Barb's Christmas

The last patient had left and Barbara and Shana were cleaning up the office, putting the tools away, wiping off the chairs, emptying out the trash. It was only a few weeks before Christmas and business was slow at the dentist’s office.

“Justin got his Christmas bonus last week. We managed to get all our presents bought and wrapped, for the first time ever. Usually we have something that we need to get and it’s so nice to be done early for a change. Have you got your shopping done?”

“No, not yet.” Barbara’s usually cheery countenance had gone dark. Shana saw a tear slide down her cheek.

“Hey, what’s wrong? This isn’t like you. Not having your shopping done early isn’t that big a deal.” Shana put her arm around Barb. “How can I help?”

“I haven’t done any shopping, none at all. It doesn’t look like I’m going to have the money to do any, either.”

“Why not? Tell me about it”

“Well, you remember when my boy was sick. The insurance only covered a small part of the costs. I’ve managed to pay all the doctor bills and I’ve got enough for the rent and some food, but there’ll be no presents for the kids. We’ll have a meal for Christmas but it won’t be the turkey and all that. I don’t care for myself, but the kids… how can I tell them that Santa Claus isn’t coming to our house this year?”

Barbara suffers from Lupus. If you want a good scare next Halloween, go to the library and read about Lupus. That should get your hackles erect.

Shana took a tissue out of the box and handed it to her. “Here, dry your eyes. Don’t worry, maybe something will turn up.”

“Well, I hope so. I already spoke to the doctor about it, but he got hit by a big tax payment last time and can’t afford to help.”

They finished up their chores, locked up the office and left for the day.

A week went by. “How’s the Christmas thing coming?”

“Like before. I’ve warned the kids that this will be a skimpy Christmas, to say the least. They took it pretty good, a lot better than I’d hoped for.”

“Sorry to hear that. Can you watch the store for a few minutes, Barb? I’ve got to go pick up the mail.”

“Our next appointment isn’t for an hour, go ahead.”

Shana left and Barbara went in the back room for some towels. When she returned, she noticed an envelope laying on the counter. It looked like a Christmas card and it had her name on it.

“What the…”, She put her load of towels on the counter and picked up the card.

She opened the envelope and took out the card. She read the front and opened it. Two crisp new hundred dollar bills fell on the counter. She looked at the signature through a swelling of tears. It was signed only, “Merry Christmas, Santa.”

She waited until Shana returned from the post office. As she came through the door, Barb threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. “Thank you, oh thank you, thank you so much! You don’t know how much this means to me! How can I ever repay you?”

“What are you talking about? Repay me for what?”

“You know perfectly well, what. For the money! You’ve just saved my Christmas!”

“I didn’t give you any money, honey. We’ve spent our load. If we had it to give you, I’d have been glad to do so but we just don’t have it.”

“Well, somebody sure does.” Barb waved the bills at her. “You had a hand in this, didn’t you? You had to have. You were the last person in here before I found it. Nobody’s been in here since you’ve been gone, the door never opened.”

Shana looked away, but not before Barbara saw her smile. “You did have a hand in it, I can tell. Tell me, please. Who is it from?”

Shana knew she was caught. “Alright, you caught me, but I never dreamed it would be that much. OK, so I know Santa Claus. But I can’t tell you who it’s from. It’s more than my life would be worth to tell you. I had to take a solemn vow not to tell.”

“Will you tell me after Christmas?”

“No.”

“Well, when can you tell me?”

“Never. I can’t ever tell you. It’ll just have to be one of those mysteries of life. Look, let’s just say it’s from somebody who does things like this. I know someone who sometimes has a little extra money at Christmas. This is not the first time I’ve known them to give away money to someone who doesn’t have enough.”

“Was it the doctor? It was the doctor, wasn’t it? It had to be.”

“Nope, it wasn’t the doctor.”

“One of the patients?”

“No, it’s not one of the patients. It’s not anybody you know, OK? I wouldn’t tell you if you guessed who it was.”

Barbara tried to hide her disappointment. “Well, the next time you see them, would you please tell them how much I appreciate this? I just can’t thank them enough.”

“I’ll tell them, I promise. Now let’s not play any more guessing games, OK?”

That night the phone rang in Shana’s house. “Hello.”

“Did she get it?”

Shana recognized the voice. “Yes, she got it. I wasn’t very sneaky when I left it on the counter. She knew I’d left it.”

“You didn’t tell her who it was from, did you?”

“Are you kidding? I know what would happen if I did. She just about drove me crazy trying to find who it was, though. I told her I couldn’t tell her, ever.”

He laughed. “You’d better not, either.”

“She just kept saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. How can I ever repay you ?” She really appreciated the money. I was surprised at how much it was.”

“That’s OK, she needed it. I’m glad I had it to give. You know how much I enjoy it when I’m able to help those who need it desperately.”

“Yes, I know. Last year it was Robert, the year before it was Sandra. How many years have you done this?”

“I don’t know. Some years I can’t afford it. But there were years when I was in that fix, so I know what a strain it can be. I always get more back than I give. It is so worth the price. I’m glad she’s going to be all right. Thanks for telling me.”

“I’m glad I was part of it for a change.” Shana looked at her daughter playing in front of the TV. “Well, gotta go. ‘Bye, uh, Santa. OK if I call you Santa?”

“Yes, it’s fine. Better than being called Scrooge. Byebye, Merry Christmas.”

She hung up the phone.

“Whatcha cryin’ for, Mom?”

“Oh, let’s just say I got to be an elf this year.”

You may be thinking that this is not much of a story. There is little suspense or surprise, you saw it all coming. I bet you think you could write a better story yourself. I don't doubt it. But this is real life, lived by real people. I didn't write it, I only recorded it.

The question is not so much who Santa is as who he could be. Of course, he could be anyone. He could be you if you decided to support someone this next Christmas. There is no lack of Bob Cratchett's in the world.

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