Christmas Returns to Pottersville

By Dennis Higgins

Frank Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful Life was the ultimate parallel universe story. George Bailey was shown by an angel a world in which he had never been born. A world where the cute little town of Bedford Falls no longer existed and in its place was the seedy town of Pottersville.
But imagine if Pottersville still existed in the current age, along another path of existence. Welcome to Pottersville, a town owned and operated by Peter F. Potter. A sleazy, corrupt town where Christmas was discouraged and people were miserable. What if Potter was taken to this town, in a world in which he had never been born?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dennis Higgins
• Release date: Oct 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005065423

Dennis Higgins

Award-winning author, Dennis Higgins is a distant relative of Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier. He has traveled the world over, collecting story ideas. As a native of Chicago, Illinois, Dennis Higgins has a passion for things that are gone but not forgotten, a romance with the past. For him, time travel is the answer. If not for real, then in the pages of his books.He now lives in the Chicago suburbs with his lovely wife, and their Lhasa Poo dog, Dom Perignon.Among his influences are Richard Matheson, Jack Finny, Dean Koontz, Joan Wester Anderson, Peter S. Beagle, and Audrey Niffenegger.Author of Pennies From Across the Veil, Parallel Roads (Lost on Route 66), the Time Pilgrim series: (Katya and Cyrus, Almost Yesterday, and Tomorrow's Borrowed Trouble), Steampunk Alice, The Old Scrapbook, The Writer’s Apprentice, Christmas Returns to Pottersville, Confessions of an Internet Scammer, Goes to Eleven, and The Automated Wife.*****Quote:I once had a passionate affair with an Irish lass back in 1871 Chicago. I broke her heart. It just wasn't our time.

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Christmas Returns to Pottersville

By Dennis Higgins ©

Copyright © 2018 by Dennis Higgins

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Publisher: Time Pilgrims Publishing (August 2018)

http://www.timepilgrims.com/

Printed in the United States of America

DEDICATION

To my wife, family, and all who have the gift of joy in their hearts

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Virginia Wright for her help on the book cover

Editor: Ingrid Hall

Frank Capra and his inspiration with It’s a Wonderful Life

(Based on the short story, The Greatest Gift, by Philip Van Doren Stern)

Christmas Returns to Pottersville

Frank Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful Life was the ultimate parallel universe story. George Bailey was shown by an angel a world in which he had never been born. A world where the cute little town of Bedford Falls no longer existed and in its place was the seedy town of Pottersville.

But imagine if Pottersville still existed in the current age, along another path of existence. Welcome to Pottersville, a town owned and operated by Peter F. Potter. A sleazy, corrupt town where Christmas was discouraged and people were miserable. What if Potter was taken to this town, in a world in which he had never been born?

Chapter 1

December 23

This world stinks, Peter Potter yelled up to the sky. It is not a wonderful life. He got up, brushed himself off and started walking until he reached the bridge that went out of town. His gnarled cane made holes in the fresh snow as he limped along. He reached the top of the bridge and stood there contemplating jumping off. It wouldn’t be the first time the bridge had been used to end a person’s life. He carefully climbed over the rail and stood at the edge of the bridge, holding onto the railing behind him.

If there is a God, he yelled out towards the river, then I hope he forgives me. Everyone I have ever loved is gone. The Potter’s made this place. The people of this forsaken town don’t know how lucky they are. They would be so sorry had I never been born.

At that, he let go of the railing and jumped. His last thoughts were of his beloved Bridget Hanley.

November 20th

Doug and Ellie Hatch sat across from Mrs. Debbie McAlister in her New York City realtor’s office.

I made the owner a fair offer on the house, and he just got back to me, the realtor began. He has accepted our offer.

That’s great! said Doug Hatch.

Debbie looked forlorn. Far be it from me to say anything to deter a sale, but I have to ask…Why on earth do you want to move to Pottersville?

Doug and Ellie looked at each other. Why not? Doug asked. The location is ideal to raise a family and to further our business as handyman and groundskeeper. Ellie is amazing at gardening.

But why Pottersville? Debbie pushed.

Doug looked confused. My great-grandmother lived in this town back in its heyday. In fact, she lived in the very house we’re trying to buy, the Old Grandville House. We can have it in tip-top shape again in no time. What aren’t you telling us, Mrs. McAlister?

Well, it’s just that Pottersville is… well…

Just say it, Ellie urged.

Well, if Las Vegas is considered the nation’s Sin City, then Pottersville, New York is the East Coast’s, small-town version.

What do you mean? asked Ellie.

People sometimes visit, just to experience the seedy elements a small town can offer. For instance, the Pretty Kitty, Pottersville house of ill repute on Sycamore Street, right down the street from the very house you’re purchasing, gives new meaning to the offer of bed and breakfast.

We’ve heard the rumors, but they won’t stop us, Doug said.

It wasn’t always this way, Debbie continued. I’m told Pottersville was once a pleasant, honest small town in rural New York. It had a different name back then, along with a different family running things. No one knows what made the shift, but the change seemed to happen after the war, back in the late 1940s.

Isn’t one of the Potters still in charge? Ellie asked.

Yes. The town’s mayor is Peter F. Potter, who, like his father and his father before him, is the town’s only banker. In fact, his banking legacy comes down all the way from his great-grandfather, Henry F. Potter. Henry was known as the richest and meanest man in town, but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and Peter isn’t much better. He also owns most of the houses and low budget apartment buildings in town, along with nearly all the businesses. He is the epitome of a slum lord. He owns the Old Granville House, in fact. So, I was surprised he agreed so quickly to our offer.

Well, that’s wonderful, isn’t it? Doug asked.

There is a catch to the offer, Debbie continued as Doug and Ellie looked at her in anticipation. Potter accepted your price but insists you mortgage the property through his banking system, with a higher than average interest rate… in fact, triple. He is clear that his terms are non-negotiable. Frankly, I would look elsewhere for a better offer.

Well, it’s not an ideal situation, but it will have to do, replied Doug. You see, I am determined to live in my great-grandmother’s house. It’s a childhood dream. I will not be happy anywhere else.

Yes, besides, maybe we can turn things around in this town, Ellie added.

I hope you can and are not being naïve, Debbie responded. Good luck to the both of you.

****

Peter Potter was a single man who resided in a massive mansion over on Jefferson Street, near the old high school. The kids were afraid to walk home past his house due to his yelling and mean attitude and went out of their way to walk around the block in the other direction. On the far end of Jefferson Street was the old Potter’s Field, a low-cost housing development area. Both kids and adults avoided going in there.

When Peter was a child, he had fallen out of a tree while playing a prank on some girls in his class. He knew that they always stopped by the tree to gossip and Peter used the information against them. But this one time, the branch gave way, and Peter fell to the ground with it, smashing his leg under the large tree limb. Surgery was required, and pins were inserted, and he had walked with a noticeable limp and had needed a cane ever since.

Not everyone who lived in Pottersville was unsavory. There were small patches of decent folk living in Potter’s buildings because they couldn’t afford to leave. Doug and Ellie had now joined their ranks.

****

Doug and Ellie Hatch had gone to high school together and were childhood sweethearts. Doug was good-looking and popular, with chestnut hair and brown eyes. Back then Ellie Simmons had been considered plain, with her mousy brown hair and second-hand clothes. She was not one of the cool, popular kids, so she was surprised when Doug asked her to the homecoming dance. Doug would later say that for him; she was the most beautiful girl in the school, a fact, which did not make Ellie popular with the other girls, who all had eyes for Doug, especially Gloria Bick. Gloria was the most popular girl in school. She had long curly blond hair, blue eyes, and a cherub-like face. Gloria had pretty much dated every guy in their high school, that is, except for Doug, and she had been desperate to get her hands on him for some time. Much as she tried, Doug never succumbed to her advances, Gloria and her family moved away after her graduation and nobody had heard from her in years.