To All A Good Night
John Westcott
At first I thought it was The Devil, but I soon realized I was wrong. Now I know for sure who it was. He has to be the real Santa Clause. He doesn't look like he does in the Toys R Us ads, though. He is really young in a blue and black suit with a mask over his eyes. My name is Walter, my mom's name is..... well I just call her mom. Dad was after us again. His breath smelled like beer, and he was yelling really loud. I knew he was going to hurt us again. It might be mom or it might be me, or maybe he would hurt both of us. Dad was really going at it that night, just a week and a half before Christmas. He was mad because he couldn't get a job. I never understood why he took it out on us, though. It wasn't our fault. Dad had my only teddy bear, I call him "Big Joe". He was going to light Big Joe on fire again. He had poured whiskey all over it and he had lit a match. He had that crazy look in his eyes that he gets whenever he drinks.
That was when Santa Clause came in through the window. He was scary at first, scarier than dad could ever hope to be. He surprised us all when he grabbed Dad's arm as he was about to light Big Joe on fire.
"Enough." Was all he said. At first, I thought he wanted to take a crack at me himself, but that wasn't how it happened. Dad pulled his arm from Santa's hand and tried to hit him. All that did was get dad slapped up against the wall as easily as he usually threw me and mom around. Dad wasn't done yet, though. He got up and grabbed a knife from the kitchen, swinging it at Santa. That didn't get him very far, either. Santa kicked him so hard he went through the wall. By this time mom and I were hiding behind the couch, afraid he would start on us next. I was peeking out from behind the couch though, wanting to see what was happening. When he made sure dad was out cold he called to us in a much softer voice than he had used before.
"Come on out, folks. I won't hurt you." He said. Mom was still afraid but for some reason I trusted him. I wiggled free of her arms and ran out. I was in awe, I had wanted to do that to dad for years.
"Who are you?" I asked him.
"I'm just a friend. I hate bullies." He said as he smiled at me. Mom had finally come out from behind the couch, and she wasn't happy.
"Are you crazy? Just who the hell do you think you are?" Both Santa and I were surprised when mom started yelling at him.
"He was hurting you and your son."
"My name is Walter." I said, smiling at him. He smiled back and I knew he was a good man, just as Santa was supposed to be.
"Oh yeah, sure, you beat him up now. But what happens when you're long gone and he wakes up? He'll kill us thanks to you!!" Mom was really yelling now. "We have nowhere to go. We have no money and no family. If I try to go he'll hunt me down and probably kill me." Mom started to cry, I almost started crying too.
"Listen," Santa said, "What if I can get you out of here right now. Would you go?" Mom and I were both shocked. Would Santa take us to The North Pole with him?
It didn't take mom long to decide. "Yes." She said. Santa had her pack a few things in a grocery bag and he hustled us out the door as fast as we could go. I insisted we take my teddy bear as well, Big Joe had been burned and ripped up by dad before, and he didn't look the best, but he was all I had... he was my only friend. Unfortunately we couldn't find it after the fight between Santa and Dad, and I cried for days. We ran out the door we didn't look back, any place had to be better than here.
Santa took us to a hotel that first night and gave us some cash to pay for it. The next night he showed up (through the window again, I've never seen Santa use a door) and told us to take a cab to Wayne Enterprises main office tomorrow morning, and to tell them who we were, they would take care of the rest. When we got to Wayne Enterprises the next day, they told mom she had a job waiting for her there, a secretary for a man named Lucius Fox, whoever that is. Santa somehow found out that mom knew how to type and take dictation and things like that, and this Fox guy needed a new secretary. Mom seems to think he is a great boss too. She says even the pay is pretty good. We have an apartment of our own now and dad has no idea where we are. Still, I missed my teddy bear.
Santa came to visit me one more time, on Christmas Eve. He came in through the window again, of course, and told me he had a surprise for me. He gave me a box wrapped in paper with bells on it. When I opened it I saw Big Joe..... I thought I had lost him when we ran from dad. Santa had Big Joe all patched up and he even had a new eye sewed in to replace the missing one. I asked Santa if he had done this and he said no. One of his special most trusted elves did this for me. Apparently his name is Alfred. Santa also told me to go and look in the living room, when I did I found a fully decorated Christmas tree and presents for mom and I. There were toys and things mom needed for the kitchen. I almost started to hyperventilate when I unwrapped a Playstation II and a new television set, although secretly I have to admit that I liked having Big Joe back the most. All mom could do was cry. I asked her why she was sad but she said that she wasn't sad, she was happier than she had ever been. I ran back into my room to thank Santa, but he was gone. I stuck my head out the window and saw him swinging away, I didn't know why there were no reindeer or a sleigh.
"Thanks, Santa!!" I yelled to him.
"Merry Christmas, Walter!!" He yelled back.
And to all a good night.