jack said they were probably lost forever."
"Yes, yes I know, but I can't help thinking that they must be around here somewhere. I am, after all, a perfectly good head, graphite I might add," he said, raising his eyebrows in a show of distinction. "It's not my fault my owner kept belting the ball into the trees. I did my best," Driver Dan complained. "I used to get plenty of distance but too often he would slice the ball and then blame me. He kept thumping me on the ground. I used to get such shocking headaches from all that banging. Then one day he loses his control all together and breaks off my shaft then throws it into the bushes and then kicks me, me a graphite head, into the trees. I can tell you, it wasn't a very dignified exit to a round of golf."
Blue bell listened patiently to Driver Dan. Every time the two met they had this conversation but poor Driver Dan insisted on telling it again in the hope that his handle and shaft had turned up.
"Driver Dan, I truly am sorry but I must go. I have to find Jack Frost. I urgently need his help with a very frightful matter."
"Really," he muttered, as he looked dejectedly under some lily
leaves.
"Yes," replied Blue Bell and he told of the One-Armed-Bandit.
"Tell you what," Driver Dan brightened, "When you've found Jack, come back this way and I'll come and help. I may after all only be a head but I am graphite and I can still pack a reasonable wallop."
Blue Bell was delighted and promised to come and find him when he and Jack returned.
He left Driver Dan muttering to himself and hurried off. It was getting quite late in the morning and the giant oak tree was still some way off. He hurried past clumps of pale yellow primroses and sparkling white snowdrops, normally he would stop and pass the time of day with them but today he barely acknowledged them as he ran past wheezing noisily.
"Not like Blue Bell to be in such a hurry," they remarked as he clattered past.
Finally, he saw the big old oak tree. Hanging from one of its lower limbs was Puppet Pete, his arms and legs flapping wildly as he kicked out joyfully.
"Hey, Blue Bell, look at me!" called out Puppet Pete as Blue Bell burst into the sunshine from the cover of bushes.
"Yes, very nice," he puffed, hardly giving him a second glance.
"Oh come on?" moaned Puppet Pete, "Try and. be a bit; more enthusiastic than that. I've been without strings for I don't know how long and all you can say is, very nice. Not really what I was expecting."
"I'm sorry Puppet Pete," wheezed Blue Bell as he wiped away the
perspiration from his face, "but I've some very bad news to tell Jack."
Jack stopped tugging on Puppet Pete's strings and turned towards Blue Bell. "I thought it must be serious. I haven't heard you rattle like that for a long time," said Jack. He sat beside Blue Bell and picking him up gently wiped him dry, then while he cupped him in his palms asked kindly, "What seems to be the problem?"
Between gasps Blue Bell told Jack all about the One-Armed-Bandit. Puppet Pete had stopped thrashing his legs and was listening intently. When Blue Bell had finished, Jack paused before saying, "I don't think it’s anything to get too excited about."
"But Jack, it sucks your pockets bare," protested Blue Bell, his eyes bulging and he made sucking noises, to emphasize the point.
Jack Frost smiled to himself. He had a good idea what was the problem was but he wasn't going to let on to Blue Bell too quickly. He put on a serious expression as he said to Blue Bell, "Alright, let's go and have a look. We'll get things sorted out.
Blue Bell was very relieved and already he was beginning to feel better about the situation now that Jack was in charge.
Jack lifted Puppet Pete from out of the branches and walked him through the grass. "We'll go by the way of the stream, it'll be quicker," he said.
"No, no, we can't," Blue Bell called out, "I promised Driver Dan that I would come back the way I came so that he could come with us."
Jack stopped and called out to Pencil Pat, a blue writing pencil. Pencil Pat appeared in a hollow in the trunk of the giant oak tree, carrying a piece of paper folded carefully under his arm and running, caught up to Jack and the others.
Bending down, Jack whispered to Pencil Pat where to find Driver Dan and told him to write a message in his best hand writing where to meet them. Pencil Pat beamed a huge smile and hurried away. He felt very important.
Jack continued to walk Puppet Pete along while Blue Bell clanked at their feet.
"We don't appear to be going very fast," complained Blue Bell.
"Well it's such a nice day," remarked Jack. "Just look at the beautiful blue sky and listen to the birds singing. Tomorrow's frost will be a real beauty, everything white and crisp. It will make the whole wood, clean and fresh."
Along the way they were joined by Driver Dan and Pencil Pat, who insisted that everyone read the note that he had written to Driver Dan and wouldn't leave them alone until they had all said what a splendid job he had made of his writing. Soon biscuit Bob, who had by now dried out, and Saffron greeted them. They had come along to help. Finally they found Buckeye. Fruit Bat Ray was snoozing softly as he hung from a branch.
Buckeye gently jabbed Fruit Bat Ray's tummy and he opened his eyes and yawned. "Ah, there you are," he said.
The party, led by Jack, who was helping Puppet Pete along, continued on their way. Jack Frost appeared to be the only one who was not afraid and indeed the only one who knew exactly where to go.
"Come on, I'll introduce, you," he said to his friends and he marched boldly forwards. The others followed not so boldly behind. When they reached the One-Armed-Bandit they all stood in a semi-circle before it.
I’m not happy about this," said Driver Dan quietly, "I would be much happier if I had my handle and shaft with me."
"He's not saying very much," remarked Blue bell.
"Perhaps he's a little nervous," suggested Saffron.
Suddenly the One-Armed-Bandit opened his eyes and his teeth spun quickly, only they weren't teeth but wheels and when they stopped spinning three cherries, appeared all in a row.
"Hello," boomed the One-Armed-Bandit, "I'm Percy-Poker-Machine. Why are you all staring at me? Haven't any of you seen a poker machine before?"
The relief amongst the party was great.
"A poker-machine! I knew it was nothing to be frightened of," quipped Buckeye, trying to hide his mistake.
"You thumping big fibber," exclaimed Blue Bell. "You had us all worried, except Jack of course." Blue Bell turned towards Jack and asked, "Just why weren't you afraid?"
"That's easy. Percy-Poker-Machine and I met yesterday. I was here preparing for my last frost when the truck dropped him off. We had a bit of a chat then."
Percy-Poker-Machine's face beamed and his wheels spun round and once more they stopped on three cherries. Biscuit Bob pointed this out to Percy.
Hmm, I know, that's the reason why they got rid of me. They had the service men call round to try and repair me but it was no use. No matter what they did each time my handle was pulled I came up three cherries. I didn't mind but my owner wasn't too pleased, he said I was costing him a fortune. So they removed my ivory handle and left me here."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I've lost my handle and shaft. I don't suppose you've seen them have you?" Driver Dan enquired.
"Sorry I can't help," replied Percy-Poker-Machine.
"I've an idea?" said Jack and picking up Driver Dan and fitted him onto the handle of Percy-Poker-Machine. "There, perfect."
Everybody clapped. Driver Dan beamed with happiness.
"You're not ivory though are you?" asked Percy a little sadly.
"No," he replied emphatically, "I'm graphite."
"Well you'll certainly last a long time," said Percy a little more happily.
"You think that's something. You should see me drive a golf ball!" added Driver Dan.
"I'm sure it's a joy to behold," responded Percy-Poker-Machine.
"Why did Buckeye say that you sucked everything out of people’s pockets?" asked Blue Bell.
"Well," replied Percy indignantly, "it wasn't my fault, people did me an injustice. After all I never forced them to put money into my slot and pull my handle."
"So that is what was meant by you sucking their pocket clean you were taking all their money."
"I was not! They kept giving it to me. I never asked for it! Percy cried loudly.
"Now that's enough," interrupted Saffron, "we are all friends
here."
Everyone helped to move Percy-Poker-Machine into the wood while Driver Dan spun his wheels for him.
"I think you and I are going to make a great team," Driver Dan said to Percy-Poker-Machine.
"I'm going to leave you all to get to know each other better, I've a frost to lay," said Jack to the small, group as they rested Percy under the trees.
Blue Bell sat on top of Percy-Poker-Machine and Biscuit Bob nestled in Percy's coin chute. Buckeye, Fruit Bat Ray and Puppet Pete dangled from the branches of the trees and Pencil Pat rested in one of Puppet- Pete's pockets. Saffron curled up in the rim of Pete's hat.
Jack Frost danced out into the meadow and then soared up into the sky and flew over the whole countryside spreading his frost as he went. The moon shone brightly as the frost settled white, onto to the ground, the trees, and the hedges and fences.
When a watery sun crept over the horizon the little group looked out across the meadow with awe. Jack Frost was already asleep for the summer before the sun had even risen and he was now sleeping fitfully before the fall season of frosts began.
Saffron flew out of Puppet. Pete's cap and settled on a branch and gazed over the scene. "Oh Jack," she whispered,” you are an artist. Sleep tight. We'll see you in the fall."
Throughout the summer everyone became firm friends with Percy Poker Machine and no one remembered the dreadful mistake Buckeye had made when he first heard of Percy-Poker-Machine as, the One-Armed-Bandit.

THE END