Sandy the California Snowman

"Sandy the California Snowman"

It was a beautiful sunny California day on sandy Del Mar Beach. No one would believe it was the first day of winter with a warm temp of 87 degrees. Channel 23 News Producer Nick Slater decided to send their new reporter, Jackie Chow, out to get her first story. She'd been begging for her first story, so why not? It would get her out of his hair for at least a couple of hours. "Take Jeff with you," was the last thing she heard running out of his door.

Eagerly, she and the trusty cameraman Jeff Placer went to Del Mar Beach. As the news crew pulled up, Jackie noticed couples walking, holding hands. Families were playing with their kids. She noticed a bunch of kids gathered around, playing in the sand. She told Jeff, "Let's see what they are up to." He nodded his head and grabbed the camera as they went.

"Is the camera rolling?" she asked Jeff. He gave her the thumbs up, indicating yes. "This is Jackie Chow at Del Mar Beach on this beautiful sunny December day. With the weather forecast at 87 degrees, we want to show you some of the activities going on here. We have a pleasant breeze here with a few kites flying around." Jeff panned out the camera for everyone to see behind her. "Over here, we have some children, and it looks like they're fixing to build something, maybe a sandcastle? Let's go take a look and see what it might be."

Jackie walked up to the kids and asked if she could speak to them. Jeff was panning the beach and ended at the children. "I will. My name is Joey Turner, Ma'am. But people call me Little Joey." He grinned from ear to ear, whistling through his missing two front teeth. "How can we help you, Ma'am?" he hissed again.

Jackie smiled at him as she asked, "What are you doing here, Little Joey Turner?" He smiled again and politely said, "Well, Ma'am, we are fixing to build ourselves a snowman." Jackie and Jeff laughed at the thought of a snowman on the beach in the warm sun. "Little Joey, you know that snowmen are made of snow, right?" she asked him. "Yes, Ma'am," he whistled again as he proudly smiled at her and the camera.

"You see, Ms. Chow, we have it all figured out. Ours will not melt, so he'll be around forever." Jeff laughed as Little Joey whistled out his answers. It reminded him of his little brother when he was six years old, and he figured that was about how old Little Joey was. Jeff panned the camera out to get a good shot of all the kids helping Little Joey.

Jackie decided to talk to some of the other children. As she walked over to them, one of the older girls decided to speak. Jackie asked her name as she got closer. "My name is Bonnie Turner." Her strawberry blonde hair swirled around her face.

Jackie asked her, "So who came up with this idea?"

Bonnie told her they had watched Frosty the Snowman on TV last night and wanted to build one. But being only sand around, they decided to make theirs out of the sand. That way, he wouldn't melt.

Jackie looked into the camera and said, "Well, folks, there you have it. Children building not sandcastles, but a snowman, or is he a sandman?"

Joey politely said, "He is a snowman, Ma'am. You'll see!"

As the children mixed water and sand, the snowman started to take shape. Jackie and Jeff decided to stay and see where this story would take them. Jeff told Jackie, "Isn't it great that kids have such great imaginations?"

She agreed with a nod of her head. "Who knows? We just might be interviewing the next future President," she laughed. Jeff nodded in agreement.

They decided to keep the camera rolling, watching the kids build their snowman. Jackie decided to ask the other kids different questions. She asked a dark-haired little boy his name. He told her, "My name is Jim Killian."

"Jim, have you guys picked out a name for your snowman?"

"No, Ma'am. We haven't! Hey guys, we need a name for our snowman." They all stopped building the snowman. Looking around at each other, they all called out different names.

Little Joey yelled out, "QUIET..."As it got quiet, he whistled out, "Why don't we just call him Sandy, considering he's made of sand and not snow?"

Everyone agreed and went back to building Sandy, the California Snowman. As they were busy, another little girl jumped up and ran over to her things lying on the beach. She came back and presented her items. "My name is Hanna Downing. I have sunglasses and a Santa hat for him to wear." She had in her tiny little hands a pair of sunglasses, which were probably her daddy's.

An older boy ran to get his things. He told Jackie his name was Jacob O'Brian. He had in his hands two sticks for Sandy's arms and a carrot for his nose.

Another little girl ran to get her seashells. Running up gasping for air, she says, my name is Susie Carter. These will be perfect for Sandy's buttons. They all returned to work on Sandy, his bottom layer, and the middle completed. Now all they lacked was Sandy's head.

As they finished his head, they each put their offerings on Sandy. First was Susie with her seashells. She placed them carefully in the middle. Jacob was next with his sticks for arms, and then he put the carrot in the center of the head. Hanna stood there looking up at Sandy. He was too tall for her to place the Santa hat on him. She couldn't even reach to put the sunglasses on him. Jackie offered to help her and lifted her. Little Hanna placed the sunglasses just above his nose. Then she looked at Little Joey and handed him the hat. "Little Joey, you have to put the hat on Sandy. He was your idea."

As Little Joey stood there, he could not believe that here was his dream come true, his very own snowman made out of the sand. He knew he couldn't reach Sandy's head, so he turned to ask Jeff to help him. Jeff had already handed Jackie the camera. Little Joey whistled his thank you as Jeff lifted him into the air. Little Joey placed the Santa hat on top of Sandy's head.

Just as Jeff placed Little Joey back on the ground, something began to happen. Sunrays and the wind started swirling the sand around Sandy. They all took a step back; Jeff grabbed the camera again from Jackie. Suddenly, the sand fell to the ground, and to everyone's surprise, Sandy stood there stretching his arms. Jackie yelled at Jeff, "You're getting this, right?" He gave her a thumbs up with the camera rolling.

As Little Joey stood in front of him, Sandy began to speak. "Hello, Little Joey. How are you today?" Little Joey's mouth dropped wide open, and his eyes were as big as oranges.

He whistled his reply. "YOUR ALIVE!" as he swung around to tell everyone. "HE'S ALIVE!" Everyone stood there with amazement on their tiny faces. Sandy started to laugh at all their faces.

As Jackie was nudged back to life by Jeff, she sprang into action. She had dropped her mic while staring at Sandy in disbelief. She swept it up as she ran over to him. Standing in front of him, still stunned by his being alive. Looking down at her from his 6'4" frame and said with a smile on his face, "Hello, Ms. Jackie. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Sandy. How are you?" she managed with a small giggle in her voice.

Everyone began to cheer and ran around with great joy and happiness. The children started to sing, "He's alive. Little Joey's Sandy is alive."

Sandy looked at Little Joey and said, " I know you have a million questions, along with Ms. Jackie. Let's play for a while so I can feel the sun on my face. Then we can talk." Everyone rejoiced as they played in the sun with their new friend.

As they played in the sand, the wind began to blow, and before they knew it, Sandy's hat blew off his head. It all became quiet when they realized that Sandy was no longer moving. He was still as a mouse.

Jackie yelled, "It's his Santa hat that keeps him alive." The children started running for the hat, chasing it down the beach. Jeff was filming as they ran after it. He caught it all as Little Joey caught the Santa hat.

They ran back to Sandy to put it on. Little Joey looked up at Ms. Jackie and asked her, "What if this doesn't bring him back to life?" Jackie looked into his little brown eyes and told him to believe.

As she lifted him, and he placed the Santa hat upon Sandy's head, he sprang back to life and asked, "Why is everyone staring at me?" Everyone began to laugh out loud.

"You lost your hat and wasn't alive anymore," said Hanna in her sweet little voice. Sandy looked at her and started to laugh.

"Why, Little Hanna, do not fear. As long as it's on my head, I'm alive!"

"Now, Ms. Jackie, I know you have lots of questions to ask me." She nodded her head and began her questioning. As she rattled them off one by one, Jeff realized the tide was coming in and started to yell. Everyone was too close to the water, and a big wave was coming.

Everyone ran for the shore except poor Sandy. The wave had hit him. They turned to hear Sandy say, "I forgot about the water!" They all ran back up to him. He looked down at Little Joey and said, "My poor Little Joey, I have to say that you're the best friend I've ever had." Everyone had tears in their eyes as they watched the water wash Sandy away, a little at a time.

Little Joey started to cry, "But Sandy, you can't go away."

Sandy reached up to wipe his tears away. "I'll return one day. Just remember what you did today. Just watch and see. I'll be here for you on that day."

The water began to rise as the tide came in. Sandy disappeared into the blue ocean. Everyone returned to the shore as it continued to grow.

Jackie turned to the camera and said, "Today, we witnessed a miracle here at Del Mar Beach. Little Joey Turner made his first California Snowman out of the sand, and it came to life. I'm saddened to say that Sandy, the California Snowman is no longer alive. We all witnessed his demise as soon as the tide came in. These children believed in something, and it all came true. This reporter can say that she now believes in miracles. Live from Del Mar Beach, this is Ms. Jackie Chow, sorrowfully signing out."

Nick Slater and the rest of the crew stood in shock as they watched Sandy come alive and then wash away as the tide came in. Looking around the newsroom, Nick found not a dry eye in the place.

Jackie Chow had the story of the day. Nick couldn't believe her luck and to think he almost didn't send her out.

As they all stood there watching the ocean blue, Sandy's Santa hat and sunglasses washed ashore. Little Joey picked up the Santa hat and shouted out, "Remember what Sandy said? Remember what you did this day, and I will return!" Everyone started to gather up Sandy's things and put them in a beach bag.

As the last piece went in the bag, Jackie hugged Little Joey and said, "Next year, we'll return on this same day. We'll all build him again, and you'll see him come to life for all to see."

The camera faded to black ...


Notes ▼

Photograph of the Month of December 2017

Entry into Short Shots: Official WDC Contest

I wanted to add additional to the story after the contest to make this an even better story. You will feel some familiarity in this story and I hope that you and your family enjoy "Sandy the California Snowman" version of "Frosty the Snowman" as much as I loved writing it.