Between the Lines: The Gingerbread Man

Hello there everybody. Today I'm bringing back an old favorite with a new look. If you've been following this blog for a while, you may remember the Monday Interview Series where I would interview characters from classic children's literature and fairy tales. I've been missing those interviews lately, so I decided to bring them back, but I wanted a snappy new title for the series--hence then new title, Between the Lines.

This week, I'm extremely pleased to say that I've managed to flag down an extremely rambunctious
little guy by the name of the Gingerbread Man. Let's see what he has to say.

Greg:  Hi, thanks for stopping by, Mr. Gingerbread Man. What have you been up to?

Gingerbread Man:  Here, here, why so formal? Call me Ginger, all me friends do.

Greg:  Oh, thank you very much indeed, I will. So, Ginger, what have you been up to?

Ginger:  Well, you see that's difficult to say. I'm not quite sure what I've been up to, but I can say that I've been havin' a right hot time, I can tell you.

Greg:  Um, hot time? 

Ginger:  Yeah, that's right things has been hot. Like for instance, I just came out of the oven a few minutes ago.

Greg:  Oh my, I guess that qualifies as hot.

Ginger:  I should say so, but that ain't all. No sooner am I pulled out of the oven than this old lady starts dressin' me up with a whole lotta frostin' an' all. Now I ain't usually one to cause a stir an' all, but that frostin' nozzle tickled. Well, it go so I couldn't take it no more. So, what do you think I did, eh?

Greg:  Er, I really have no idea.

Ginger:  I'll tell you what I did. I jumped up off the counter and lit out of there as quick as I could. The old lady was so surprised, she didn't know what to do. I started runnin' all over the house, lookin' for a way out, like.

Greg:  What happened? Did you find a way out?

Ginger:  I did not, leastways not straightaway. That old lady come at me with a broom, callin' at the top of her lungs for her old man. I swear, I thought I was done for right then and there. Luckily, he weren't in the house, but out in the barn. When he heard his old lady shriekin' and carryin' on, he come into the house.

That saved me bacon. As soon as that door came open, I was out of that house so fast, you ain't seen nothin' like it in your life. I felt so good about bein' outta the house and in the open air that I just had to sing a little song.

Greg:  A little song? Do you mean that gingerbread men sing?

Ginger:  Oh aye. Let me see, how did it go? Oh yeah. Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!

Greg:  That's it, is it? That's the rhyme?

Ginger:  Well now, what did you expect, Cole Porter? I'd only been out of the oven for a few minutes at that point. Anyway, I was happy to be out in the sn. Soon I'd left the old couple huffin' and pufffin' and wheezin' behind me. Ah, the open road. This was the place for me. No restrictions, nothin' to hold me back! That was livin'. But my happiness was short-lived. I was chased by some farm workers and then some wild creatures.

Greg:  Oh boy. Did you manage to escape from them?

Ginger:  Well, that's what I'm tryin' to do right now, which is why I'm kinda in a hurry.

Greg:  Then I won't keep you. I'll let you run. Once again, thank  you for stopping by and spending some time with us.

Ginger:  Don't mention it. But don't worry about me, I've got it all figured out. I'm gonna lose these yahoos at the river. I met a very nice fox who said he'll give me a lift across.

Greg:  A fox you say? Do you think that's wise?

Ginger:  Oh aye. He's a champion bloke. He ain't gonna charge me or nothin'. All he asked in return was a quick bite. I'll bring him round the pub a soon as we get across and we'll be square. Ta, ta!