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The Sneaky Sound of the Christmas Elves
by Rusty C Arquette
I wanted an English Racer
for Christmas
today theyd call them
ten speeds,
but the one I got only had three
[ten speed was a concept
yet to come about in 63]
English Racers
were the latest thing
in my neighborhood
everyone with a Schwinn
or a Raleigh
fat tired bikes with tanks
and buddy seats
wanted the lightweight
skinny tired speedsters
with a built in tire pump
they were very cool
very trendy
and a lot cooler than
Davey Crockett Coonskin Caps
or flamingo pink Hula-Hoops!
as Christmas gifts go
it came down to Christmas eve
and no indication of a racer
Id searched the obvious spots
then the far fetched spots
but with no luck
Id just about given up
on the thought of it appearing
at thirteen Santa was still
a remote possibility
hed been there in the past
so in spite of my
would-be friends
who wanted to let the air out
of the myth by denying him
through a well thought
set of kid reasons
my response was, bah!
[you know the things
kids say!]
the stockings were hung
the tinsel hung too
the tree twinkling with lights
and nothing much was happening
a quiet Christmas eve
so I decided to turn in early
I was actually tired
after putting up the tree
and helping to prep the house
for the holiday
ready for some shut-eye
near 11:30
after flopping around in bed
unable to get my eyelids
to stay closed
I found myself dozing
falling into a welcome sleep
when a noise outside
disturbed my slumber
a car door slammed
then a second
muffled sounds
low, like whispering
out on the driveway
I could make out my dad
and my older brothers voice
a grunt or two
the trunk was closed quietly,
but I knew the sound of
that trunk
and then the telltale sound
Id been waiting to hear
click, click, click, click, click
as the bike was pushed up
the front walk to the house
click, click, click, click, click
the familiar sound of
an English Racer
.
I was elated
I almost cried out in
my excitement, but stifled it
into the pillow on my bed
carefully crawling to the headboard
I peeked through the
curtain to see the two sneaks
open the front door
and bring in the prize
I was overjoyed
I knew now,
without a doubt,
I was getting the
bike of my dreams
.
something
had slipped my mind
is spite of my joy
my heart suddenly sunk
for I had realized
what all we true believers
most come to understand
at one point or another
not all that is magic is real
not all that is Santa is magic
and that the magic in Santa
was my old man
Oh, I had a feeling it was true
Id heard it enough from the
mean spirited trolls of my
neighborhood who delighted in
pulling the wings off fairies
and using elves for baseballs
but now it was a fact
dad was Santa
and life would
never be the same again
as much as I loved
that bike
it was thereafter a reminder
that I was no longer a little kid
and that some of the magic
had been taken from the world
but all was not lost
I did manage to reclaim some
of the magic
years later
when I had children of my own
and Santa Claus
suddenly appeared in the
bathroom mirror
ho, ho, ho!
see
true believers
Santa lives!
09/02/2003 Author's Note: It's time for the annual Christmas offerings to show up under the PPS tree...here's RCat's first for the current yuletide season...
Posted on 12/03/2006
Copyright © 2024 Rusty C Arquette
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Gregory O'Neill on 12/03/06 at 08:31 AM Right Santa Dude, the magic becomes too dim, too fast. Believe, believe, believe! |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 12/03/06 at 02:23 PM Great Santa story in your inimitable style! |
| Posted by Jean Mollett on 12/08/06 at 02:33 AM Hi Rusty,
I love it. Great Christmas story. Great work. |
| Posted by Sandy M. Humphrey on 12/08/06 at 05:14 PM Yes RCat there is indeed a Santa Claus as long as you truly believe...may little ones in your life delight in your ho ho ho. smh |
| Posted by Delilah Coyne on 12/09/06 at 02:03 PM I can really relate to this poem! I just couldn't stop reading! You just have such a way with sentimentality in your work. It is so appealing. Santa is real... in the minds of millions of children, so it must be true!! Thanks so much for this! |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 12/12/06 at 03:33 PM Excellent yultide storytelling Rusty. Great way to end it also...we lose something in learning the truth, but get it back in playing Santa to our own children. Merry Christmas RCat! |
| Posted by Bethany Lee on 12/21/06 at 03:07 AM Thanx for reminding me that Christmas is just around the corner...best time of the year! |
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