h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What a story

Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift.

He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend,"

Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother.

Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to.

Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment.

As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a dime.

He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift.

The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you."


As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers.

The sound of the door closing as the last customer left jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box.

"That will be ten cents young man," the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime.

Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime!

Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?"


This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son,"

As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?"

Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime.

"When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars.

"When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses." The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all..

aw thats a beautiful story it sums up the spirit christmas is meant to be about

Yeh it certainly makes you think does it not?

Aaww...

aawww dont here

I know it brought tears to my eyes too,

have you got another

If only ppl didn`t get so wrapped up in who has the poshest label etc
out ov my possessions the ones i treasure most are sentimental things given to me with love, ie: cards & other items made by son when he didn`t have enough money to buy me one from shops

Thanks Chelle ....you want to share my star?

venus yeah

Here you are its a bit soggy though!

Plenty for us all



I agree its the centemental things thats inpotant and things that stay with you forever like memories

anyone got a spare towel?

i come prepared x 40 help yourselves everyone

Oh Thanx RekRapeinNob
I think they are needed

for the "sniff"

Aww , thats great Chell! There's too may 'Bobby's (& 'Bob-ette's) out there, & those 'shopkeeper's are gettin' hard to find. Perfect story for this time o' year though, shows ya that the best gifts don't always cost oodles or have posh labels or anything, they're the ones that come from the heart...& sometimes with a little help from above or who-knows-where.

brilliant story

Im Glad everyone likes this story i wanted to share with everyone.
well its apropiate for this time of year as Jazz said.
It also makes me realise how lucky i was when growing up

I have just come across your lovely story,and it reminded me of my late father,he told lovely stories exspecialy at christmas.he was a fine storyteller he wrote most of them down,i have them in a box,and i have been meaning to find them out and type them all up,they all had meaning to them,i will have to share them with you when i have sorted them out.thanx again its bought some lovely memories back to me of christmas's long ago with my dadxx HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE Sandra

Mistygirl
I know what you mean.
OOO Would like that look forward to you sharing your storys with us
All the best for the new year to you too