"It's
the same every year," muttered the snowman. "Those children give me an
old hat and a moth eaten scarf and then forget about me. That man in the red
coat comes along and it's as if I didn't exist. Ugh."
The
next day the snowman still didn't feel any happier. "I can feel a thaw in
the air," he grumbled. "Drip, drip, my toes are melting already."
The
snowman was still grumbling that night when there was a whooshing in the sky and
a sleigh pulled by reindeer swooped down onto the snow.
"Oh
no," said the snowman. "It's that man in red. What on earth does he
want?"
The
old man strolled up to the snowman. "Could you look after this bag of
presents for me?" He asked. "I'll leave the children a note to say
that you have it."
"It'll
be safe with me, sir," said the snowman, proud to have a real job at last.
He didn't close his eyes all night as he guarded the bag.
In
the morning, all the children from the house across the street came running over
the snow to find their presents. Their dad came too with his video camera and
filmed them opening their gifts.
"Fame
at last!" thought the snowman. "That man in red never stays around to
become a star like me. Poor guy. I am lucky after all. The children would miss
me as much as him if I were not here. Well
almost!"
