A little girl with golden blonde hair and blue eyes helped her cousin with the Christmas tree. She was happy to be around family because they had just moved into the building earlier that year. Her mom was off at work at a local restaurant slinging hash to support herself and the little girl. The neighborhood wasn’t that great, they lived next to a cemetery and a block away from gang-bangers, but it was home. It was much better than the small mobile home they had just a few months ago.
She stood in amazement with the scent of baking apples in the air. This tree was as large as can be. It was ten inches taller than she. The tree reached from floor to roof. He cousin’s cat making sure that it was chew proof. It was all decked out in silver and gold, from the limbs hung ornaments new and old. The little girl twirled around looked at all the apartment decorations. “Cousin, why don’t I have a tree at my house?” the little girl asked. Stepping out of the kitchen with a smile she answered “Your mom and I agreed, that it would be both of ours.”
“Your mom doesn’t have time to decorate a tree” she commented. She must have seen the little girls frown. “Now none of that or Santa won’t come to visit you.” She said. “Your mom works really hard to just put a roof over your head and that is why you’re spending Christmas Eve with me.” The little girl smiled while asking “Is there anything else I can help with.” Her cousin responded with an “Oh yes! We have the pies to take to your Aunts house tomorrow.”
So they both went to work like busy bees. The little girl soon learned the love of cooking while helping her cousin with pumpkin and apple pies. She especially liked painting butter on the crust. It was like painting paint with a painters brush.
They sat down to watch a little T.V. while smells of baked apples, brown sugar and spice filled the air.
Soon there was a nock at the door and when the girl opened the door, her mom was there. She was dressed in her work uniform hair pulled back in a pony tail. The little girl could see drops of food and drink on her mom’s apron. The girls mom said she should stay right there “I’m just going to change clothes.” While her mom walked down to their apartment she asked her cousin if she was ready to go. The little girl knew that her mom and her cousin had made plans to go out to dinner.
The restaurant wasn’t fancy but no one had to cook. “Feliz Navidad” played in the background while the meals were served and eaten. The little girl had a big surprise at the end when they brought desert. She wondered “What is this thing” while she looked at what seemed to be ice cream covered in corn flakes. “It’s deep fried ice cream.” Her mom said. The little girl’s noise wiggled and the questions flew. “Mom, how can they fry ice cream?” A passing waiter chuckled and decided to answer “It’s not really fried. The ice cream ball is rolled in corn flakes covered with sugar. Try it you’ll like it” With that she enjoyed her bowl.
The three made it home safely in her cousins brown Duster. They said goodnight and went their separate ways, knowing that they would see each other on Christmas day. The little girl’s mom tucked her into her blanket with care. She said “Close your eyes, Santa soon will be here.” The little girl piped up “No he won’t we have no chimney.” Her mom piped back. “Sure he will, He’ll come through the window cracks.”
The next morning the little girl woke up with a knock on the door. She opened the door and what did she see but tons of presents. Those blue eyes opened as big as quarters as she ran to mom yelling “Mom look, mom look, look what Santa brought me.” She brought them all herself while her mom searched for coffee. The little girl’s eyes got huge when she started opening them with glee.
Well that little girl is now thirty-four years old and the little girl of glee is me.
So when you read a story, take it to heart, that the writer of the story may take a part.
