ChristmasM
圣诞节早晨
AlightdrizzlewasfallingasmysisterJillandIranoutoftheMethertogethomeandplaywiththepresentsthatSaforusandourbabysister,Sharon。AcrossthestreetfromthechurchanAmerigasstatireyhoundbusstopped。Itwasas,butInoticedafamilystandihelockeddoor,huddleduhenarriokeepdry。IwonderedbrieflywhytheyweretherebutthenfotaboutthemasIracedtokeepupwithJill。
&home,therewasbarelytimetoenjoyourpreseogoras’houseforourannualChristmasdinner。Aswedrovedownthehighwaythroughtown,Ihefamilywasstillthere,standiheclosedgasstation。
Myfatherwasdrivingveryslowlydownthehighway。Theclottotheturnras’house,theslowerthet。Suddenly,myfatherU-turhemiddleoftheroadandsaid,“Idit!”
“What?”askedmymother。
“It'sthosepeoplebackthereatthePanAm,standihey'vegot。It'sChristmas。Idit。”
&herpullediation,Isawthattherewerefiveofthem:theparentsandthree—twogirlsandasmallboy。
Myfatherrolleddo。“MerryChristmas,”hesaid。
“Howareyou,”themanreplied。Hewasverytallandhadtostoopslightlytopeerintothecar。
Jill,Sharon,ahe,aaredbackatus。
“Youwaitingonthebus?”myfatherasked。
Themansaidthattheywere。Theyweregoingtham,wherehehadabrotherasofajob。
&busisn’tgoingtoealongforseveralhours,aiandinghere。Winborn’sjustailesuptheroad。They’vegotashedwithacoverthere,andsomebenches,”myfathersaid。“Whydon'ty’allgetinthedI’llrunyouupthere。”
&houghtaboutitforamoment,andtheohisfamily。Theytothecar。Theyhadheclothesthey>
&tledin,myfatherlookedbackoverhisshoulderaheifSantahadfouhreeglumfacesmutelygavehimhisanswer。
“Well,Ididn’tthinkso,”myfathersaid,winkingatmymother,“beIsawSantathism,hetoldmethathewashavingtroublefindingyouall,andheaskedmeifhecouldleaveyourtoysatmyhouse。We'lljustgotogetthembeforeItakeyoutothebusstop。”
Allatohree'sfaceslitup,aoboundinthebackseat,laughingandg。
&outofthecaratourhouse,thethreeranthroughthefrontdohttothetoysthatwerespreadoutunderourChristmastree。OhegirlsspiedJill’sdollaelyhuggedittoherarms。IrememberthatthelittleboygrabbedSharon’sball。AhergirlpiethihishappenedalothememoryofitremaiwastheChristmaswhenmysistersahejoyofmakingothershappy。
Mymotherhemiddlechildwaswearingashort-sleeveddress,soshegavethegirlJill’soo>
BathethewaytoWinborn,myfatheraskedthemanifhehadmoneyforbusfare。
Hisbrotherhadsehemansaid。
Myfatheriojoinusatras’forChristmasdiheparentsrefused。Everiedtotalkthemintoing,theywerefirmintheirde。
Myfatherreatohispodpulledouttwodollars,whichwasallhehadleftuntilhispayday。Hepressedthemoheman’shariedtogiveitback,butmyfatheri’llbelatewheham,andthesewillbehuhe。I’vebeenbrokenbefore,andIknowwhatit’slikewhenyou’tfeedyourfamily。”