SPOILER ALERT: In this post, I discuss the ending of the 1946 movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
It’s that time of year when, once again, we can indulge in watching It’s a Wonderful Life to our hearts’ content. In the movie, town do-gooder George Bailey is finally bested by town evil-doer Mr. Potter when Mr. Potter steals $8,000 from George and his company, The Bailey Building & Loan. The bank examiner is on his way, and the missing $8,000 means the end of the business that decently houses the people of the town so that they do not have to live in Mr. Potter’s slums. The missing $8,000 also means jail for George – a man who has never gotten ahead in life because he has always worked tirelessly to make sure everyone else is okay.
By
the end of the movie, George’s wife Mary has learned of the missing $8,000, so, on Christmas Eve, she goes around town telling people that George is in trouble, and the townsfolk open their hearts and wallets and donate, trying to raise $8,000. One of the townsfolks Mary alerts is George’s old boss, drug store owner Mr. Gower. Mr. Gower cables George’s old school chum Sam Wainwright, who made millions in plastics during the war. Will the town be able to raise the $8,000? Maybe. But Sam Wainwright ends up saving the day with a last-minute influx of cash. Why am I telling you all this? Because recently, I helped make It’s a Wonderful Life happen in real life. But first, here is the ending of It’s a Wonderful Life. The crucial part for this story happens at 1:30.
So what did I do to help make this kind of Wonderful-ness happen?A few weeks ago, I got word from fellow author Tracie Bannister that fellow author Gina Calanni posted a donation page on Facebook – her dog Schatzi was hit by a truck (that did not even stop!) and now needed life-saving surgery that Gina, who just made it through Harvey in Houston, could not afford. I donated, then I posted the donation page everywhere I could. I even sent a newsletter out to all my readers straight-up asking for donations. Some contributed, some sent well-wishes.
But one woman, Bernie, emailed me and Gina and offered to cover the cost of the
surgery and she told Gina to schedule the surgery right away.
The surgery happened the next day, went well, and Schatzi is recovering beautifully. Gina and her three sons are so so happy. Gina got through Harvey with Schatzi strapped to her back, and she has been able to save her beloved Schatzi again! Here are the boys with Schatzi the day Schatzi came home from the hospital.
In this real-life It’s a Wonderful Life, Schatzi is Clarence, but instead of wings, she needed surgery. Gina is George Bailey, the one who would get that surgery for Schatzi through her her own awesomeness and her community of friends. Tracie is Mary, spreading the word. I am Mr. Gower, who contacted the all-important Sam Wainwright. And the amazing Bernie is Sam Wainwright. Mmmrrh … I am honored and verklempt to have have been in the midst of this real-life It’s a Wonderful Life.
There is magic in the air, for real. And we can all be a part of making it happen. Don’t believe me? Frank Cross from Scrooged thinks so, too.
Tis’ the season, so feel free to check out my Christmas novel A Drakenfall Christmas and my Christmas short story “It Doesn’t Show Signs of Stopping.”
Peace out and rock on! -Geralyn Corcillo
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