A Christmas Tale Retold.....
Author's Note:
The title says it
all. It's the time of the year to rejoice but do we remember the ones who are
alone.
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Four young children sit by
the open porch in the early evening to catch the first stars to shine on the
sky. The open porch they sit on is like many in the home of the lower-middle-income
folks, bare of any elaborate furniture sets except for the rickety bench that
acts as a seat for the four. The eldest is named Angst, for he is one emotionally
driven kid with a fierce temper. The
second in the rank of age is Cherish, a beautiful lass with bright blonde hairs
that she has got tied up in two ponytails. The third is Hope, the dark kid with
an ever-smiling expression on his face. He also sings well in this house. The
last if not youngest is Sadie as she always left out among the four in any
conversation or fun. You ought to know by now they are orphans in a children's
home.
And the time of
the day is the night before Christmas.
‘I liked the dinner
which we just had. It's nice and fulfilling’ said Sadie but no one pays
attention to her, as their eyes are riveted to the evening sky.
‘Angst, is there
Santa Claus?’ asked the second youngest, who always looked for the silver
lining in every cloud.
‘If there were
any, they have gone back with the last of the kids from this home. ‘
Yup, today the
home is only occupied by these four kids as the rest are spending it in the
temporary foster homes or with families that have come to invite them. The last
to leave was Cookie, who is only two years of age. Mrs. Winter asked if the
family could take the four kids but they replied their place can only
accommodate one kid. So the four kids have left behind always. It wasn’t the
families’ faults; it was theirs as the four kids stayed hidden when the
potential guardians came for them. They did not want to be separated into
different homes for the holidays. They want to be together as it's not the same
as celebrating separately. They may be
orphans but they came to stay as one family for over two years now. So they
have harbored the love of a real family unit.
‘Oh, Angst. Be merry
for once. Tell us if there is a real Santa Claus. We should cherish the thought
in our mind as it's Christmas.’ Cherish is the sentimental lady who kept memories
of her life than all of them. She still keeps her family photo’s although they
all died in the accident leaving her alone.
‘I don’t know. You
tell her then.’ Angst was in his bad mood by then. He can’t help it as he felt
the world was unkind to him, leaving him without a dad and mum he will never
get to see.
‘I would,
children.’
The four kids
looked up to see Ms. Winter standing over them. She is dressed in her Sunday’s
best and ready to go out to celebrate her Christmas.
‘Could I sit down
with you all? Here, Sadie. Sit on my lap and I will relate to you the story of
Santa Claus.’
‘Aargh, I am going
up to sleep. You tell them the tale.’ Angst got up to walk back into the house
but it was Sadie who pulled his hand to stay back. If there is one person,
Angst will never say ‘no’ to is Sadie. He treats her like his own real born
sister. Angst sat down again and cupped
his chin in his hands.
‘Thank you, Angst.
Please begin, Ms. Winter. I like to listen to your story.’
So Ms. Winter told
them the story of Santa Claus. She told them of his sleigh, the reindeer, the
elves, the presents, and of course the chimney. She spoke with so many feelings
that even the neighbor dogs came to listen.
By the time she completed her story, it was dark and the stars were upin
the sky...
‘Mrs. Winter, you
ought to be going. You will be late for your Christmas Dinner.’ Ms. Winter
looked at Hope who told her of the time of the evening. She pulled him to her
and kissed his cheek, which he immediately rubbed off. That got Sadie to laugh as she never resisted
a kiss from Ms. Winter. So did Angst and Cherish when they heard the laughter
from Sadie. It always feels nice to hear Sadie laugh as she is always looking
sad. But the sound of the evening was interrupted when the car pulled up
outside the house.
‘Oh, my date is
here. I ought to be going.’ Ms. Winter stood up and climbed off the porch to
walk to the car. She stopped at the car door and looked back at the four
children sitting there. She opened the car door and spoke to her date. She then
walked back up to the children.
‘Do you know it's
rude to keep someone waiting for you?’ The four children looked up to her voice
and were puzzled. ‘So are you joining me and Henry for the dinner or you going to
sit here till morning comes?’
The four kids beam
up into smiles and they got off the bench. Angst was the first to carry Sadie
so that she can go down the stairs. Her artificial legs will not allow her to
bend over the steps. Hope led Angst by the hand as he made his way down for his
sight is disabled. Hope can only guide as her working arm is her right one,
where the left has been removed sometime back. Cherish is okay to move by
herself as her wheelchair allowed her to rolled down the ramp next to the
steps. The four disabled children slowly make their way to the car. Cherish was carried into the car by Henry and
then he packed the wheelchair into the boot.
‘May I asked where
we are going, Ms. Winter?’ Hope was ever hopeful to know.
‘I don’t know.
Henry is the driver and he did not tell me where we are going either. So I
guess we will just enjoy the drive for now.’ Angst was sitting by the window as
he enjoys the evening air on his face while Sadie sits on his lap telling him
of the scenery they drove by. They saw the Christmas decorations on the homes
of the families who are celebrating the festive occasion. They saw the
beautiful colors and lights, but Angst can hear the sounds of merriment that
sings through the place.
‘We are there,
children.’ Everyone got out and Cherish has her wheelchair out too. Angst who
is disabled insight asked the first question.
‘Where are we?’ as
he held tightly onto Sadie’s hand.
‘I don’t know. But
I think it's a spell as Toy-land. Yes, we are in Toy-land. There are toys
everywhere. I can see dolls, games and lots of toys. We are really in Toy-land.
I can see Santa too. He is standing before me but he is not talking to me.’ It
was then Henry switched on the power to the Santa figurine who sings as well as
dance. It seems that Henry is the owner
of Toy-land, and he was ever glad to share his Christmas with the new family he
is going to adopt soon. And of course with Mrs. Henry in tow.
It was indeed a
beautiful Christmas that year for the four children. Angst reached for Mrs.
Winter's hand.
'Ms. Winter, I may
not be able to see Christmas but I can feel it in me. Thank you.'
'Angst, Christmas
is what you feel in you and how you share it. The toys and the food means
nothing if you do not have the Christmas feeling inside. Don't ever be despair
for the gift in you see more than many others choose to see with their gift of
sight. '
And to all of you
too. Merry Christmas.
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