Magic Gum Ball Machine

Amanda and her Mother were talking and Amanda's Mother  was telling her a story about the Magic Gum Ball machine.  She was telling her about an old candy store that was in town.  Amanda's mother told her how every day after school, she would go inside of the store and there it was all shiny and new and always full of gum.  Mr. Jaber always let us kids get all we wanted if we didn't have pennies he would give them to us.  But you see the store got very old and they boarded it up and we couldn't go there any more.

But the story goes on that the Magic Gun Ball machine is still inside the old building. Amanda looked at her Mom but her head was thinking...'I wonder if I could find the Magic Gumball Machine'?  It's dark and chilly outside but Amanda doesn't care, she loves chilly weather and sweaters and boots.  She calls Connie on the phone and tells her the story. Connie is all excited about it but she said, the building is big and dark, so she is a little nervous about checking it out.  These girls love adventure so they set out to find the Magic Gumball machine.

As they get to the old building there is an opening on the side and they sneak through. "Gee, it sure is dark" said Amanda.  "Yes, it is" said Connie with her shaky little voice, we should have brought Crissy with us, she's not afraid of anything.  Then the girls started talking about Crissy, remember when she hid under the bed the night of the P.J. party and came out and scared us all and then the time she dressed in her Mom's clothes and tried to convince us she had grown up overnight, and they both laughed.  I don't think she would like the Gumball machine though, she put those four pieces of gum in her mouth and almost choked.  I don't think she would really like any gum, and they laughed again.

As they walked through the old building there was a set of steps and they were very old, so they walked up them very carefully. creak..creak. the noise was scary.  As they got to the top they opened a big door and when they did a light came through the boards on the windows, they saw a shadow and they screamed and then Amanda realized it was hers. Connie put her hand on her heart,  "Oh my goodness" she said, "that scared me to death". "No, it didn't" said Amanda, "don't say that, it didn't scare you to death"..and they both giggled. 

Off to the side was an opening way back in the corner and there was a box.  Connie said , I bet that's it.  She took off running and about that time a bird flew out of the corner and she fell backwards on Amanda.  Amanda screamed, "get off of me Connie"   "Oh my goodness" Connie said, that scared me to death.."stop that" said Amanda.."don't say that"  and they giggled again.  They got up and dusted themselves off and walked toward the box.

Amanda said, "why would the old man hide it up here'?  Connie said "maybe it really is magic and he was hiding his treasure, maybe he is up here and the gumballs were magic and made you live forever".   Amanda looked at Connie, "are you nuts or something"?   There were cobwebs everywhere and Amanda got an old broom and dusted the box off and then they were ready to open it.  Then Connie started to say it again, I'm scared... "No" said Amanda "don't do it, don't say it.  We are fine its just an old box".   As they opened the box inside was a note. to who ever finds this box you have a clue as to where the Magic Gumball machine is.  The note read like this.  The imagination of a child always brought to me a smile, so in front of me was magic and delight.  For this treasure made their day so bright.

Connie said I am not good at this but think, the gum is delightful and the light must be somewhere, where the light shines.  Amanda said look around where is there a light shinning and then they saw it.  As they looked around the darkened room the boards on the window were open just enough to make a light and it shined through a crack in the floor, "hurry" said Amanda," we have to go back down stairs".

About that time lightening lit up the whole room and they both screamed and grabbed each other and stood there.  Then they remembered and looked around the room.  They hurried as fast as they could and there the light was, it was shinning on the old counter.  They walked slowly towards the counter and followed the light.  Connie said, let me look under the counter, so she walked over to it and peeked behind it and there it was, still all shiny and bright and yes still full of gumballs.  

There is something about gumballs, they never get old.  Have you ever seen a Gumball machine?  Well just look in Amanda's Photo album page 5 and you will see the Magic Gumball Machine. Amanda took the Gumball machine home and  decided to give it to her Mom as a present.  I think this was wonderful of Amanda to know how much this meant to her Mother and how happy her Mother would be to receive such a wonderful gift. 
 
©  Harriett Dash 2001    Home