A CHRISTMAS CARL :-D

Dec 25, 1992: It was Christmas Day in Bay City, and Carl Hutchins was spending

it as he usually did; he was sitting alone in his suite, watching the Alistair Sim version

of Dickens' CHRISTMAS CAROL. By now, he had seen it so many times that he

could repeat all the dialogue in synch with the actors.

The film had reached the point where Ebenezer Scrooge (Sim) sees the ghost of his

dead partner, Jacob Marley (Michael Horndern): "Who are you? - Ask me who I

was - All right, who were you then? - In life, I was your partner, Jacob Marley"

mouthed Carl.

"And in life, I was your son, Perry Hutchins." said a voice.

Carl looked up; there stood his dead son, Perry, looking just as he had the last

time Carl saw him alive. He even recognized the sweater Perry wore as one Carl had

given him.

"Don't tell me!" said Carl, "I've fallen asleep watching A CHRISTMAS CAROL,

and now I'm going to have a dream based on the plot."

"That's right, Dad!" Perry said, grinning. "It's a lot easier for the dead to talk to the

living when they're asleep. But the fact that this is a dream doesn't mean it's not real."

"Bah, Humbug!" said Carl, "Now for the three spirits, I suppose?"

"Just one spirit: Me." said Perry, "This is the low-rent version. I am going to show

you visions of Christmas Past, Present and Future."

"I'd really rather you didn't." said Carl.

"It's for your own good, Dad. Trust me."

"What exactly do you suppose you are going to accomplish by showing me visions

of the miserable Christmases of my childhood and youth, or the even more miserable

Christmas of my young manhood, - the Christmas when my father shot himself in the

head?"

"Not much!" said Perry," So let's just skip ahead to 1983 - your first Christmas in

Bay City."

Abruptly, they found themselves in a room full of happy, chattering people, swilling

eggnog to the sound of Christmas carols.

"I think I'm going to be sick." said Carl.

"Now, Dad! Felicia is throwing this party in your honour! Look - there you are,

over by the fireplace."

Carl looked; there, indeed, was his younger self , looking around with a superior

smirk. Suddenly, Younger Carl stiffened; "It can't be!" he whispered. Then, "Felicia,"

he said, "Who are those people - just coming in the door?"

"That's Mac Cory and his wife, Rachel." said Felicia, "And you can wipe that look

off your face - she's a happily married woman!"

"Felicia!" said Younger Carl, "As though I'd even look at another woman, when

you were in the room!"

Felicia smiled. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

"So?" said Carl, "At first sight, I was struck by Rachel Cory's resemblance to

Justine. What of it?"

"Are you sure that all it was?" said Perry. "I know about your fantasies! - Is that a

blush?"

Carl looked over to where his younger self was kissing Rachel's hand.

"I'd like to leave now." he said.

"All right, let's move on to Christmas Present." said Perry.

"Let's not." said Carl, "No doubt I am to be cast in the role of the Little Match

Boy, standing out in the snow, with my nose pressed up against the windows of the

rooms where my enemies are all having a Merry Christmas, because they have

homes and friends and family - well, I pass!"

"Ebenezer Scrooge was a pushover compared to you, Dad." said Perry, "And you

do have family - my brother!"

"Ryan? said Carl, "He wants nothing to do with me. Not that I blame him."

"I didn't want anything to do with you either, at first. But you won me over, in the

end."

"True - but you were not a police officer who has been trying to send me to

prison." said Carl.

"I didn't say it was going to be easy." said Perry, "But you are never going to get

Ryan's love and respect if you don't try!"

"There may be something in what you say." said Carl,

"That's the spirit! Remember, a Hutchins nevr gives up!" said Perry, "And to give

you a little added incentive, I'm going to show you a ChristmasYet To Come -"

"I can guess!" said Carl, "It's Christmas, and I'm dead! They are shovelling the

frozen mud onto my coffin, and I don't have a single friend to mourn for me. 'There is

no creature loves me/ And if I die no soul shall pity me-' "

"Enough Shakespeare!" said Perry. "Try a little Eleanor Rigby: 'Oh look at all the

lonely people'- but it doesn't have to be that way, Dad - not if you change your evil

ways. Now, I'm not saying that this is what will happen - there are no guarantees in

life - but it could!"

Perry snapped his fingers, and they were in the living-room of the Cory Mansion.

Rachel Cory was putting presents under the Christmas tree. If this was the future, it

couldn't be very far in the future - she appeared no older.

Rachel looked up, and smiled radiantly. "Merry Christmas, My Darling!" she said.

Carl's future self - God, his hair was halfway down his back! - had just entered the

room.

"It isn indeed, My Love!" he said, lifting Rachel to her feet, "A very Merry

Christmas!"

They kissed passionately.

"But, this makes no sense!" said Carl, "What has this to do with Ryan?"

"You'll figure it out." said Perry, encouragingly "Have fun, Dad - and Merry

Christmas!"

Carl opened his eyes. He was sitting in his armchair. On the tv, Tiny Tim was just

saying " God bless us, every one!"

Carl picked up the phone and dialled. "Ryan? This is your Old Man. I just called

to say - Merry Christmas."

The End

The End