SKETCHY ROUGH DRAFT-A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

Short fiction:
A Christmas Memory-

Marie scurried to the mailbox just outside her little house. Slowly opening the mailbox, she peered inside from a distance as if something might jump out at her. Nothingness stared back. She shivered as the December winds blew through her thin bones. Hustling back inside her house, she made her way into her tiny box living room, which also served as her dining room. She had everything she needed there. Inches in front of her, a couple of crossword puzzle books, her ashtray and remote control sat on her little wooden coffee table. She looked at the snow-covered trees outside her window, not even one bird perched there. She lit up and grabbed the control as she did every day.

It was Christmas, and she had checked her mailbox every day for the past month and nothing but bills had taken up space in the little box. She didn’t care if she was cut off from the world. True, Christmas was a time for family and friends and fruitcakes and Christmas trees and fa la la la las all around, but who needed it, she thought. She watched the Christmas Day parades on the television set located just across from her on a little stand. No matter, it is what it is, she thought.

Marie had family, but they were all in different states. She stared at the T.V as she remembered a different time and place as her children squealed in delight as they looked inside their stockings for oranges, walnuts and candy canes galore. She always had homemade goodies carefully placed inside as well as a special little present. She could see their bright eyes widen in delight as each item was yanked from the stocking. Marie’s heart raced when watching them and her heart raced as she remembered them. But, that was a long time ago. No bitterness. No tears. Just loneliness. No matter, it is what it is, she thought solemnly.

She was startled out of her thoughts as she heard her doorbell ring. She sat for a moment as she wondered if she was hearing things. It rang again. She stretched and yawned. Marie pushed up with her arms using the coach to assist her, and slowly walked to the front door. Peering outside, she saw before her very eyes, kids and adults and everything in between with their red noses and scarves and hats to keep them warm in this cold weather of Strafford, NH. In a daze, she stood there and glanced around as if she was losing her mind and tried to grasp her surroundings. And before she could get her thoughts to work for her, her grandchildren and children pulled open the screen door and rushed in hugging her, grabbing at her.

“Grandma!”
“Hey Ma, sorry we didn’t call. We wanted it to be a surprise. You were probably pretty mad when you didn’t hear from us, huh?
Marie stood there with hands on wide hips.
“Ma?”
As Marie moved back to allow her family to pile into her little house, one tear slipped down her cheek. I guess it did matter, she thought as she followed them all into the little room. After all, Christmas is a time for family and friends and such. She smiled and accepted the hugs of her grandchildren with a twinkle in her eye.

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